�The addition of these five respected and high-quality hotels to our collection, allows Preferred�s guests to continue experiencing the superior quality and service that they have come to expect from our properties on a global level,� said Rob Cornell, Managing Director of Preferred Hotel & Resorts Worldwide. �Preferred�s mission is to offer only the best in unique hospitality experiences. We stand apart from the large hotel chains by preserving and promoting the world�s unique independently owned and operated luxury hotels and resorts.�

The newest Preferred member hotels are:

Port Palace Hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco:
The Port Palace Hotel is located in the heart of Monte Carlo on one of the last pieces of development land in Monaco. The all-suite, fifty room property overlooks the harbor and will be the most the most up-to-date luxury hotel on the Riviera. Each room, designed by Marco Piva and Leila Menchari, head of design for Hermes, will have only the most lavish appointments and furnishings using Italian marbles, leathers, silks and brocades. In addition, the rooms will come equipped with ISDN lines, 42� plasma screen televisions, DVD players, and Broadband Internet.  Guests will be able to enjoy a spa that offers a worldwide exclusivity treatment program by Clè de Peau Beautè of Sheseido. The spa will feature massages, saunas, steam rooms and a yoga studio and fitness facilities with personal trainers. On the top floor of the hotel, overlooking the Harbor and Royal Palace will be a panoramic fine dining restaurant that will seat 60 guests. A cozy bar located Harbor side on the ground floor and a Cigar Club will also be available. Finally, an exclusive wine club with two spectacular wine cellars has been excavated into the cliff that offers a total capacity of 20,000 bottles, complete with two temperature zones created to accommodate wine storage and display and to provide a private dining theme around the wine. 

The Couer D�Alene Resort in Couer D� Alene Idaho: 
Located in the picturesque town of Coeur D�Alene, and surrounded on three sides by Lake Coeur D� Alene, this property is truly a destination resort for outdoor enthusiasts all year round. This 18-story tower offers 300 deluxe guestrooms with five different room categories to match each guests needs. Premier rooms offer extra large rooms with a sunken living area, a private balcony with lake or mountain views, and separate dressing and bath areas. The newly renovated deluxe rooms feature contemporary Italian custom furnishings, CD players, and extensive use of mirrors and glass with wall-to-wall views of the Lake on the west side and views of the park and marina on the east side of the property. Over 40,000 square feet of meeting space is offered. The Resort's professional meeting planners will work with guests to create the perfect meeting, from selecting the right location to providing the required equipment and technology, to planning the right food and beverages. The resort boasts an 18-hole golf course with the world�s only �floating green,� one of only 16 courses to be given a 5-star rating by Golf Magazine. In addition, guests can enjoy a fitness center, indoor & outdoor pools, racquetball, bowling and a full-service marina. Overlooking the lake from the seventh floor of the Lake Tower is Beverly�s, the resort�s signature restaurant. This resort casual dining experience features distinct Northwest cuisine accompanied by soft jazz. Dockside is the Resort�s family restaurant, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner and located on the lobby level at the water�s edge. Resort guests seeking the flavor of North Idaho in an intimate environment are invited to discover the Beachouse Restaurant while those desiring an Italian flavor should try Tito Macaroni�s, the Resort�s vibrant Italian eatery.

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan:

Located in the heart of downtown on the banks of the Grand Rapids River, this four-star rated hotel is a combination of a classic 100 year-old building that has been completely restored coupled with a modern hotel tower designed in 1986. The hotel�s 682 guest rooms are decorated in traditional decor with rich fabrics and beautiful wood furnishings. Guest features include: 24-hour room service, twice daily maid service, concierge, two line phones and data ports. The Grand Plaza offers 33 individual meeting rooms, a total of 40,000 square-feet with capacities ranging from 12 to 1200. Guests can enjoy a plaza fitness center health club with an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, tennis, racquetball and squash courts. There are nine hotel restaurants and lounges, with a café open 24 hours per day. The 1913 Room has the distinction of being Michigan�s most highly awarded and recognized restaurant. Overlooking the river; Benthams offers family dining while Cygnus creates a fine dining experience combined with dancing atop the tower. Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri:  The legendary Chase Park Plaza Hotel is a contemporary blend of distinctive charmand upscale sophistication, rising in stately grandeur above the vibrant artistic hub of St. Louis. With its recent $70,000,000 renovation, the Chase Park

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel    187 Monroe, N.W.    Grand Rapids, Michigan - The Watermark Hotel & Spa 212 West Crockett Street San Antonio, Texas

The Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio, Texas:
Within the gracious interior of the historically significant 19th-Century L. Frank Saddlery Building, old-world charm, Texas hospitality and modern sophistication combine to create a delightful ambience at new The Watermark Hotel & Spa.  The Watermark is conveniently located downtown on the San Antonio River Walk, this five-star hotel with a dedicated staff of 200 is within easy walking distance to the Alamo, convention center and other attractions.  The hotel features 99 expansive guest rooms each with fine furnishings, including a leather-topped desk, original works crafted by Texas artists, high-speed Internet access, CD player and marble bathrooms with separate shower and Jacuzzi tubs.  For rejuvenation, the hotel offers a world class 17,000 square foot European spa &fitness center with an outdoor heated pool and hot tub. For dining, �Pesca on the River,� with its sophisticated high octane fiber optic lit oyster bar as the centerpiece, is an innovative restaurant featuring fresh fish from around the world. 

Membership in Preferred is restricted to independently owned and managed, full-service luxury hotels, resorts and spas. Preferred considers top-caliber properties for membership that meet and exceed the high operational levels required by Preferred�s Standards of Excellence�, an award-winning, proprietary quality assurance audit that annually measures and monitors 1,600 aspects of a property�s service delivery and faculties.

Prospective Preferred member hotels are evaluated on such elements as geographic location, building architecture and design, grounds and landscaping, interior design, guest rooms and common areas, bathroom features, staffing levels, food and beverage facilities, room service, engineering and safety, health and fitness facilities, business services, and conference/meeting facilities.

Founded in 1968, Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide (www.preferredhotels.com; GDS code: PH) is a global brand of 120 of the world's finest individually owned and managed luxury hotels and resorts.  Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Independent Hotel Corporation (IndeCorp), an organization dedicated to providing independent hotel brands with the resources needed to compete effectively with global hotel chains and preserve the diversity and distinctiveness of the world's independent hotels.