St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Champions Polo in Brazil with St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras & Prince Harry

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces today that the St. Regis brand will expand its partnership with Sentebale, by joining the charitable polo match played in Brazil for the first time this March. The Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup aims to raise support for the improved healthcare and education of the children of Lesotho, and will have HRH Prince Harry, playing for the Sentebale team, against St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras, who will captain the St. Regis team.

St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras & Prince Harry at "Evening to Honor Sentebale" at The St. Regis New York in 2010. (Photo: Business Wire)

”As our global portfolio grows, so does the global nature of our guests. Particularly a new generation of affluent Brazilians, who are increasingly staying with the St. Regis brand around the world, so we are thrilled to have the opportunity to host an exciting day of polo on their own turf, with Sentebale,” says Paul James, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. "With the World Cup and the Olympics on the horizon, this is an electric time to be in Brazil and we are looking forward to an exhilarating polo match, which is sure to raise awareness and funds for Prince Harry’s charity.”

In 2010 Prince Harry attended an "Evening to Honor Sentebale” at The St. Regis New York, celebrating the St. Regis brand’s and the charity’s connection with New York City and polo. This March will mark the third Sentebale Polo Cup and the continuation of the charity’s relationship with the St. Regis brand. Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho launched the event in Barbados in 2010 to raise awareness and funds for, Sentebale – the charity they founded to continue the legacy of their late mothers’ charitable work with children.

"We are delighted to be holding our annual polo event in Brazil this year, and are very pleased to be working once again with such prestigious brands to deliver the event,” says Philip Green, Chairman, Sentebale Board of Trustees. "We look forward to a very successful event so that we can continue to improve the lives of the disadvantaged children of Lesotho."

"Prince Harry's charity Sentebale is close to my heart, and I am delighted to be captaining the St. Regis team in this year's match,” says St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras. "As an ambassador for Sentebale and St. Regis, I am looking forward to playing polo against Prince Harry in Brazil to help raise funds or this very worthy cause."

St. Regis has long been associated with the world of polo, beginning at the turn of the last century when polo matches on Manhattan’s Governors Island were the highlight of the New York social calendar and where St. Regis’ founding family, the Astors, were a prominent fixture. As St. Regis continues to grow globally, the brand expands its polo presence in nearly as many destinations: hosting spirited polo matches and marquee events in the United Kingdom, the United States, Bangkok, Singapore, Buenos Aires and now Brazil.

For more information on the St. Regis brand’s exclusive polo offerings and events, please visit www.stregis.com/polo. For more information about Sentebale, please visit www.sentebale.org.

About Sentebale:

Founded in 2006, Sentebale’s mission is to transform the lives of Lesotho’s orphans and vulnerable children. The charity was founded by Prince Harry from the British Royal family and Prince Seeiso from the Lesotho Royal family. Lesotho is a unique and beautiful country, but with extreme poverty and the third highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world, it is a country in desperate need of help. With an estimated 400,000 orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho, Sentebale works with grass roots organizations to identify, support and empower these children. Sentebale’s name means "forget me not,” and is a reminder of all the children who need help in Lesotho. American Friends of Sentebale is a U.S. charity that promotes the health, welfare and education of the people of Lesotho, particularly its orphans and vulnerable children, and supports Sentebale in its charitable work in Lesotho. For more information on Sentebale visit www.sentebale.org.

About St. Regis Hotels & Resorts

Combining classic sophistication and modern luxury, the St. Regis brand remains faithful to its commitment to excellence. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, with the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago, the St. Regis brand of hotels and residences is known for its unique luxury dimension, customized service and refined elegance in the best destinations worldwide. Plans for the brand to globally continue its legacy include long-awaited St. Regis hotels and resorts in Buenos Aires and the Riviera Maya. In Asia, St. Regis has also announced plans to open hotels in Changsha, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lijiang and Zhuhai. In Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the St. Regis brand will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Doha and Mauritius. The distinctive trait of the St. Regis experience is customized service and attention to detail through signature St. Regis Butler Service, coveted locations and luxurious design. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.stregis.com and for the privilege of residential ownership, please visit www.stregis.com/residences.

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