RUMFIRE POIPU BEACH ON THE HUNT FOR TOP MAI TAI

RumFire Poipu Beach, Kaua‘i’s hotspot for oceanfront dining, is on the search for the island’s Top Mai Tai. Kaua‘i’s food & beverage industry professionals have been challenged to submit their original versions of the signature rum drink. The competition, a partnership with Young’s Market Company and Kōloa Rum Co., will take place over nine weeks beginning Friday, May 15, and a winner will named Kaua‘i’s Top Bartender on Friday, July 12.

The winner will be awarded an Ocean Front Suite for two nights at Sheraton Kauai Resort, a $100 dining credit at RumFire Poipu Beach, and a year’s worth of bragging rights. The winning Mai Tai will be featured on RumFire’s cocktail menu and the resort’s annual RumFest at RumFire Poipu Beach event on Friday, August 14, in celebration of National Rum Day.

Patrons dining at RumFire Poipu Beach are invited to cast their vote for their favorite Mai Tai during each of the competition dates between5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Participants can enjoy an 8-ounce portion of each contestant’s Mai Tai for $12. The event schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 15

Richie Ogata, Bamboo Grill & Sushi vs. Nilo Badua, Kalapaki Joe’s

Friday, May 22

Joshua James, St. Regis Princeville vs. Canaan Undarian, Tiki Iniki

Friday, May 29

Gabrielle Nelson, Tortilla Republic vs. Winner from May 15

Friday, June 5

Mindy Faulkner, The Dolphin Poipu vs. Winner from May 22

 Friday, June 12

Logan Miles, The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas vs. Karl Ellmann, Tortilla Republic

Friday, June 19

Alika Mayer, Duke’s Canoe Club vs. Benjamin Keane, Keoki’s Paradise

Friday, June 26 & Friday, July 5

 Semifinals

Friday, July 12
Final Round of Competition

RumFire Poipu Beach features locally sourced cuisine with global influences, exciting cocktails to ignite your palate and 180-degree oceanfront views from all of its 240 seats. It is home to the Table 53charity program, which supports local charities each month and has raised over $100,000 for the Kaua‘i community to date.
For more information about RumFire Poipu Beach and Sheraton Kauai Resort, contact Sheraton Kauai Resort at 808.742.1661 or visitwww.sheraton-kauai.com.

About Sheraton Kauai Resort

Nestled into 20 acres on Kaua‘i’s famed Po‘ipū Beach, Sheraton Kauai Resort reigns as the south shore’s oceanfront playground, transforming the guest experience into an unforgettable visit. 394 rooms – including 11 spacious suites – reveal vistas of the crystal blue Pacific Ocean and tropical gardens of Hawaiian flora. The resort’s premier location is complemented by a $16-million revitalization of the property completed April 2012, including social gathering areas, a swimming pool, RumFire Poipu Beach restaurant and Lava’s at Poipu Beach. Sheraton Kauai offers adventure, romance and relaxation all in one place, satisfying every travel personality and providing the ultimate vacation experience. The resort is also well equipped to partner on groups with a variety of oceanfront meetings and event space. For more information about Sheraton Kauai Resort, please call (808) 742-1661 or visit www.sheraton-kauai.com.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii
With 11 properties across the diverse Hawaiian Islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii offers the best hotel destinations to celebrate romance, reconnect with family, focus on business or launch an adventure. Located on or just footsteps away from the Islands’ best beaches, Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii is a collection of iconic and historic hotels and resorts – properties with expansive and breathtaking backdrops, innovative guest programming and luxurious amenities representing internationally renowned hotel brands from Sheraton, Westin, Luxury Collection and St. Regis. For more information about Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii, please call (866) 716-8140 or visit Starwoodhawaii.com.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)