New tools and features like MY SPG and HOTEL EXPLORER give members personalized access, and customized on-line experience -

Starwood  has re-designed SPG.com, the dedicated website for members of Starwood Preferred Guest - the industry's top rated hotel loyalty program. The re-designed site showcases a new look, new tools, features and downloads unprecedented in the hospitality industry that provide members with personalized access and a rich, customized on-line experience.

"The new SPG.com highlights the synergies between our award winning Loyalty program - Starwood Preferred Guest and Starwood's forward thinking and innovative web strategies," said Mark Vondrasek, senior vice president, Interactive Marketing and Loyalty Program, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide, Inc. "Our goal has always been to offer our members benefits that set a benchmark in the way travel loyalty programs do business and the new site remains true to this promise by delivering a vanguard and unique on-line experience that can only be found on SPG.com."

Introducing "MY SPG"

One of the highlights of the re-designed site is MY SPG – a personal portal that allows members to access their SPG account, customize the information displayed, and search for properties based on their own unique interests and favorite travel destinations.

Through MY SPG, members can select which tools will appear in their portal every time they log on, including Special Offers, My Favorites, Award Quickfind and TheLobby.com. The new site also allows members to add innovative tools to their personal portal like the Starpoint Tracker which helps members manage and keep track of their Starpoint balances and wish lists.

Members can also download SPG Check-In, the first desktop application in the hotel industry that sends personalized, daily alerts to members with special offers based on their preferences. SPG Check-In also features the top stories of the day from the TheLobby.com, Starwood Preferred Guests' content-rich daily travel blog. To make sure members don't miss out on a great deal, SPG Check-In can be viewed on any handheld mobile device.

Discover New Travel Destinations with "HOTEL EXPLORER"

Looking for a new vacation destination or a beautiful new property? SPG.com's HOTEL EXPLORER makes it easy for members to discover new travel destinations and hotels based on a combination of personal interests and preferences. Are you a golf enthusiast who travels frequently to the West Coast for business? Interested in a new and exciting European destination with great dining and luxurious spa offerings? With just one click, the new SPG.com offers members exciting hotel options based on their favorite or most-frequently visited destinations and interests.

To further simplify the booking process, new hotel rate display technology allows members to search for a hotel and compare the various ways to book a room – by best available price, price in Starpoints, or by the Cash & Points combination. These options make booking a room fast and easy. In addition, complete property information, including photos and special offers for each property, can all be accessed via "drop downs" without leaving the search page.

"As the industry's leading hotel loyalty program, we are constantly striving to offer a rich, personalized on-line experience that goes beyond the transactional by also focusing on the lifestyles and passions of our members," said Robin Korman, vice president of loyalty marketing for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. "The new SPG.com offers our members an easy way to book a stay, manage their account and access insights and recommendations on great new destinations that cater to their interests and travel persona. Our goal was to introduce cutting edge features that provide our members with a truly enriching on-line travel experience while saving them valuable time."