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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 WmR9boo+ppFxplxuKHAfO0hzOxD+XzQhEsjsRVLRwdW3pd9Rdwou8CAiQecCMEQ5
 0hJ6t46wSQDp8Ib8mejm8Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001207855-04-000012.txt : 20040105
<SEC-HEADER>0001207855-04-000012.hdr.sgml : 20040105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040105161905
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001207855-04-000012
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040105

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STARWOOD HOTEL & RESORTS WORLDWIDE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000316206
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HOTELS & MOTELS [7011]
		IRS NUMBER:				521193298
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1111 WESTCHESTER AVENUE
		CITY:			WHITE PLAINS
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10604
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9146408100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2231 E CAMELBACK RD. 4TH FL
		STREET 2:		SUITE 4O0
		CITY:			PHOENIX
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85016

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	STARWOOD LODGING CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19950215

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HOTEL INVESTORS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COTTER ROBERT F
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001109064

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07959
		FILM NUMBER:		04505219

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE
		STREET 2:		777 WESTCHESTER AVE
		CITY:			WHITE PLAINS
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10604
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9146408100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE
		STREET 2:		777 WESTCHESTER AVE
		CITY:			WHITE PLAINS
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10604
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000316206</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STARWOOD HOTEL &amp; RESORTS WORLDWIDE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HOT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001109064</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COTTER ROBERT F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>STARWOOD HOTELS &amp; RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1111 WESTCHESTER AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WHITE PLAINS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10604</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Operating Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Shares </value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8489</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>35.77</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>102098</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><
/directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Shares</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3489</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>35.77</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>98609</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivati
veTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Each holder of shares of common stock (&quot;Corporation Shares&quot;) of Starwood Hotels &amp; Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (&quot;Starwood&quot;) owns an equivalent number of Class B shares of beneficial interest (&quot;Trust Shares&quot;) of Starwood Hotels &amp; Resorts, a real estate investment trust and subsidiary of Starwood.  Corporation Shares and Trust Shares may be held and traded only in units consisting of one Corporation Share and one Trust Share (&quot;Shares&quot;).</footnote><footnote id="F2">Acquired in connection with a distribution of phantom shares in accordance with the terms of the Annual Incentive Plan for Certain Executives (the &quot;AIP&quot;).</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Kenneth S. Siegel, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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