Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

Blackstone's real estate investments are made in a variety of sectors, geographic locations and business climates. They make a significant number of investments in the lodging sector, major urban office buildings, residential properties, distribution and warehousing centers and a variety of real estate operating companies. Blackstone bases their investment strategy on identifying well-located institutional quality properties that suffer from temporary or correctable flaws in their tenancy, physical attributes, capital structures, market position or management.The firm's real estate philosophy is generally guided by the fundamental premise that future cash flow, not 'trophy status' or fashion, ultimately determines the value of an asset. Blackstone believes that rigorous due diligence, the use of conservative assumptions in projecting cash flows, and careful assessment of possible downside scenarios are the best methods for consistently achieving its objectives.In evaluating any investment opportunity, one of Blackstone's primary considerations is the potential exit strategy. To that end, the firm focuses on making investments in high quality, well-located assets. In addition, factors that reduce the value of an asset (such as ground leases, preemptive rights, long-term management contracts or other restrictions on the owner's control) are scrutinized during due diligence to determine the effects on value. Finally, the firm seeks investments with multiple exit strategies including private one-off sales, portfolio sales within common asset classes, mergers with existing public entities or initial public offerings of stand-alone operating companies.