Sheraton Sand Key Resort Hotel in vacation destination Clearwater, Fla., is one of the hotel chain s more than 400 hotels and resorts in over 70 countries. The origins of The Sheraton date back to 1937 when the company’s founders acquired their first hotel in Springfield, Mass. The Sheraton expanded internationally in 1949 with the purchase of two Canadian hotel chains. The 1960s saw the first Sheraton hotels in Latin America and the Middle East. The Sheraton reached a milestone in 1985 as the first international hotel chain to operate a hotel in the People’s Republic of China. As the largest of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide brands, Sheraton serves the needs of both business and leisure travelers in locations from Argentina to Zimbabwe. Offering the entire spectrum of comfort-from full-service hotels in major cities to luxurious resorts by the water-Sheraton can be found in the most sought-after cities and resort destinations around the world.