A Great Night`s Sleep Trumps Great Sex in New Westin Hotels Sleep Study

In Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Heavenly Bed Westin Surveys
Travelers` Sleep Habits; More than half of travelers prefer a great night`s
sleep to great sex

Westin Hotels Partners with the renowned National Sleep Foundation to Launch
(888) TIME-4-SLEEP Hotline to help People Get a Good Night`s Sleep
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(Business Wire)--
A great night`s sleep trumps great sex according to more than half (51%) of the
U.S. respondents to a new global survey of sleeping habits conducted by Westin
Hotels & Resorts. Just how desperate are we for sleep? Well, 42% said they`d
rather have a sleeping pill on their hotel pillow than the ubiquitous chocolate,
and 62% take a relaxant, sleep or stress medication when traveling overnight.

Today, Westin Hotels unveils the results of a new global sleep study of more
than 12,500 frequent travelers in ten countries - a follow-up to a sleep study
the hotel giant conducted a decade ago when it launched its now iconic Heavenly
Bed. When Westin debuted its revolutionary all-white bed, it spurred a global
hotel bedding war that instantly made Earth tone polyester bedspreads and foam
mattresses relics of old. Millions of travelers have benefited, and today 43% of
frequent travelers say the quality of sleep on the road has gotten better, 25%
of Road Warriors said they`d pay $100 more for a hotel with a great bed, and
more than half would go out of their way to stay in a hotel with their favorite
bed.

Forget the Boogie Man, it`s Mortgages, Marriage and Blackberry PDA`s That Keep
Us Up at Night

While good beds on the road may be easier to find, sleep itself can be elusive
and our round-the-clock work life, today`s economic woes and good old fashioned
relationship problems often get in the way of a good night`s sleep. To wit:

* 56% of U.S. respondents said that with our 24/7 lifestyles, a good night`s
sleep is more important than ever, though unfortunately 61% believe that today`s
technology and constant connectivity impairs sleep. And our beloved Blackberry`s
make for dreadful sleep companions.
* 60% said their PDAs have prevented them from getting shut eye.
* 58% of respondents said the biggest worry keeping them up at night is bills
and paying the mortgage. Another key culprit that keeps people tossing and
turning is problems with their spouse or partner (25%).

Honey, I have a headache said HE - the Sex vs. Sleep Gender Debate

In the 10 years since the Westin brand conducted its original sleep study, our
desire for sleep has increased, and our sex lives have suffered. Today 51% of
frequent travelers in the U.S. prefer a great night`s sleep to great sex,
compared to just 31% who chose sleep over sex 10 years ago. Contrary to
conventional wisdom, it`s men who are more likely than women to take sleep over
sex, with the majority of women saying they prefer sex to snoozing. And
Americans are not alone - in nine of 10 countries surveyed, sleep beats sex -
only the Canadians prefer seduction vs. slumber.

Other key findings include:

Hotel Beds in a Post-Heavenly Bed Era

* More than half (57%) found that a great hotel bed provides a better sleep
experience than at home, and more than one in four strongly agreed that sleeping
in a hotel bed while on a business trip is a "luxury"-a significant change from
10 years ago, when 82% of travelers found something to complain about hotel
beds.
* The majority of those surveyed like the hotel mattress (59%) and pillows (54%)
better than their bed at home.

Sleep Woes Take Their Toll

* 57% of respondents say a bad night`s sleep has hurt their business
performance.
* The most common side effects of a bad night`s sleep? Getting in a fight with a
boss or co-worker (29%) or a spouse or partner (25%).

A Good Night`s Sleep is a Phone Call Away…

There is hope for the weary eyed. As a result of the study findings and Westin
Hotel`s ongoing commitment to wellness, the brand has partnered with the
National Sleep Foundation to launch a toll-free sleep hotline. Starting today,
the National Sleep Foundation Hotline brought to you by Westin Hotels, (888)
TIME-4-SLEEP, will be staffed by sleep professionals during the peak hours when
people experience problems sleeping. These medically trained sleep professionals
will help callers with common sleep problems and offer advice and healthy tips
for getting a good night`s sleep. The sleep hotline lines will be open until
September 15th, Monday through Friday, 6:00pm to 1:00am Eastern Standard Time.

Study Methodology

This study is based on a survey conducted by StudyLogic, LLC via telephone
through RDD of adults who are executives, professionally employed, and with an
average of 2+ business and leisure trips per year. Study results are
representative of each country`s population of Executives. Twelve countries were
surveyed: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Spain, the United States, and the United Arab Emigrates. There were
approximately 1,000 people surveyed in each country, with the exception of the
United States, which had approximately 1,500 people. Combined percentage
breakdowns for all twelve countries based on various categories are available at
the end of the report. The survey consisted of thirty-three questions, some of
which contained multiple parts. Due to cultural reasons, certain questions were
modified or omitted for Japan and the United Arab Emigrates, and any change or
omission is indicated in the following report. Interviews were conducted between
June 15th and July 15th, 2009. The survey averaged 18 minutes in length and
contains a margin of error in the totals of +/-3%.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts

Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 169 hotels and resorts in more than 31 countries
and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:
HOT). Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and
leisure companies in the world with 960 properties in 97 countries and 145,000
employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully
integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with
the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection,
W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently
launched Aloft, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation
Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality
vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit
www.starwoodhotels.com.

About the National Sleep Foundation

The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving sleep health and safety
through education, public awareness, and advocacy. It is well-known for its
annual Sleep in AmericaTM poll. The Foundation is a charitable, educational and
scientific not-for-profit organization located in Washington, DC. Its membership
includes researchers and clinicians focused on sleep medicine, professionals in
the health, medical and science fields, individuals, patients, people affected
by drowsy driving and more than 900 healthcare facilities throughout North
America. For more information about the National Sleep Foundation and a
directory of its sleep center members, please visit sleepfoundation.org.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Nadeen Ayala, 914-640-8259
Nadeen.Ayala@starwoodhotels.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009