Yahoo, Sheraton Partner In Hotel Internet Lounge

Yahoo Inc. and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts debuted Monday at Sheraton hotels in San Diego and Boston an Internet lounge that guests can use to surf the Web, send email and review local attractions.

The new facility called Yahoo Link @ Sheraton opened at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina and at the Sheraton Boston. The lounge, which features comfortable seating, refreshments, a plasma television, and multiple Internet-enabled workstations, also offers Wi-Fi and broadband connections.

As part of the partnership, Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., is offering Sheraton guests a 30-day free trial of a premium service bundle that includes its online music and games service, premium email, a financial tracker, and other services.

The deal is part of Yahoo's strategy to move beyond the desktop. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, Yahoo unveiled new services for mobile phones and video services for delivering content to Internet-connected TVs.

"Yahoo and Sheraton are both committed to offering a personalized experience for our visitors, and working together to create the Yahoo Link is a natural fit," Cammie Dunaway, chief marketing officer at Yahoo, said in a statement. "This pilot program is part of Yahoo!'s ongoing effort to extend our brand beyond the desktop, bringing information and content to users anywhere, at any time."Sheraton, based in White Plains, N.Y., is a subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.