Scheduled to open in 2009, The Westin Nanjing will be one of the largest hotels in the Yangtze river delta region.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc and Nanjing International Group announced an agreement for Starwood to manage The Westin Nanjing in China.

Scheduled to open in early 2009, the hotel will be part of a multi-purpose complex that houses the hotel in one tower and residential condominium units, offices and exhibition space in the other two towers. The hotel will feature 300 rooms, and close to 14,500 square feet of meeting and function space.

The hotel facilities will also include four dining outlets, a health club and spa, an indoor swimming pool and retail center. Located opposite the famous Xuanwu Lake of Nanjing, The Westin Nanjing provides travelers easy access to the city's largest convention center and various scenic spots.

The signing of The Westin Nanjing heralds the continued expansion of Westin Hotels & Resorts in China.  The Westin Nanjing will join The Westin Shanghai and The Westin Beijing - Financial Street as the third Westin hotel in mainland China.  The Westin Beijing - Financial Street is slated to open in 2006.

"We are very proud to be working in partnership with the Nanjing International Group to introduce Westin and its many innovative and signature services and products to travelers visiting Nanjing in future," said Miguel Ko, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia-Pacific.  "Westin is known as a highly innovative brand that has launched several "firsts" in the industry, including the iconic Heavenly Bed, an oasis of plush comfort so popular that you'll want one for your own bedroom at home."

Starwood Hotels & Resorts expanded its portfolio in China significantly over the last year. With a total of 19 operating hotels and 12 hotels under development in China, Starwood is the largest international operator of upscale hotels in the country.

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province of China and the second largest city in the Yangtze River Delta Region, after Shanghai. Approximately two hours by plane from Beijing and Hong Kong, Nanjing is also the largest river port in Asia, as well as one of China's four major scientific research and educational centers. Nearly 8,000 foreign-investment enterprises worth over $9.3 billion have invested in Nanjing. With a 2,500 year history, Nanjing is regarded as one of the four ancient capitals of China and ranked as one of the top tourist cities in China, offering extensive and varied sightseeing experiences - from thousand year-old Buddhist relics, pagodas to natural landscapes like Qingxia Mountain and the Qinhuai Scenic River belt.