There are a number of characteristics that can be used to describe a hotel. Again this year the Asolo Cipriani was identified as one of the best 100 hotels in the world. The physical plant will never be modern if the aim is to preserve Robert Browining's house that now has become a hotel. In our view, this is one of the charming features of the hotel, and it would be shame that it would not be continued. We stayed at this hotel again this fall, and unfortunately it was not full, as it has been on our previous stays. However it again was lovely and we would return again in a flash if we were anywhere near the property. The room was comfortable, the food excellent, and the staff and the service they provide, marvelous. We commented that the Cipriani must be the smallest Sheraton, but the reviews of this hotel must be exceedingly valuable to Starwood. We too would hate to see this hotel leave Sheraton.
We know the hotel business will be very competitive over the next few years, but the list is very long of the properties that we have stayed at that Starwood no longer or soon will no longer have in their stable. Such properties include the Alyeska Prince in Alaska, the two hotels on Lanai, the two Le Meridien properties in Tokyo, the Sheraton in Portland Maine, the Sheraton William Sanders in Colorado Springs, and the 2 properties in Venice Lido. We had hoped that many of these properties had continued with Starwood, rather than the Vapor Ware Loft properties we were told to except by 2008!. In all these cities except Tokyo we have or will be staying at non-Starwood properties.