Preferred Hotel Group Backgrounder

Preferred Hotel Group is a global leader in the hospitality industry. The company’s origins date to 1968 – when six hotels founded Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide – a representation and referral organization for their top-tier guests who wished to experience hotels with similar high-end services and unmatched standards.

Today, Preferred Hotel Group encompasses five renowned brands and more than 650 of the finest hotels and resorts in over 75 countries around the world. This creative, cutting-edge company is designed for a new era in travel – an era in which travelers embrace the individuality of distinctive hotels and resorts – yet desire a consistent commitment to excellence. Preferred Hotel Group global brands include: Preferred Hotels® & Resorts (www.preferredhotels.com), Preferred Boutique™ (www.preferredboutique.com), Summit Hotels & Resorts™ (www.summithotels.com), Sterling Hotels (www.sterlinghotels.com) and Historic Hotels of America™ (www.historichotels.org).

Preferred Hotel Group has global sales offices in 28 cities around the world, bringing competitive advantage to hotel owners and operators through brand prestige and global operating scale. Preferred Hotel Group provides customized corporate, leisure, and group sales support, integrated marketing solutions, state-of-the-art global connectivity and reservations services, and electronic distribution to its member hotels.

Preferred Hotel Group is led by Chairman & CEO John Ueberroth, who became the largest shareholder of the privately held, shareholder-owned company in 2004. The Ueberroth family – well respected in travel, hospitality, and event management – has played a pivotal role in the expansion of Preferred Hotel Group. John Ueberroth and his wife Gail, who serves as Executive Vice President, have overseen the addition of nearly 500 hotels and resorts to the Preferred Hotel Group portfolio.

Preferred Hotel Group has continued to expand on its services for guests, as well. In 2006, guests of any Preferred Hotel Group brand became eligible to enjoy the benefits of I Prefer™ Global Guest Benefit Program, featuring benefits such as early check-in/late check-out, space-available upgrades and more. Today, more than 115,000 loyal guests and a growing membership of hotels and resorts in over 75 countries around the world have made their preference clear – Preferred Hotel Group.

In Fall 2007, the company entered the luxury real estate market with the launch of Preferred Residences – a membership and exchange program for luxury shared ownership resorts that provides an exceptional level of service and amenities. Properties are held to exacting standards derived from the same Preferred Global Standards of Excellence™ on which the company has built its 40-year heritage in the hospitality industry. For more information please visit www.preferredresidences.com.

For reservations and a complete description of the Preferred Hotel Group collection, please visit www.preferredhotelgroup.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

N. AMERICA

Nichole DiBenedetto
Middleton & Gendron, Inc.
Tel: +1 212 980 9231 • Fax: +1 212 759 6521
ndibenedetto@mg-pr.com

EMEA

Nicola Parker
Lucre Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 9690│ Fax: +44 (0)20 8948 7601
preferredhotels@lucrecommunications.com

For high resolution imagery of our properties, please visit the Preferred Hotel Group Image Library at www.preferredhotelgroup.com/press.htm.