Saint Louis Hotel News July 2005 St. Louis Hotels Guide www.hotels-stl.com St. Louis Hotels Guide is a complete resource of hotels listed by area for your convenience. Please call ahead to confirm information or for reservations. St. Louis Hotel News spotlight on development and events at area hotels. "If it's happening in St. Louis, it's on St. Louis Front Page." St. Louis News St. Louis CitySide Business News Community Info St. Charles News Southwest, IL News Art Gallery News Restaurant News Local Attractions Entertainment Shopping Guide Weather Downtown Map Gateway Arch Busch Stadium America's Center Savvis Center Union Station Metropolitan Map Central West End Clayton Forest Park West Port Plaza St. Charles Lambert Airport Transportation How To Reach Us: St. Louis Front Page P.O. Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To submit restaurant news, contact: editor@slfp.com To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com

Price Not Always King in Leisure Travel Decisions ST. LOUIS, MO (SLFP.com), July 3, 2005 - The latest study from the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), Leisure Travel Planning: How Consumers Make Travel Decisions, shows that leisure travelers decide where they want to go and for how long before they even consider the price tag. The study helps travel industry professionals better understand leisure travel decision making among U.S. residents and the role of pricing in a highly competitive environment. Based on the responses of over 5,000 consumers who had taken at least one overnight leisure trip in the past year, leisure travelers most often decide on the trip destination before other decisions are made. Also, travelers tend to make the key decisions of destination and trip duration before deciding on a trip budget. "Travelers continue to shop mercilessly for the lowest prices after they've made these two decisions," TIA's Suzanne Cook, senior vice president, Research, commented on the report. "Obviously the destination or company that gets travelers interested in their offerings before the question turns to price has an advantage." Many factors affect leisure travel decisions: The trip occasion has the greatest influence overall (52% reported this as very or extremely influential). Travel companions (46%), time available (43%), and available finances (42%) also were important influencers. The time of year (38%), travel prices (32%), and information sources (21%) played lesser roles. The most popular leisure trip occasions are: entertainment (for vacation or short getaways), family-centered, outdoor recreation, and combined business/pleasure. Findings suggest that money may not be travelers' first concern when planning travel. In fact, more than half (55%) do not stick to a rigid budget as they travel, allowing themselves to stay flexible with their spending. Only about 14 percent of travelers stick to an exact budget while they are taking a leisure trip and 31 percent of leisure trips do not have a budget at all. When selecting a leisure travel destination, important factors for travelers include a destination where they feel safe (46%), available activities (45%), and nearby friends/family (43%). Deals and discounts (22%) are least likely to be mentioned as an important factor when choosing a destination.c Leisure Travel Planning also takes an in-depth look at the accommodation and transportation choices among U.S. leisure travelers. The study shows that location (60%) and comfort (57%) are priorities in choosing accommodations. Also important are the cost of the room (47%) and privacy (42%). Of slightly lesser importance are amenities (32%), the ability to accommodate the size of the travel party (28%) and special deals/promotions/discounts. Decisions surrounding selection of mode of transportation are influenced most by convenient schedules and low fares (42%, each). Spa Experience Introduced into Every Hilton Guestroom ST. LOUIS, MO (SLFP.com), July 3, 2005 - Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will begin infusing a touch of the spa experience into every one of its guestrooms by introducing the new Hilton Serenity Bath(TM) Collection, which features Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source® bath amenities and elegant, custom-designed hammered stainless steel accessories. "When we began looking at options for this new bath collection, we asked ourselves, 'Why shouldn't our guests have a delightful sensory experience every time they use the bath products in our guestrooms?'" said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, Hilton brand management. "The answer, of course, is that by making these high-end, spa-quality bath amenities standard across all of our hotels, we can help our guests achieve rejuvenation and serenity each and every time they stay at a Hilton hotel." The new bath products from Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source collection include shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, mouthwash, shower cap, sewing kit, vanity kit, aqua brush with pumice, shoe mitt and shoe horn. The Crabtree & Evelyn La Source line was created to provide an in-home spa experience, and select products have beneficial aloe vera and marine extracts. The new products relax with a soothing medley of green and herbal notes and revitalize with accords of peppermint. The custom-designed brushed and hammered stainless steel accessories will include an amenity tray, soap dish, tissue box cover, trash can, ice bucket, ice bucket tray, memo pad and pen holder. The three-step launch of the new collection starts with the immediate phase-in of the Crabtree & Evelyn La Source products packaged in temporary bottle design, followed by the stainless steel accessories later this summer, and then full roll-out of the collection, complete with new elegant custom-designed flip-top bottles in the fall. Archived Hotel News: InterContinental Hotels Group Holds Largest and Most Global Online Sale Hilton St. Louis Downtown Rolls Out Grand Welcome Hilton St. Louis Downtown Opens in Merchants Laclede Building Five Airport Hotels Offer Free Parking Drury Hotels Rated #1 in 2004 Hospitality Index Marriott Launches Diversity Outreach Initiative Marriott to Invest $190 Million in Global Bedding Makeover to Retain Guest Loyalty Holiday Inn Westport Undergoing $4 Million Renovation The St. Louis Hotels Guide is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1997 - 2005 Moore Design Group.

For people on the go, point your PDA to www.hotels-stl.com/mobile For advertising rates in St. Louis Hotels Guide, click here for Media Kit Dining St. Louis, a Fine Restaurant Guide Kansas City Hotels Guide