Video: 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

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

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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 benefitted, 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 BlackBerrys 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 fashion
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 BlackBerrys 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 Westin 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, its 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 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'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 Daylight 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(R),
The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Meridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four
Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(R), 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 America(TM) 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.

SOURCE Westin

Gabby Etrog, +1-212-228-1500, gabrielle@njfpr.com; or Nadeen Ayala,
+1-914-640-8259, Nadeen.ayala@starwoodhotels.com, both for Westin