The Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand is an exclusive collection of over 370 independently-owned luxury hotels in nearly 60 countries around the world. Carefully selected for their style and sophistication, Small Luxury Hotels features award-winning properties including spas, country houses, golf resorts, island retreats, city sanctuaries, and game and wilderness lodges.

Formed to represent the collective interests of the most luxurious, independent, exclusive hotels and resorts around the world, the consortium's activities are designed to provide similar economies of scale achieved by the big international hotel chains yet maintaining the individuality and independence of each of its member properties.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World was created in 1991 as the result of a merger between two existing hotel marketing organizations, Prestige Hotels Europe and Small Luxury Hotels & Resorts of North America offering a combined force of over 30 years of international hotel marketing experience. In 1995, SLH merged with the Asian/Pacific properties of Select Hotels and Resorts International, creating a truly global membership with marketing services and reservations coverage across the globe. Today, SLH is a non-profit organization owned by all of the member hotels. A Board of Directors is elected from the membership by their peers and represents the interests of member hotels around the world.

Each year Small Luxury Hotels produces over 400,000 copies of its award-winning, four-colour directory featuring all of the member properties around the world. A special version is produced for the travel agent community with "quick codes" for cross referencing with the GDS. Additionally a consumer version is produced with the toll-free booking numbers, as well as two custom versions for American Express Platinum and Centurion card holders featuring the cardmember benefits. There are an additional 25,000 directories printed in French. Each directory page includes two photos of the hotel, a description, rate information and activities available at or nearby the property. The directories are distributed in member hotels, to qualified travel trade, media and consumers. SLH also produces 50,000 copies of an e-directory on a credit card sized CD-ROM.

SLH employs a global team of business development personnel that seek out the very best hotels in their regions and respond to the hundreds of applications submitted each membership year. Prior to joining, prospective hotels are secretly inspected and evaluated with a 20-page inspection report which thoroughly covers all areas of operation. Subsequently, hotels are then brought before the Board of Directors for review and acceptance. Once accepted into membership, hotels are inspected every other year to ensure properties maintain the quality necessary to be part of the exclusive brand.

GDS Reservations: Every member property of SLH is seamlessly linked to the four major GDS systems using the code LX for Luxury, something usually only available to larger hotel chains. SLH's state-of-the-art reservations system allows over 90,000 travel agencies via 450,000 terminals to access and book the member properties around the world.

Voice Reservations: Small Luxury Hotels operates call centers in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (UK, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain & Switzerland), and the Asia/Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan) offering consumers toll-free reservation numbers globally. United States: 800 525 4800.

On-line: Currently representing nearly 20% of the global reservations, the award-winning website www.slh.com/stonehaven employs a fast track reservations process that allows consumers to book a reservation with a few clicks of the mouse.

The "Club" of Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a complimentary service for frequent travelers that guarantees members exclusive offers, automatic upgrades and benefits that range from a free champagne breakfast to a tutored wine tasting or luxury picnic on a private beach. The program is designed to alert hoteliers to the guests' special hospitality preferences prior to arrival. Guests wishing to become a member of "The Club" can register at www.clubslh.com. Guest preferences will be logged at the guest's discretion and passed discreetly to hotels as the guest travels around the world.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World offers Gift Certificates in denominations of 100, 500, or 1,000 in USD, GBP and Euros that can be used at any member property worldwide. Gift Certificates can be purchased on-line via www.slh.com/stonehaven/gifts.