-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 ES4AcU+NoT54/S9mc5Yh+RN2V4GsH6ZUAf2tM7wBQq9eKHY7KZAJh7iPOeBl1vhR
 KzRM5SLIw9dH9XGPtGzejA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001207855-04-000052.txt : 20040325
<SEC-HEADER>0001207855-04-000052.hdr.sgml : 20040325
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040325095624
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001207855-04-000052
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040218
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040325

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:			RYDER THOMAS O
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001137819

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07959
		FILM NUMBER:		04688510

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O READERS DIGEST ASSOCITATION INC
		STREET 2:		READERS DIEGES RD.
		CITY:			PLEASANTVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10570
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9146408100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O READERS DIGEST ASSOCITATION INC
		STREET 2:		READERS DIGEST RD.
		CITY:			PLEASANTVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10570
</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>2004-02-18</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000316206</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STARWOOD HOTEL &amp; RESORTS WORLDWIDE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HOT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001137819</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RYDER THOMAS O</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>READERS DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>READERS DIGEST ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PLEASANTVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10570</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>38.745</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-02-18</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-02-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Shares</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Under the terms of the Starwood's Long Term Incentive Plan (the &quot;LTIP&quot;), certain eligible Directors of Starwood receive an annual grant of options to purchase shares in amounts specified by the LTIP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">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>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Thomas O. Ryder</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----