Sheraton’s Global Out of Office Day

Today, the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa is celebrating Global Out-of-Office Day to promote their new Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft. Eight Carlsbad businesses will reportedly spend the day “working” out on the Palm Court Lawn outside the hotel and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Our guess at the businesses involved? Real Estate. . . since sitting out on the lawn is about all they can do these days.

Designed as a social destination, the Link@Sheraton invites guests to interact with each other while they check their email, research local attractions and even print boarding passes using free Wi-Fi and Internet-enabled computer stations.

We’re guessing this is just a new Sheraton business center, but the thought of business people working “out on the lawn” has peaked our interest. We think we’ll roll over later and see how many “executives” have survived.

SHERATON CARLSBAD RESORT & SPA CELEBRATES “GLOBAL OUT-OF-OFFICE-DAY”
AND INVITES THE PUBLIC TO WORK UNDER THE SUN

Business Executives Invited to Join Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa to Celebrate the
“Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft”

Global Work-Life Study Reveals Today’s Professionals Connected to Work 24/7 – Even in the Bedroom

CARLSBAD, CA – Sept 15, 2008 – Today, Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa and executives of eight North San Diego companies are working out on the Palm Court Lawn outside of the hotel and overlooking the Pacific coastline. This event is being held in celebration of the first-ever Global Out-Of-Office Day (G.O.O.D.), which is being sponsored by Sheraton Hotels and its parent company, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Thousands around the world will work “out of the office” today to showcase the brand’s new “Link@Sheraton(sm) experienced with Microsoft®,” a unique lobby lounge that creates a sense of community and offers travelers a convenient on-line experience and instant access to information for work, leisure and social networking. For the day, Sheraton is recreating virtual Links in outdoor venues around the country including Carlsbad, Downtown San Diego, and New York City.

Designed for today’s professional who is no longer chained to the office, and can seamlessly maintain productivity while working remotely, the Link@Sheraton is rolling out to Sheraton hotels worldwide as a key component of a comprehensive effort to revitalize the iconic Sheraton brand and enhance the guest experience at Sheraton’s 408 hotels in 75 countries. Sheraton and its owners are undertaking a multi-year strategy to improve the quality and consistency of the brand portfolio that includes $1.7 billion in renovations, $400 million in key brand initiatives and more than $2 billion in new hotel openings.

To kick-off Global Out-of-Office-Day Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen will officially open Central Park for business at its virtual Link@Sheraton with a “remote ringing” of the New York Stock Exchange opening bell at the park, while Sheraton Carlsbad General Manger Stan Kaminiski works on the lawn with other North County business executives. “We’re showing how our guests can stay connected while traveling on business or pleasure. We have all the tools right in our Link@Sheraton” says Kaminski. Sheraton’s Link is designed to serve the needs of its core guests who are social, successful individuals seeking to balance work and play while also sharing the travel experience with each other.

Designed as a social destination, the Link@Sheraton invites guests to interact with each other while they check their email, research local attractions and even print boarding passes using free Wi-Fi and Internet-enabled computer stations. A key feature of The Link@Sheraton experience is branded webcams, allowing guests of all ages to easily have free video-chats or email video postcards back home. The Link@Sheraton experience also features televisions, daily newspapers and The Link Café featuring Sobe Life Water to offer guests a healthy form of hydration with all natural herbal ingredients. Through its relationship with Microsoft, the new “Link @ Sheraton experienced with Microsoft” will offer Microsoft computer terminals and Internet access points running Microsoft products.

Today’s Professionals Connected to Work 24/7 – Even in the Bedroom

To coincide with Global Out of Office Day, Sheraton today announced the findings of a Work-Life study it commissioned to gauge the work habits of today’s professionals. New technology continues to transform the way we live and work with 85% of U.S. professionals surveyed said that because of new technology, they feel compelled to be connected to work 24/7 and 81% say they work harder than they did five years ago. So just how addicted are we as a society to staying connected? Well, the vast majority of people (84%) say they check their PDA’s just before going to bed and as soon as they wake up, 85% say they sneak a peak at their PDA in the middle of the night, and 80% say they check their e mail before morning coffee. A whopping 87% of professionals bring their PDA into the bedroom, and in what may or may not be a related finding, more than one-third of folks surveyed (35%) say if forced to choose, they’d pick their PDA over their spouse!

The days of being chained to your desk are over, and 85% say that PDA’s and cell phones allow them to spend more time out of the office and 79% believe they can be just as productive outside of the office as opposed to inside the office. Most people feel that technology gives them more quality time and flexibility with family and friends (84%) and 77% say their PDA helps them enjoy life more.

Helping guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in 75 countries around the world, Sheraton is revitalizing its iconic brand while continuing its aggressive international expansion by adding 54 hotels and 20,000 guestrooms by 2009. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 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®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched AloftSM, and ElementSM. 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.