1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.1

                               [_________] Shares

                         SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

                                  COMMON SHARES


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                                              ____________, 1997



MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
EVEREN SECURITIES, INC.
RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
c/o Montgomery Securities
600 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California  94111
  As Representatives of the several Underwriters

Dear Sirs:

                  SECTION 1. Introductory. Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc., a
Maryland corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell [_________]
shares (the "Firm Common Shares") of its authorized but unissued common stock at
$.01 par value (the "Shares"), to the several underwriters named in Schedule A
annexed hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as Representatives.
In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to
purchase up to [_________] additional Shares (the "Optional Common Shares") as
provided in Section 4 hereof. The Firm Common Shares and, to the extent such
option is exercised, the Optional Common Shares are hereinafter collectively
referred to as the "Common Shares."

                  You have advised the Company that the Underwriters propose to
make a public offering of their respective portions of the Common Shares on the
effective date of the registration statement hereinafter referred to, or as soon
thereafter as in your judgment is advisable.

                  The Company and Sunstone Hotel Investors, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership (the "Partnership") hereby confirm their respective
agreements with respect to the purchase of the Common Shares by the Underwriters
as follows:


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                  SECTION 2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and
the Partnership. The Company and the Partnership hereby jointly and severally
represent and warrant to the several Underwriters that:

                  (a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 and
         a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-16887) with respect
         to the Common Shares, including a prospectus (the "Base Prospectus"),
         has been carefully prepared by the Company in conformity with the
         requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and
         the rules and regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and
         filed with the Commission and has become effective. There have been
         delivered to you two signed copies of such Registration Statement and
         amendments, together with two copies of each exhibit filed therewith.
         Conformed copies of such Registration Statement and amendments (but
         without exhibits) and of the related preliminary prospectus have been
         delivered to you in such reasonable quantities as you have requested
         for each of the Underwriters. No stop order suspending the
         effectiveness of the registration statement has been issued, and no
         proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to the Company's
         knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Company will next file
         with the Commission one of the following: (i) prior to effectiveness of
         such registration statement, a further amendment thereto, including the
         form of final prospectus, or (ii) a final prospectus in accordance with
         Rules 430A and 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations. As filed, such
         amendment and form of final prospectus, or such final prospectus, shall
         include all Rule 430A Information (as hereinafter defined) and, except
         to the extent that you shall agree in writing to a modification, shall
         be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to
         the date and time that this Agreement was executed and delivered by the
         parties hereto, or, to the extent not completed at such date and time,
         shall contain only such specific additional information and other
         changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as
         the Company shall have previously advised you in writing would be
         included or made therein.

         The term "Registration Statement" shall mean the registration statement
         as amended at the time such registration statements become or became
         effective (the "Effective Date"), including financial statements and
         all exhibits and any information deemed by virtue of Rule 430A of the
         Rules and Regulations to be included in such Registration Statement at
         the Effective Date and any prospectus supplement filed thereafter with
         the Commission and shall include the documents incorporated by
         reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed



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         under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
         Act"). The term "Prospectus" means, collectively, the Base Prospectus
         together with any prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement"),
         in the respective forms they are filed with the Commission pursuant to
         Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations. Any reference herein to the
         terms "amend," "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the
         Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any prospectus supplement
         or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of
         any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date, or the
         date of the Prospectus, as the case may be, that is incorporated
         therein by reference.

                  (b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
         suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, and each Preliminary
         Prospectus has conformed in all material respects to the requirements
         of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and, as of its date, has not
         included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
         material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
         the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and at
         the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, and at all times
         subsequent thereto up to and including each Closing Date (as
         hereinafter defined), the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
         and any amendments or supplements thereto, will contain all material
         statements and information required to be included therein by the Act
         and the Rules and Regulations and will in all material respects conform
         to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and
         neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus, nor any
         amendment or supplement thereto, will include any untrue statement of a
         material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
         therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
         provided, however, no representation or warranty contained in this
         Section 2(b) shall be applicable to information contained in or omitted
         from any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the
         Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
         conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on
         behalf of any Underwriter, directly or through the Representatives,
         specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

                  (c) The Company has been duly formed and is validly existing
         as a corporation, is in good standing under the laws of the State of
         Maryland, with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own
         and lease its properties and conduct its business as currently
         conducted or as described in the Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the
         Registration Statement neither the Company nor the Partnership owns or
         controls, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership,
         association or other entity.



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                  (d) Sunstone Hotel Properties, Inc. (the "Lessee") has been
         duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
         standing under the laws of the State of Colorado with full power and
         authority (corporate and other) to own and lease its properties and
         conduct its business as described in the Prospectus.

                  (e) The Partnership has been duly formed and is validly
         existing as a limited partnership under the laws of the State of
         Delaware with full power and authority (partnership and other) to own
         and lease its properties and conduct its business as currently
         conducted or as described in the Prospectus. The Company is and will on
         each Closing Date be the sole general partner of the Partnership, and
         upon the consummation of the Offering and the application of the
         proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, will be the holder
         of [_________] Units (assuming no Optional Common Shares are sold), or
         approximately [____] of the Units in the Partnership. Upon the
         consummation of the Offering, the Company will own the Units it holds
         free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities, claims, security
         interests, voting trusts or charges. Except as set forth in the
         Prospectus, each of the Company, the Partnership, the Lessee and each
         property to be owned by the Partnership as of the First Closing Date
         is, and after the consummation of the Offering will be, in possession
         of and operating in compliance with all authorizations, licenses,
         permits, consents, certificates and orders material to the conduct of
         its business, all of which are valid and in full force and effect. Each
         of the Company, the Partnership and the Lessee is, and after the
         consummation of the Offering will be, duly qualified to do business and
         in good standing as a foreign corporation, real estate investment trust
         or partnership, as applicable, in each jurisdiction in which the
         ownership or leasing of properties or the conduct of its respective
         business requires such qualification, except for jurisdictions in which
         the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect upon
         the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee, as the case may be, and no
         proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction, revoking,
         limiting or curtailing, or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail, such
         power and authority or qualification.

                  (f) All of the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company
         (the "Current Shares") have been duly authorized and validly issued,
         are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with
         all federal and state securities laws, were not issued in violation of
         or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or
         purchase securities, and conform to the description thereof contained
         in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Units of the
         Partnership have been validly issued and are fully paid and
         nonassessable and have been



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         issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws. Except
         as disclosed in or contemplated by the Prospectus and the financial
         statements of the Company, and the related notes thereto and except for
         warrants to acquire Units (the "Warrants"), neither the Company nor the
         Partnership has outstanding any options to purchase, or any preemptive
         rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, any securities
         or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or commitments to
         issue or sell, shares of its capital stock or partnership interests, as
         the case may be, or any such options, rights, convertible securities or
         obligations.

                  (g) The Common Shares to be sold by the Company in the public
         offering contemplated by this Agreement, when issued, delivered and
         paid for in the manner set forth in this Agreement, will be duly
         authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been
         duly authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange upon
         official notice of issuance and will conform in all material respects
         to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. No shareholder
         of the Company has any right which has not been waived to require the
         Company to register the sale of any shares owned by such shareholder
         under the Act in the public offering contemplated by this Agreement. No
         further approval or authority of the shareholders or the Board of
         Directors of the Company will be required for the issuance and sale of
         the Common Shares to be sold by the Company as contemplated herein. The
         description of the Company's share option, share bonus and other share
         plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted and
         exercised thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus are accurate in all
         material respects the information required to be shown with respect to
         such plans, arrangements, options and rights. The Company is, and
         following the issuance and sale of the Common Shares will be, in
         compliance in all material respects with all of the rules and
         regulations of the New York Stock Exchange applicable to the Company.

                  (h) Each of the Company and the Partnership has full legal
         right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the
         transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly
         authorized by the Company and the Partnership, has been duly executed
         and delivered by the Company and the Partnership and constitutes a
         valid and binding obligation of each of the Company and the Partnership
         in accordance with its terms. The making and performance of this
         Agreement by each of the Company and the Partnership and the
         consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not violate
         any provisions of the partnership agreement, certificate of
         partnership, charter, by-laws or other organizational documents, as
         applicable, of the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee and will not



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         conflict with, result in the breach or violation of, or constitute,
         either by itself or upon notice or the passage of time or both, a
         material default under (i) any agreement, mortgage, deed of trust,
         lease, franchise, license, indenture, permit or other instrument to
         which the Company, the Partnership, the Manager or the Lessee is a
         party or by which the Company, the Partnership, the Manager or the
         Lessee or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected
         or (ii) any statute or any authorization, judgment, decree, order, rule
         or regulation of any court or any regulatory body, administrative
         agency or other governmental body applicable to the Company, the
         Partnership the Lessee or any of their respective properties. No
         consent, approval, authorization or other order of any court,
         regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body is
         required, including the satisfaction of any requirements pursuant to
         the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended,
         for the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of
         the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for compliance
         with the Act, the Blue Sky and Canadian securities laws applicable to
         the public offering of the Common Shares by the several Underwriters
         and the clearance of such offering with the National Association of
         Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") and the listing of additional
         shares with the New York Stock Exchange.

                  (i) Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. ("Coopers & Lybrand"), who has
         expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and
         schedules filed with the Commission or incorporated by reference as a
         part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus and
         in the Registration Statement, is an independent accountant as required
         by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.

                  (j) The financial statements, together with the related notes
         thereto, of the Company and the Lessee set forth or incorporated by
         reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus fairly present
         the financial condition of such entities as of the dates indicated and
         the results of operations and changes in financial position for the
         periods presented. The pro forma financial statements included in the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material
         respects with the applicable requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation
         S-X of the Commission and the pro forma adjustments have been properly
         applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of such
         statements. Such statements, schedules and related notes have been
         prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
         applied on a consistent basis as certified by the independent
         accountants named in Section 2(i). No other financial statements or
         schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement.



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         The selected financial data set forth in the Prospectus under the
         caption "Selected Financial Information" fairly presents the
         information set forth therein on the basis stated in the Registration
         Statement.

                  (k) There are no contracts or other documents required to be
         described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits to
         the Registration Statement by the Act or by the Rules and Regulations
         which have not been described or filed as required.

                  (l) There are no legal or governmental actions, suits or
         proceedings pending in which service of process has been received by an
         employee of the Company or, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
         threatened to which the Company, the Partnership, or the Lessee is or
         may be, a party or of which property owned or leased by the Company,
         the Partnership or the Lessee is or may be, the subject, or related to
         environmental or discrimination matters, which actions, suits or
         proceedings might, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or
         adversely affect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
         result in a material adverse change in the condition (financial or
         otherwise), properties, business, results of operations or prospects of
         the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee, taken as a whole; and no
         labor disturbance by the employees of the Company, the Partnership or
         the Lessee exists or to the Company's knowledge is imminent which might
         be expected to affect adversely such condition (financial or
         otherwise), properties, business, results of operations or prospects.
         None of the Company, the Partnership nor the Lessee is a party or
         subject to the provisions of any material injunction, judgment, decree
         or order of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other
         governmental body.

                  (m) The Partnership has good and marketable title to the
         Hotels (as defined in the Prospectus), subject to no lien, mortgage,
         pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except (i) those reflected in
         the financial statements (or described elsewhere in the Prospectus),
         (ii) $8 million in mortgages encumbering the Holiday Inn-Harbor View
         hotel which the Company intends to repay within 60 days following the
         Offering, or (iii) those which are not material in amount and do not
         adversely affect the use made and proposed to be made of such property
         by the Company and the Partnership. The Partnership holds its leased
         properties under valid and binding leases, with such exceptions as are
         not or will not be materially significant in relation to the business
         of any of the Partnership. The Company does not own or lease any real
         property. The Partnership owns or leases all such real and personal
         properties (except for items of inventory, vehicles, liquor licenses
         and Franchise



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         Agreements to be held by the Lessee) as are necessary to operate the
         Properties as now operated or as proposed to be operated.

                  (n) To the knowledge of the Company (i) no lessee, licensee,
         concessionaire or vendor of any portion of any of the Hotels is in
         default under any of the leases or licenses governing such properties
         and there is no event which, but for the passage of time or the giving
         of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of such leases
         or licenses, except such defaults that would not have a material
         adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise) or on the
         earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, the
         Partnership or the Lessee; (ii) all such material leases or licenses
         are assignable without consent or approval or if such consent or
         approval is required the applicable the consent or approval has been
         obtained to assign any such lease or license, to the Partnership or the
         Lessee, as applicable, on the Closing Date; (iii) the current and
         intended use and occupancy of each of the Hotels complies with all
         applicable codes and zoning laws and regulations, if any, except for
         such failures to comply which would not, individually or in the
         aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial
         or otherwise) or on the earnings, business affairs or business
         prospects of the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee; and (iv) there
         is no pending or to the Company's knowledge threatened condemnation,
         zoning change, environmental or other proceeding or action that will in
         any material respect affect the size of, use of, improvements on,
         construction on, or access to any of the Hotels or actions that would
         have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
         otherwise) or on the earnings, business affairs or business prospects
         of the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee.

                  (o) Since September 30, 1996, and except as described in or
         specifically contemplated by the Prospectus: (i) none of the Company,
         the Partnership nor the Lessee has incurred any material liabilities or
         obligations, indirect, direct or contingent, or entered into any
         material verbal or written agreement or other transaction which is not
         in the ordinary course of business or which could result in a material
         reduction in the future earnings of the Company, the Partnership or the
         Lessee; (ii) none of the Company, the Partnership nor the Lessee has
         sustained any material loss or interference with its respective
         businesses or properties from fire, flood, windstorm, accident or other
         calamity, whether or not covered by insurance; (iii) none of the
         Company, the Partnership nor the Lessee has paid or declared any
         dividends or other distributions with respect to its capital stock
         other than a dividend of $0.25 paid by the Company and a distribution
         of $0.25 per Unit paid by the



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         Partnership in November, 1996, and none of the Company, the Partnership
         nor the Lessee is in default in the payment of principal or interest on
         any outstanding material debt obligations; (iv) there has not been any
         change in the number of outstanding Shares (other than upon the sale of
         the Common Shares or purchase of shares pursuant to the Company's
         dividend reinvestment program) of the Company, the ownership interests
         in any of the Partnership or the common stock of the Lessee or
         indebtedness material to the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee
         (other than in the ordinary course of business); and (v) there has not
         been any material adverse change in the condition (financial or
         otherwise), business, properties, results of operations or prospects of
         the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee.

                  (p) Except as disclosed in or specifically contemplated by the
         Prospectus, the Company, the Partnership, the Manager and the Lessee
         have sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights,
         licenses or other similar rights and proprietary knowledge
         (collectively, "Intangibles"), approvals and governmental
         authorizations to conduct their businesses as now conducted; the
         expiration of any Intangibles, approvals or governmental authorizations
         would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
         otherwise), business, results of operations or prospects of the
         Partnership or the Company or the Lessee; and the Company has no
         knowledge of any material infringement by the Partnership of any
         Intangibles, and there is no claim being made against the Company, the
         Partnership or the Lessee regarding any Intangible or other
         infringement which could have a material adverse effect on the
         condition (financial or otherwise), business, results of operations or
         prospects of the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee.

                  (q) Neither the Company nor the Partnership has been advised,
         or has reason to believe, that the Company, the Partnership and the
         Lessee are not conducting business in compliance with all applicable
         laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which any of them
         is conducting business, including, without limitation, all applicable
         local, state and federal environmental laws and regulations; except
         where failure to be in compliance would not materially adversely affect
         the condition (financial or otherwise), business, results of operations
         or prospects of any such entity.

                  (r) The Company, the Partnership and the Lessee each has filed
         all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax
         returns and has paid all taxes shown as due thereon; and to the
         Company's knowledge, there is no tax deficiency which has been or might
         be asserted or threatened against which could materially and adversely
         affect the



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         business, operations or properties of, the Company, the Partnership or
         the Lessee, as the case may be.

                  (s) Neither the Company nor the Partnership has distributed or
         will distribute prior to the First Closing Date any offering material
         in connection with the offering and sale of the Common Shares other
         than the Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the other materials
         permitted by the Act.

                  (t) None of the Company, the Partnership nor the Lessee has at
         any time during the last five years (i) made any unlawful contribution
         to any candidate for foreign office or failed to disclose fully any
         contribution in violation of law or (ii) made any payment to any
         federal or state governmental officer or official, or other person
         charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments
         required or permitted by the laws of the United States or any
         jurisdiction thereof.

                  (u) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has taken or
         will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might
         be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or
         manipulation of the price of the Common Shares to facilitate the sale
         or resale of the Common Shares.

                  (v) The Company, the Partnership or the Lessee, as applicable,
         have and maintains liability, property and casualty insurance (insured
         by insurers of recognized financial responsibility) in favor of the
         Partnership, and in the case of liability insurance, the Lessee and the
         Partnership, with respect to each of the Hotels, in an amount and on
         such terms as is reasonable and customary for businesses of the type
         proposed to be conducted by the Partnership and the Lessee, including,
         among other things, insurance against theft, damage, destruction and
         acts of vandalism. Neither the Company nor the Partnership has received
         from any insurance company written notice of any material defects or
         deficiencies affecting the insurability of any such Hotels.

                  (w) Title insurance in favor of the Partnership is in force
         with respect to each of the Hotels in an amount reasonably acceptable
         to the Representatives.

                  (x) The mortgages and deeds of trust encumbering the Hotels
         are not convertible nor does the Company or the Partnership hold a
         participating interest therein and such mortgages and deeds of trust
         are not cross-defaulted or cross-collateralized to any property not to
         be owned directly or indirectly by the Company or the Partnership.



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                  (y) Each of the Company, the Partnership and the Lessee (i) is
         in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and
         local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health
         and safety, the environment or any Hazardous Material (as hereinafter
         defined) ("Environmental Laws"), (ii) has received all permits,
         licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable
         Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) is
         in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license
         or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws,
         failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or
         failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits,
         licenses or approvals are otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus or
         would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect
         on the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee. As used herein,
         "Hazardous Material" shall mean (a) any "hazardous substance" as
         defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
         Liability Act of 1980, as amended ("CERCLA"), (b) any "hazardous waste"
         as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended,
         (c) any petroleum or petroleum product, (d) any polychlorinated
         biphenyl and (e) any pollutant or contaminant or hazardous, dangerous,
         or toxic chemical, material, waste or substance regulated under or
         within the meaning of any other Environmental Law.

                  (z) To the knowledge of the Company, there is no liability,
         alleged liability or potential liability (including, without
         limitation, liability, alleged liability or potential liability for
         investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental response costs,
         natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries or
         penalties), of the Company, the Partnership or the Lessee arising out
         of, based on or resulting from (a) the presence or release into the
         environment of any Hazardous Material at any location, whether or not
         owned by the Company or the Lessee or (b) any violation or alleged
         violation of any Environmental Law, which liability, alleged liability
         or potential liability is required to be disclosed in the Registration
         Statement, other than as disclosed therein, or which liability, alleged
         liability or potential liability, singly or in the aggregate, would
         have a material and adverse effect on the respective business,
         prospects, properties, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of
         operations of any of the Hotels or the Company, the Partnership or the
         Lessee.

                  (aa) None of the Company, the Partnership nor the Lessee is or
         will conduct their respective businesses in a manner in which any such
         entity would become an "investment company" or an entity "controlled"
         by an "investment



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         company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of
         1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

                  (bb) Neither the assets of the Company nor the Partnership
         constitutes, nor will such assets, as of the Closing Date, constitute
         "plan assets" under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
         1974, as amended ("ERISA").

                  (cc) As of the Closing Date, the Company will be organized and
         will operate in a manner so as to qualify as a "real estate investment
         trust" ("REIT") under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue
         Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and has elected to, is qualified
         to and intends to remain qualified to, be taxed as a REIT under the
         Code and pursuant to any applicable state tax laws. As of the Closing
         Date, less than 15 percent of the aggregate adjusted tax bases of both
         the personal property and the real property (the "Total Bases") to be
         leased pursuant to any Percentage Lease shall consist of the adjusted
         tax bases of the personal property (the "Personal Property Bases"),
         except in each instance where the failure to maintain such ratios will
         not disqualify the Company's election as a REIT or otherwise have a
         material adverse effect on the business and operations of the Company;
         in each succeeding year the Personal Property Bases in connection with
         each Percentage Lease will not exceed 15 percent of the Total Bases for
         such lease, except in each instance where the failure to maintain such
         ratios will not cause the Company to fail to qualify as a REIT or
         otherwise have a material adverse effect on the business and operations
         of the Company; and the Company has received a segmentation study from
         Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. stating that based on its projections, during
         the first five years of the term of each Percentage Lease less than 15
         percent of the Total Bases of each such Percentage Lease is expected to
         consist of Personal Property Bases, except in each instance where the
         failure to maintain such ratios will not cause the Company to fail to
         qualify as a REIT or otherwise have a material adverse effect on the
         business and operations of the Company. The Company does not know of
         any event which would cause or is likely to cause the Company to fail
         to qualify as a REIT at any time. All of the assets, liabilities and
         items of income, deduction and credit of the Partnership are treated as
         assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of the
         Company under the provisions of the Code and the Partnership is not,
         nor will it be, treated as a separate corporation under the provisions
         of the Code. The Partnership is treated for federal income tax purposes
         as a partnership and not as an association taxable as a corporation.

                  (dd) The Company, the Partnership and the Lessee each maintain
         a system of internal accounting controls sufficient



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         to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in
         accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
         transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
         financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting
         principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to
         financial and corporate books and records is permitted only in
         accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and
         (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing
         assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
         respect to any differences.

                  (ee) Neither the Company, the Partnership nor any other
         affiliate of the Company has incurred any liability for a fee,
         commission or other compensation on account of the employment of a
         broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated by
         this Agreement other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement.

                  (ff) No environmental engineering firm which prepared Phase I
         environmental assessment reports of the Properties with respect to the
         Hotels as set forth in the Registration Statement was employed for such
         purpose on a contingent basis or has any substantial interest in the
         Company, the Partnership or the Lessee.

                  (gg) To the best knowledge of the Company, no general labor
         problem exists or is imminent with the employees of any of the Hotels,
         the Company, the Manager, the Partnership or the Lessee.


                  (hh) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company,
         the Partnership or the Lessee or any of their affiliates and delivered
         to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed
         to be a representation and warranty by the Company, the Partnership or
         the Lessee, as the case may be, as to the matters covered thereby.

                  (ii) None of the Company, the Partnership, the Lessee nor any
         of their affiliates does business with the government of Cuba or with
         any person or affiliate located in Cuba in violation of Section 517.075
         of the Florida Statutes.


                  SECTION 3. Representations and Warranties of the Underwriters.
The Representatives, on behalf of the several Underwriters, represent and
warrant to the Company and the Partnership that the information set forth (i) on
the cover page of the Prospectus with respect to price, underwriting discounts
and commissions and terms of offering and (ii) under


                                       13
   14

"Underwriting" in the Prospectus was furnished to the Company by and on behalf
of the Underwriters for use in connection with the preparation of the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and is complete and correct in all
material respects. The Representatives represent and warrant that they have been
authorized by each of the other Underwriters as the Representatives to enter
into this Agreement on its behalf and to act for it in the manner herein
provided.

                  SECTION 4. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Common Shares. On
the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained,
but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to the Underwriters the Firm Common Shares. The Underwriters
agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the number of
Firm Common Shares described below. The purchase price per share to be paid by
the several Underwriters to the Company shall be [_____] per share.

                  Delivery of certificates for the Firm Common Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at such place
as set forth below at such time and date, not later than the third (or, if the
Firm Common Shares are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, after 4:30 P.M. Washington, D.C. Time, the
fourth) full business day following the first date that any of the Common Shares
are released by you for sale to the public, as you shall designate by at least
48 hours' prior notice to the Company (or at such other time and date, not later
than one week after such third full business day as may be agreed upon by the
Company and the Representatives) (the "First Closing Date"); provided, however,
that if the Prospectus is at any time prior to the First Closing Date
recirculated to the public, the First Closing Date shall occur upon the later of
the third or fourth, as the case may be, full business day following the first
date that any of the Common Shares are released by you for sale to the public or
the date that is 48 hours after the date that the Prospectus has been so
recirculated.

                  Delivery of certificates for the Firm Common Shares shall be
made by or on behalf of the Company to you, for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters against payment by you, for the accounts of the several
Underwriters, of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds
to the order of the Company for the purposes set forth in the Prospectus. At
your option, the certificates for the Firm Common Shares shall be registered in
such names and denominations as you shall have requested in writing to the
Company or the Company's transfer agent at least two full business days prior to
the First Closing Date, and shall be made available for checking and packaging
on the business day preceding the First Closing Date at a location in New York,
New York or such other location, as may be designated by you. Time shall be of
the essence, and delivery at



                                       14
   15

the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters.


                  In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties
and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to
purchase, severally and not jointly, the Optional Common Shares at the purchase
price per share to be paid for the Firm Common Shares, for use solely in
covering any over-allotments made by you for the account of the Underwriters in
the sale and distribution of the Firm Common Shares. The option granted
hereunder may be exercised at any time (but not more than once) within 30 days
after the first date that any of the Common Shares are released by you for sale
to the public, upon notice by you to the Company setting forth the aggregate
number of Optional Common Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the
option, the names and denominations in which the certificates for such shares
are to be registered and the time and place at which such certificates will be
delivered. Such time of delivery (which may not be earlier than the First
Closing Date), being herein referred to as the "Second Closing Date," shall be
determined by you, but if at any time other than the First Closing Date shall
not be earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery
of such notice of exercise. The number of Optional Common Shares to be purchased
by each Underwriter shall be determined by multiplying the number of Optional
Common Shares to be sold by the Company pursuant to such notice of exercise by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Firm Common Shares to be
purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite its name in Schedule A and
the denominator of which is [________] (subject to such adjustments to eliminate
any fractional share purchases as you in your discretion may make). At the
Company's option, certificates for the Optional Common Shares will be made
available for checking and packaging on the business day preceding the Second
Closing Date at a location in New York, New York or such other location, as may
be designated by you. Payment for the Optional Common Shares shall be made
directly to the Company, or such other party as designated by the Company, by
wire transfer of same-day funds and delivery of the Optional Common Shares shall
be the same as for the Firm Common Shares purchased from the Company as
specified in the two preceding paragraphs. At any time before lapse of the
option, you may cancel such option by giving written notice of such cancellation
to the Company.

                  You have advised the Company that each Underwriter has
authorized you to accept delivery of its Common Shares, to make payment and to
issue a receipt therefor. You, individually and not as the Representatives of
the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any
Common Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been



                                       15
   16

received by you by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not
relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

                  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Underwriters
propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Common
Shares as soon after the effective date of the Registration Statement as in the
judgment of the Representatives is advisable and at the public offering price
set forth on the cover page of and on the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

                  SECTION 5. Covenants of the Company and the Partnership. The
Company and the Partnership covenant and agree that:

                  (a) The Company will file the Prospectus, properly completed,
         pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
         Regulations within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence
         satisfactory to you of such timely filing. Notwithstanding the
         foregoing, the Company may file any filing required under the Exchange
         Act which will be incorporated by reference into the Registration
         Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus without the
         need to furnish a copy to the Underwriters prior to such filing. The
         Company will promptly advise you in writing (i) of the receipt of any
         comments of the Commission, (ii) of any request of the Commission for
         amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement (either before
         or after it becomes effective), any Preliminary Prospectus or the
         Prospectus or for additional information, (iii) when the Registration
         Statement shall have become effective and (iv) of the issuance by the
         Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
         Registration Statement or of the institution of any proceedings for
         that purpose. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any
         time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of
         such order at the earliest possible moment. The Company will not file
         any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement (either
         before or after it becomes effective), any Preliminary Prospectus or
         the Prospectus of which you have not been furnished with a copy a
         reasonable time prior to such filing or to which you reasonably object
         or which is not in compliance with the Act and the Rules and
         Regulations.

                  (b) The Company will prepare and file with the Commission,
         promptly upon your request, any amendments or supplements to the
         Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your judgment may be
         necessary or advisable to enable the several Underwriters to continue
         the distribution



                                       16
   17

         of the Common Shares and will use its best efforts to cause the same to
         become effective as promptly as possible. The Company will fully and
         completely comply with the provisions of Rule 430A of the Rules and
         Regulations with respect to information omitted from the Registration
         Statement in reliance upon such Rule.

                  (c) If at any time within the applicable period referred to in
         Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 174 of the Rules and Regulations
         during which a prospectus relating to the Common Shares is required to
         be delivered any event occurs, as a result of which the Prospectus,
         including any amendments or supplements, would include an untrue
         statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact
         required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
         therein not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the
         Prospectus, including any amendments or supplements, to comply with the
         Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company will promptly advise you
         thereof and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, at its
         own expense, an amendment or supplement which will correct such
         statement or omission or an amendment or supplement which will effect
         such compliance and will use its best efforts to cause the same to
         become effective as soon as possible; and, in case any Underwriter is
         required to deliver a prospectus after the applicable time period, the
         Company upon request, but at the expense of such Underwriter, will
         promptly prepare such amendment or amendments to the Registration
         Statement and such Prospectus or Prospectuses as may be necessary to
         permit compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act
         and Rule 174 of the Rules and Regulations, as applicable.

                  (d) As soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days (or 90
         days if such quarter is the fiscal year end) after the end of the first
         quarter ending after one year following the effective date of the
         Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) of the Rules and
         Regulations), the Company will make generally available to its security
         holders an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a
         period of 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of
         the Registration Statement which will satisfy the provisions of the
         last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Act.

                  (e) During such period as a prospectus is required by law to
         be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, the
         Company, at its expense, but only for the applicable period referred to
         in Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 174 of the Rules and
         Regulations, will furnish to you or mail to your order copies of the
         Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and
         all amendments and supplements to any such



                                       17
   18

         documents in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as
         you may reasonably request, for the purposes contemplated by the Act
         and the Rules and Regulations.

                  (f) The Company shall cooperate with you and your counsel in
         order to qualify or register the Common Shares for sale under (or
         obtain exemptions from the application of) the Blue Sky and Canadian
         securities laws of such jurisdictions as you designate, will comply
         with such laws and will continue such qualifications, registrations and
         exemptions in effect so long as reasonably required for the
         distribution of the Common Shares; provided, however, that neither the
         Company nor the Partnership shall be required to qualify as a foreign
         real estate investment trust, corporation or partnership, as
         applicable, or to file a general consent to service of process in any
         such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would
         be subject to taxation as a foreign real estate investment trust,
         corporation or partnership. The Company will advise you promptly of the
         suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such
         exemption relating to) the Common Shares for offering; sale or trading
         in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for
         any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order
         suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company,
         with your cooperation, will use its best efforts to obtain the
         withdrawal thereof.

                  (g) During the period of five years hereafter, the Company
         will furnish to the Representatives and, upon request of the
         Representatives, to each of the other Underwriters: (i) as soon as
         available after the end of each fiscal year and mailing to the
         shareholders, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the
         balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and
         statements of income, shareholders' equity and cash flows for the year
         then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's independent public
         accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof,
         copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
         Report on Form 10-Q, Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the
         Company with the Commission, the NASD or any securities exchange; and
         (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of
         the Company mailed generally to holders of its Shares.

                  (h) During the period of 90 days after the first date that any
         of the Common Shares are released by you for sale to the public,
         without the prior written consent of Montgomery Securities (which
         consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Montgomery
         Securities), the Company will not, other than pursuant to the Company's
         share incentive



                                       18
   19

         plans and dividend reinvestment plan, pursuant to redemptions in
         accordance with the Partnership Agreement or in connection with the
         acquisition of real estate or hotel properties, or in response to the
         exercise of any outstanding warrants or in connection with a merger,
         consolidation or similar transaction issue, offer, sell, grant options
         to purchase or otherwise dispose of any of the Company's equity
         securities or any other securities convertible into or exchangeable
         with its Shares or other equity security.

                  (i) The Company and the Partnership will apply the net
         proceeds of the sale of the Common Shares sold by the Company
         substantially in accordance with the statements under the caption "Use
         of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.

                  (j) As necessary, the Company will use its reasonable best
         efforts to qualify or register its Common Shares for sale in non-issuer
         transactions under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the
         Blue Sky laws of the State of California and the provincial laws of
         Canada as specified by the Representatives (and thereby permit market
         making transactions and secondary trading in the Company's Common
         Shares in California and such Canadian provinces as specified by the
         Representatives), will comply with such Blue Sky or Canadian provincial
         laws and will use its reasonable best efforts to continue such
         qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect for a period of
         five years after the date hereof; provided, however, that neither the
         Company nor the Partnership shall be required to qualify as a foreign
         real estate investment trust, corporation or partnership, as
         applicable, or to file a general consent to service of process in any
         such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would
         be subject to taxation as a foreign real estate investment trust,
         corporation or partnership.

                  (k) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to
         continue the listing of the Common Shares on the New York Stock
         Exchange and will continue to comply with all of the rules and
         regulations of the New York Stock Exchange applicable to the Company
         and the trading of the Common Shares.

                  (l) The Company will continue to meet the requirements to
         qualify as a REIT, effective for the year ending December 31, 1995 and
         thereafter.

                  (m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent for the Common
         Shares and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of formation of the
         Company, a registrar (which may be the same entity as the transfer
         agent).



                                       19
   20

                  (n) The Company and the Partnership will not permit the
conversion of any of the Units into Shares in any manner which would or might
affect the Company's qualification as a REIT.

                  (o)  The Company and the Partnership in good faith will
expend reasonable efforts to enforce the terms of any agreements with the
Lessee, the Manager, Messrs. Alter and Biederman, Enever or any parties
affiliated with the Lessee or Messrs. Alter, Biederman or Enever.

                  [(p) The Partnership will, per quarter on a cumulative basis,
         make available for periodic replacement and refurbishment of furniture,
         fixtures and equipment at each of the Hotels an amount equal to 4% of
         room revenues (as defined in the Percentage Leases).]

You, on behalf of the Underwriters, may, in your sole discretion, waive in
writing the performance by the Company or the Partnership, as applicable, of any
one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.

                  SECTION 6. Payment of Expenses. Whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement becomes
effective or is terminated, the Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) all expenses incident to
the issuance and delivery of the Common Shares (including all printing and
engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent
of the Common Shares, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes
in connection with the issuance and sale of the Common Shares to the
Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company's counsel and the
Company's independent accountants, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of
the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus
(including all exhibits and financial statements) and all amendments and
supplements provided for herein and the Blue Sky memorandum, (vi) all filing
fees, attorneys' fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters
in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the
qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Common Shares for offer
and sale under the Blue Sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada,
(vii) the filing fee of the NASD and the related legal fees in connection with
such filing (other than counsel fees incurred relating to compensation issues)
and (viii) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of the
Registration Statement. Except as provided in this Section 6, Section 8 and
Section 10 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay all of their own expenses,
including the fees and



                                       20
   21

disbursements of their counsel (excluding those relating to qualification,
registration or exemption under the Blue Sky and Canadian provincial securities
laws and the Blue Sky memorandum which fees shall be paid on the First Closing
Date or the Second Closing Date, as applicable).

                  SECTION 7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters.
The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm
Common Shares on the First Closing Date and the Optional Common Shares on the
Second Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties on the part of the Company and the Partnership herein set forth as of
the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as
the case may be, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company's officers and
the Partnership's officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by each of the Company and the Partnership of its obligations
hereunder, and to the following additional conditions:

                  (a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective not
         later than 5:00 P.M. (or, in the case of a registration statement filed
         pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations relating to the
         Common Shares, not later than 10:00 P.M.) Miami, Florida time, on the
         date of this Agreement, or at such later time as shall have been
         consented to by you; if the filing of the Prospectus, or any supplement
         thereto, is required pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
         Regulations, the Prospectus shall have been filed in the manner and
         within the time period required by Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
         Regulations; and prior to such Closing Date, no stop order suspending
         the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
         and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall
         be pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or you, shall be
         contemplated by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for
         inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement, or
         otherwise, shall have been complied with to your satisfaction.

                  (b) There shall have been furnished to you, as Representatives
         of the Underwriters, on each Closing Date, in form and substance
         satisfactory to you, except as otherwise expressly provided below:

                      (i) An opinion of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP, counsel
                  for the Company, the Partnership and the Lessee, or Ballard
                  Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, special Maryland counsel to the
                  Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the First
                  Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be,
                  to the effect that:


                                       21
   22

                           (1) The Company has been duly formed and is validly
                  existing as a corporation, is in good standing under the laws
                  of the state of Maryland, and is duly qualified to do business
                  as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in all other
                  jurisdictions where the ownership or leasing of properties or
                  the conduct of its business requires such qualification,
                  except for jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify
                  would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse
                  effect on the Company, the Partnership or any Property, and
                  has the requisite power to own its properties and conduct its
                  business substantially as described in the Registration
                  Statement; and, to such counsel's knowledge, other than the
                  Partnership, the Company does not own or control, directly or
                  indirectly, any corporation, association, partnership or other
                  entity;

                           (2) The Lessee has been duly incorporated and is
                  validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
                  laws of the State of Colorado, and is duly qualified to do
                  business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in
                  each of the states in which it leases real property from the
                  Partnership and has the requisite corporate power and
                  authority to own its properties and conduct its business as
                  described in the Registration Statement;

                           (3) The Partnership has been duly formed and is
                  validly existing as a limited partnership under the laws of
                  the State of Delaware, is duly qualified to do business as a
                  foreign limited partnership and is in good standing in each of
                  the states in which it owns real property, has the requisite
                  partnership power and authority to own and lease its
                  properties and conduct its business as currently conducted as
                  described in the Prospectus. The Company is the sole general
                  partner of the Partnership and will be the holder of
                  [_________] Units (assuming no Optional Common Shares are
                  sold), or approximately [_____] of the Units in the
                  Partnership which Units, to such counsel's knowledge shall be
                  held free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities,
                  claims, security interests, voting trusts or charges;

                           (4) All of the issued and outstanding Shares have
                  been duly authorized and validly issued; all outstanding
                  Shares were duly registered under the Act or were issued in
                  transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the
                  Act and were duly


                                       22
   23

                  registered or subject to an available exemption from the
                  registration requirements of the applicable state securities
                  or blue sky laws, are fully paid and nonassessable, were not
                  issued in violation of or subject to any statutory, or to such
                  counsel's knowledge, other preemptive rights or other rights
                  to subscribe for or purchase any securities and conformed in
                  all material respects to the description thereof incorporated
                  by reference in the Registration Statement; provided however
                  that such counsel need not express any opinion with respect to
                  the registration or availability of an exemption under
                  applicable state securities or blue sky laws for Common Shares
                  issued pursuant to an underwritten public offering;

                           (5) The Company has given proper authorization to
                  Chase Mellon Shareholder Service, L.L.C. (the "Transfer
                  Agent") to issue the Firm Common Shares to you at the First
                  Closing by electronic transfer through the FAST system of The
                  Depository Trust Company, upon receipt of telephonic
                  notification from you and the Company to issue such shares.
                  Upon your payment of the agreed consideration for the Firm
                  Common Shares in accordance with the provisions of the
                  Underwriting Agreement, and the electronic transfer to you of
                  the Firm Common Shares by the Transfer Agent, the Firm Common
                  Shares will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid
                  and nonassessable, and will not have been issued in violation
                  of or subject to any preemptive rights or (to our knowledge)
                  other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities from the
                  Company. The certificates representing the Common Shares to be
                  delivered hereunder are in due and proper form under Maryland
                  law, and when duly countersigned by the Company's transfer
                  agent and registrar, and delivered to you or upon your order
                  against payment of the agreed consideration therefor in
                  accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, the Common
                  Shares represented thereby will be duly authorized and validly
                  issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will not have been
                  issued in violation of or subject to any statutory, or to such
                  counsel's knowledge, other preemptive rights or other rights
                  to subscribe for or purchase securities;

                           (6) Except as disclosed in or specifically
                  contemplated by the Prospectus, to such counsel's knowledge,
                  there are no outstanding options,



                                       23
   24

                  warrants or other rights calling for the issuance of, and no
                  commitments, plans or arrangements to issue, any shares of
                  capital stock of the Company or any security convertible into
                  or exchangeable for capital stock of the Company;

                           (7)(a) To such counsel's knowledge, no stop order
                  suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
                  preventing the use of the Prospectus has been issued and no
                  proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are
                  pending or contemplated by the Commission and any required
                  filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant
                  to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations has been made in
                  the manner and within the time period required by such Rule
                  424(b);

                           (b) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
                  any amendment or supplement thereto (except for the financial
                  statements and schedules and other financial and statistical
                  information included therein as to which such counsel need
                  express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects
                  with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and
                  Regulations;

                           (c) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no
                  franchise agreements, leases, contracts, agreements or
                  documents of a character required to be disclosed in the
                  Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as
                  exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not disclosed
                  or filed, as required; and

                           (d) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal
                  or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending (in
                  which service or notice of process has been received by the
                  Company) or threatened against the Company which are required
                  to be described in the Prospectus which are not described as
                  required;

                           (8) The Company has the corporate power and authority
                  to enter into this Agreement, to sell and deliver the Common
                  Shares to be sold by it to the several Underwriters and to
                  consummate the other transactions contemplated herein; the
                  Partnership has the partnership power and authority to enter
                  into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions
                  contemplated herein; this Agreement has been duly and validly
                  authorized by all necessary partnership action by



                                       24
   25

                  each of the Company and the Partnership, respectively, has
                  been duly and validly executed and delivered by and on behalf
                  of each of the Company and the Partnership; and no approval,
                  authorization, order, consent, registration, filing,
                  qualification, license or permit of or with any court,
                  regulatory, administrative or other governmental body is
                  required for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by
                  each of the Company and the Partnership or the consummation of
                  the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such
                  as have been obtained and are in full force and effect under
                  the Act and such as may be required under applicable Blue Sky
                  or Canadian securities laws in connection with the purchase
                  and distribution of the Common Shares by the Underwriters and
                  the clearance of such offering with the NASD;

                           (9) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting
                  Agreement and the issuance of the Common Shares contemplated
                  therein will not conflict with, result in the material breach
                  of, or constitute, either by itself or upon notice or the
                  passage of time or both, a material default under, any
                  agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, franchise, license,
                  indenture, permit or other instrument listed on Schedule 1 to
                  any of the Backup Officers' Certificates; or violate any of
                  the provisions of the partnership certificate, partnership
                  agreement, articles of incorporation or bylaws, or other
                  organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company, the
                  Partnership, or the Lessee; or to our knowledge, violate any
                  California statute, judgment, decree, order, rule or
                  regulation of any court or California governmental body having
                  jurisdiction over the Company, the Partnership, the Lessee, or
                  any of their property;

                           (10) To such counsel's knowledge, none of the
                  Company, the Partnership nor the Lessee is in violation of its
                  respective declaration of trust, partnership certificate,
                  partnership agreement, certificate of incorporation or bylaws,
                  or other organizational documents, as applicable, or is in
                  breach of or default with respect to any provision of any
                  agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, leases, franchises,
                  licenses, indentures, permits or other instruments listed in
                  Schedule 1 to any of the Officers' Certificates delivered
                  pursuant to Section 7(b)(iii) of this Agreement, known to such
                  counsel and which is required to be filed as



                                       25
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                  an item 10 exhibit to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
                  for the year ended December 31, 1996, to which the Company,
                  the Partnership or the Lessee is a party or by which they or
                  any of their properties may be bound or affected, except where
                  such default would not materially adversely affect the
                  Company, the Partnership or the Lessee, as the case may be;

                           (11) To such counsel's knowledge, no holders of
                  securities of the Company or the Partnership have rights to
                  register Shares, Units or other securities because of the
                  filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or the
                  offering;

                           (12) No transfer taxes are required to be paid to the
                  states of Maryland and New York in connection with the sale
                  and delivery of the Common Shares to the Underwriters
                  hereunder;

                           (13) Neither the Company nor the Partnership is or
                  will be an "investment company" within the meaning of the 1940
                  Act;

                           (14) Each of the Closing Agreements has been duly
                  authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, the
                  Partnership or the Lessee, as applicable, and constitutes a
                  valid and binding agreement on such parties, enforceable in
                  accordance with its terms, except as may be limited or
                  otherwise affected by general equitable principles,
                  bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
                  laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and by
                  principles of equity, whether considered at law or in equity,
                  and except with respect to those provisions relating to
                  indemnities or contributions for liabilities under the Act, as
                  to which no opinion need be expressed;

                           (15) The Common Shares have been duly authorized for
                  listing by the New York Stock Exchange upon official notice of
                  issuance; and


                  In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters
         of local law, on opinions of local counsel, and as to matters of fact,
         on certificates of officers of the Company, the Partnership or the
         Lessee, as applicable, and certificates and verbal advice of
         governmental officials, in which case their opinion is to state that
         they are so doing and that the



                                       26
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         Underwriters are justified in relying on such opinions or certificates
         and copies of said opinions or certificates are to be attached to the
         opinion. Such counsel shall also include a statement to the effect that
         although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume
         responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
         statements contained therein, nothing has come to such counsel's
         attention that would lead such counsel to believe that either at the
         effective date of the Registration Statement or at the applicable
         Closing Date the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any
         amendment or supplement thereto, contains any untrue statement of a
         material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated
         therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
         (other than with respect to the financial statements, the notes thereto
         and the related financial schedules and other financial or statistical
         data as to which such counsel need express no opinion).

                  (ii) Such opinion or opinions of O'Melveny & Myers LLP,
         counsel for the Underwriters, dated the First Closing Date or the
         Second Closing Date, as the case may be, with respect to the formation
         of the Company, the execution and delivery of the Agreement, the
         validity of the Common Shares, certain legal matters related to the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus and other related matters as
         you may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to
         such counsel such documents and shall have exhibited to them such
         papers and records as they may reasonably request for the purpose of
         enabling them to pass upon such matters. In connection with such
         opinions, such counsel may rely on representations or certificates of
         officers of the Company and governmental officials.

                  (iii) A certificate of each of the Company, executed by the
         Chairman of the Board and President of the Company solely in their
         capacity as such, and the Partnership executed by an authorized officer
         of its general partner solely in his capacity as such, dated the First
         Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, to the
         effect that:

                        (1) The representations and warranties of the Company
                  and the Partnership set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement
                  are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and as
                  of the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
                  case may be, and the Company and the Partnership each has
                  complied with all the agreements and satisfied all of the
                  conditions on



                                       27
   28

                  its part to be performed or satisfied on or prior to such
                  Closing Date;

                        (2) The Commission has not issued any order preventing
                  or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Preliminary
                  Prospectus filed as a part of the Registration Statement or
                  any amendment thereto; no stop order suspending the
                  effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued;
                  and to the best of the knowledge of the respective signers, no
                  proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are
                  pending or contemplated under the Act;

                        (3) Each of the respective signers of each certificate
                  has carefully examined the Registration Statement and the
                  Prospectus; in his opinion and to the best of his knowledge,
                  the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
                  amendments or supplements thereto contain all statements
                  required to be stated therein; and neither the Registration
                  Statement nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement
                  thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or
                  omits to state any material fact required to be stated
                  therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
                  made, or necessary to make the statements therein not
                  misleading;

                        (4) Since the initial date on which the Registration
                  Statement was filed, no agreement, written or oral,
                  transaction or event has occurred which should have been set
                  forth in an amendment to the Registration Statement or in a
                  supplement to or amendment of any prospectus which has not
                  been incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or
                  Registration Statement or disclosed in such a supplement or
                  amendment;

                        (5) As to the Company's certificate only, since the
                  respective dates as of which information is given in the
                  Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except as
                  disclosed in or contemplated by the Prospectus, there has not
                  been any material adverse change or a development involving a
                  material adverse change in the condition (financial or
                  otherwise), business, properties, results of operations,
                  management or prospects of the Company or, to the best of such
                  officer's knowledge, any of the Hotels; and no legal or
                  governmental action, suit or proceeding is pending or, to the
                  best knowledge of such officer, threatened against the
                  Company, or, to



                                       28
   29

                  the best of such officer's knowledge, any of the Hotels which
                  is material to the Company or any of the Hotels, as
                  applicable, whether or not arising from transactions in the
                  ordinary course of business, or which may adversely affect the
                  transactions contemplated by this Agreement; since such dates
                  and except as so disclosed, the Company has not entered into
                  any verbal or written agreement or other transaction which is
                  not in the ordinary course of business or which could
                  reasonably be expected to result in a material reduction in
                  the future earnings of the Company or the Partnership or
                  incurred any material liability or obligation, direct,
                  contingent or indirect, made any material adverse change in
                  its short-term debt or funded debt or repurchased or otherwise
                  acquired any of the Company's Shares or the Partnership's
                  interests; and the Company, has not declared or paid any
                  dividend, or made any other distribution, upon its outstanding
                  Shares payable to shareholders of record on a date prior to
                  the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date except as set
                  forth in the Prospectus and except for the dividend of $0.25
                  paid by the Company in November, 1996;

                        (6) As to the Partnership's certificate only, since the
                  respective dates as of which information is given in the
                  Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except as
                  disclosed in or contemplated by the Prospectus, there has not
                  been any material adverse change or a development involving a
                  material adverse change in the condition (financial or
                  otherwise), business, properties, results of operations,
                  management or prospects of the Partnership, or to the best of
                  such officer's knowledge, any of the Hotels; and no legal or
                  governmental action, suit or proceeding is pending or, to the
                  best knowledge of such officer, threatened against the
                  Partnership or, to the best of such officer's knowledge, any
                  of the Hotels, which is material to the Partnership or any of
                  the Hotels, as applicable, whether or not arising from
                  transactions in the ordinary course of business, or which may
                  adversely affect the transactions contemplated by this
                  Agreement; since such dates and except as so disclosed, the
                  Partnership has not entered into any verbal or written
                  agreement or other transaction which is not in the ordinary
                  course of business or which could reasonably be expected to
                  result in a material reduction in the future earnings of the
                  Company or the Partnership or



                                       29
   30

                  incurred any material liability or obligation, direct,
                  contingent or indirect, made any change in its partnership
                  interests, made any material adverse change in its short-term
                  debt or funded debt or repurchased or otherwise acquired any
                  of the Partnership's interests other than as set forth on
                  Schedule B; and the Partnership has not declared or paid any
                  dividend, or made any other distribution, upon its outstanding
                  partnership interests payable to partners of record on a date
                  prior to the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, except
                  as set forth in the Prospectus and except for the distribution
                  of $0.25 per Unit paid by the Partnership in November, 1996;

                        (7) Since the respective dates as of which information
                  is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
                  except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Prospectus, none
                  of the Hotels (or any other hotel property owned by the
                  Partnership) has sustained a material loss or damage by
                  strike, fire, flood, windstorm, accident or other calamity
                  (whether or not insured); and

                        (8) To the best knowledge of such officer, each of the
                  Company, the Partnership and each of the Hotels owned by the
                  Partnership (i) will be in compliance with any and all
                  applicable Environmental Laws, (ii) will have received all
                  permits, licenses or other approvals required under applicable
                  Environmental Laws to conduct its operations and (iii) will be
                  in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such
                  permit, license or approval except where such noncompliance
                  with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits,
                  licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the
                  terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals
                  are otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus or would not, singly
                  or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the
                  Company, the Partnership or any Hotel.

                  (iv) On the date that this Agreement is executed and also on
         the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date a letter addressed
         to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, from Coopers & Lybrand,
         as independent accountants, the first one to be dated the day of this
         Agreement, the second one to be dated the First Closing Date and the
         third one (in the event of a Second Closing) to be dated the Second
         Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
         Representatives, to the effect that:



                                       30
   31

                        (1) Coopers & Lybrand is an independent certified public
                  accountants with respect to the Company and the Partnership
                  within the meaning of the Act and the Rules and Regulations;

                        (2) It is its opinion that the financial statements,
                  historical summaries and any supplementary financial
                  information and supporting schedule included or incorporated
                  by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
                  examined by them comply as to form in all material respects
                  with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
                  Rules and Regulations;

                        (3) The financial statements of each of the entities and
                  properties included in the Prospectus for the periods
                  referenced therein to the extent applicable, were reviewed by
                  them in accordance with the standards established by the
                  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and based
                  upon their review they are not aware of any material
                  modifications that should be made to such financial statements
                  or historical summaries for them to be in conformity with
                  generally accepted accounting principles and such financial
                  statements comply as to form in all material respects with the
                  applicable requirements of the Act and the Rules and
                  Regulations;

                        (4) Based upon procedures set forth in detail in such
                  letter, including a reading of the latest available interim
                  financial statements of the Company and inquiries of officials
                  of the Company responsible for financial and accounting
                  matters, nothing has come to their attention which causes them
                  to believe that:

                        (A) the unaudited financial information with respect to
                  the results of operations for and at the end of each of the
                  five years (or such lesser period, if applicable) in the
                  period ended December 31, 1995 and any subsequent quarters
                  included in the Registration Statement under the captions
                  "Prospectus Summary" and "Selected Financial Information" do
                  not comply as to form in all material respects with the
                  applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules
                  and Regulations or are not presented in conformity with
                  generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis
                  substantially consistent with that of the audited financial
                  statements included in the Registration Statement, or do not
                  agree



                                       31
   32

                  with the corresponding amounts in the audited financial
                  statements for each of the years then ended, or that with
                  respect to the unaudited pro forma financial statements, such
                  financial statements do not comply as to form in all material
                  respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
                  Act and the Rules and Regulations and the pro forma
                  adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical
                  amounts in the compilation of such statements, or

                        (B) at a specified date not more than five days prior to
                  the date of this Agreement, (i) there has been any change in
                  the assets or shareholders' equity, as compared with the
                  amounts shown in the __________, 1996 balance sheet of the
                  Company included in the Registration Statement, (ii) there has
                  been any increase in indebtedness or other liabilities as
                  compared with the amounts shown in the __________, 1996
                  historical or pro forma balance sheets related to the Hotels
                  (other than accrued interest) or during the period __________,
                  1996 to a specified date not more than five days prior to the
                  date of this Agreement, there were any decreases, as compared
                  with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in
                  combined revenues or net income of the Hotels, except in all
                  instances for changes, increases or decreases which the
                  Registration Statement and the Prospectus disclose have
                  occurred or may occur or (iii) there has been any decrease
                  since __________, 1996 in room revenues or total revenues from
                  the Hotels which would adversely affect the Percentage Lease
                  revenue of the Company or the Partnership, in each case as
                  compared with the corresponding period of the preceding year,
                  except in each case for decreases which the Prospectus
                  discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in
                  such letter; and

                        (5) In addition to the examination referred to in their
                  opinions and the procedures referred to above, they have
                  carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an
                  audit, in accordance with generally accepted auditing
                  standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
                  financial information which are included in the Registration
                  Statement and Prospectus and which were specified by you, and
                  have found such amounts, percentages and financial information
                  to be in agreement with, or derived from, the relevant
                  accounting, financial and other



                                       32
   33

                  records of the Company, the Partnership and the Present
                  Owners.

                        (v) On or before the First Closing Date, a copy of the
                  segmentation study of Coopers & Lybrand referred to in Section
                  2(cc).

                  (c) The Firm Common Shares and the Optional Common Shares
         shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange,
         subject to official notice of issuance, and the NASD, upon review of
         the terms of the public offering, shall not have objected to such
         offering, such terms or the Underwriters' participation in the same.

                  (d) The Company shall have furnished to you such further
         certificates and documents as you shall have reasonably requested.

                  (e) There shall have been delivered to you the Firm Common
         Shares and, if any Optional Common Shares are purchased, the Optional
         Common Shares in the manner required pursuant to Section 4 hereof.

                  All such opinions, certificates, letters and documents shall
be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably
satisfactory to you and to O'Melveny & Myers LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.
The Company shall furnish you with such manually signed or conformed copies of
such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as you request. Any
certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the
Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the
statements made therein.

                  If any condition to the Underwriters' obligations hereunder to
be satisfied prior to or at the First Closing Date is not so satisfied, this
Agreement at your election will terminate upon written notification by you as
Representatives to the Company without liability on the part of any Underwriter
or the Company, except for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by the Company
pursuant to Sections 6 and 8 hereof and except to the extent provided in Section
10 hereof.

                  SECTION 8. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, if this Agreement shall be
terminated by you pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 7, or if the sale to
the Underwriters of the Common Shares at the First Closing is not consummated
because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to
perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company
agrees to reimburse you and the other Underwriters upon demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by you and them
in connection


                                       33
   34

with the proposed purchase and the sale of the Common Shares, including but not
limited to fees and disbursements of counsel relating directly to the offering
contemplated by the Prospectus. Any such termination shall be without liability
of any party to any other party except that the provisions of this Section 8,
Section 6 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall apply.

                  SECTION 9. Effectiveness of Registration Statement. You and
the Company will use your and its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement to become effective, to prevent the issuance of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and, if such stop
order be issued, to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof.

                  SECTION 10. Indemnification. (a) The Company and the
Partnership, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of the Act against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses,
joint or several, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may
become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal, state or
Canadian statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including
in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company or the Partnership, as applicable), insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof
as contemplated below) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged
omission to state in any of them a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements in any of them not misleading, or arise out
of or are based in whole or in part on any inaccuracy in the representations and
warranties of the Company or the Partnership contained herein or any failure of
the Company or the Partnership to perform its obligations hereunder or under
law; and will reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for
any legal and other expenses as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such
Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, expense or action; provided, however, that neither the Company nor
the Partnership will be liable in any such case to the extent that any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with
the information furnished to the Company and the Partnership pursuant to Section
3 hereof; and provided further, that with respect to any untrue statement or



                                       34
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omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 10(a) shall not
inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses purchased the Common Shares
concerned (or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense of such
Underwriter or controlling person results from the fact that a copy of the
Prospectus was not sent or given to such person at or prior to the written
confirmation of sale of such Common Shares to such person as required by the
Act. In addition to its other obligations under this Section 10(a), the Company
and the Partnership agree that, as an interim measure during the pendency of any
claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding arising out of or
based upon any statement or omission, or any alleged statement or omission, or
any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company or the
Partnership herein or failure to perform its obligations hereunder, all as
described in this Section 10(a), they will reimburse each Underwriter not less
than on a quarterly basis for all reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in
connection with investigating or defending any such claim, action,
investigation, inquiry or other proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a
judicial determination as to the propriety and enforceability of the Company's
or the Partnership's obligation to reimburse each Underwriter for such expenses
and the possibility that such payments might later be held to have been improper
by a court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such interim
reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, each Underwriter shall
promptly return it to the Company or the Partnership, as applicable, together
with interest, compounded daily, determined on the basis of the prime rate (or
other commercial lending rate for borrowers of the highest credit standing)
announced from time to time by Bank of America NT&SA, San Francisco, California
(the "Prime Rate"). Any such interim reimbursement payments which are not made
to an Underwriter within 30 days of a request for reimbursement shall bear
interest at the Prime Rate from the date of such request. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company or the
Partnership may otherwise have.

                  (b) Each Underwriter will severally indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement, the Partnership and each person, if any, who controls
the Company or the Partnership within the meaning of the Act, against any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses to which the Company, or any
such director, officer, the Partnership, or controlling person may become
subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory
law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any
litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such
Underwriter), insofar as such losses, claims, damages,



                                       35
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liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below)
arise out of or are based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in
conformity with the information furnished to the Company and the Partnership
pursuant to Section 3 hereof; and will reimburse the Company, or any such
director, officer, the Partnership or any controlling person of the Company or
the Partnership for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the
Company, or any such director, officer, the Partnership, any controlling person
of the Company or the Partnership in connection with investigating, defending,
settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability,
expense or action. In addition to its other obligations under this Section
10(b), each Underwriter severally agrees that, as an interim measure during the
pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding
arising out of or based upon any statement or omission, or any alleged statement
or omission, or any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the
Underwriters herein or the failure to perform its obligations hereunder, all as
described in this Section 10(b), that it will reimburse expenses as provided in
this Section 10(b) as incurred, but no less frequently than quarterly,
notwithstanding the absence of a judicial determination at to the propriety and
enforceability of the Underwriters' obligation to reimburse the Company, the
Partnership (and, to the extent applicable, each officer, trustee or controlling
person of the Company or the Partnership) on a quarterly basis for all
reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or
defending any such claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding,
and the possibility that such payments might later be held to have been improper
by a court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such interim
reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the Company or the
Partnership (and, to the extent applicable, each officer, director or
controlling person of the Company or the Partnership) shall promptly return it
to the Underwriters together with interest, compounded daily, determined on the
basis of the Prime Rate. Any such interim reimbursement payments which are not
made within 30 days of a request for reimbursement, shall bear interest at the
Prime Rate from the date of such request. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.


                                       36
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                  (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party
under this Section, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement
thereof; but the omission to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it
from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution
or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section or to
the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case
any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified
party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that
it may wish, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, to
assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action
include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict
between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in
conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses
available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party
or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal
defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of
such indemnified party or parties; provided, however, that the indemnifying
party shall only be obligated to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of a
single law firm employed by all of the indemnified parties. Upon receipt of
notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so
to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of
counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party
under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed such counsel in connection with the
assumption of legal defenses in accordance with the proviso to the next
preceding sentence or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the
action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the
expense of the indemnifying party.

                  (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is
required by its terms, but is for any reason held to be unavailable to or
otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Sections (a),
(b) or (c) of this Section 10 in respect of any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses referred to herein, then each applicable indemnifying



                                       37
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party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to
herein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company and the Partnership and the Underwriters from the
offering of the Common Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i)
above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but
also the relative fault of the Company, the Partnership and the Underwriters in
connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The respective relative benefits received by the Company, the
Partnership and the Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same proportion,
in the case of the Company and the Partnership as the total price paid to the
Company, for the Common Shares sold by the Company to the Underwriters (net of
underwriting commissions, but before deducting expenses), and in the case of the
Underwriters as the underwriting commissions received by them bears to the total
of such amounts paid to the Company and received by the Underwriters as
underwriting commissions. The relative fault of the Company, the Partnership and
the Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact or the inaccurate or the
alleged inaccurate representation and/or warranty relates to information
supplied by the Company, the Partnership or the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to
above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in
Section (c) of this Section 10, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably
incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action
or claim. The provisions set forth in Section (c) of this Section 10 with
respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for
contribution is to be made under this Section (d); provided, however, that no
additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice
has been given under Section (c) of this Section 10 for purposes of
indemnification. The Company, the Partnership and the Underwriters agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were
determined solely by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated
as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does
not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
of the total underwriting commissions received by such



                                       38
   39

Underwriter in connection with the Common Shares underwritten by it and
distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this
Section 10 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
commitments and not joint.

                  (e) It is agreed that any controversy arising out of the
operation of the interim reimbursement arrangements set forth in Sections 10(a)
or 10(b) hereof, including the amounts of any requested reimbursement payments
and the method of determining such amounts, shall be settled by arbitration
conducted under the provisions of the Constitution and Rules of the Board of
Governors of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or pursuant to the Code of
Arbitration Procedure of the NASD. Any such arbitration must be commenced by
service of a written demand for arbitration or written notice of intention to
arbitrate, therein electing the arbitration tribunal. In the event the party
demanding arbitration does not make such designation of an arbitration tribunal
in such demand or notice, then the party responding to said demand or notice is
authorized to do so. Such an arbitration would be limited to the operation of
the interim reimbursement provisions contained in Section 10(a) hereof and would
not resolve the ultimate propriety or enforceability of the obligation to
reimburse expenses which is created by the provisions of such Sections 10(a) and
10(b) hereof.

                  SECTION 11. Default of Underwriters. It shall be a condition
to this Agreement and the obligation of the Company to sell and deliver the
Common Shares hereunder, and of each Underwriter to purchase the Common Shares
in the manner as described herein, that, except as hereinafter in this Section
provided, each of the Underwriters shall purchase and pay for all the Common
Shares agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder upon tender to the
Representatives of all such shares in accordance with the terms hereof. If any
Underwriter or Underwriters default in its or their obligations to purchase
Common Shares hereunder on either the First or Second Closing Date and the
aggregate number of Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date does not exceed
10% of the total number of Common Shares which the Underwriters are obligated to
purchase on such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be
obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to
purchase the Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed
to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default
and the aggregate number of Common Shares with respect to which such default
occurs is more than 10% of the total number of Common Shares which the
Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements
satisfactory to the Representatives



                                       39
   40

and the Company for the purchase of such Common Shares by other persons are not
made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the
Partnership except for the expenses to be paid by the Company pursuant to
Section 6 hereof and except to the extent provided in Section 10 hereof.

                  In the event that Common Shares to which a default relates are
to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters or by another party or
parties, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
First or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, for not more than five
business days in order that the necessary changes in the Registration Statement,
Prospectus and any other documents, as well as any other arrangements, may be
effected. As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

                  SECTION 12. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become
effective immediately as to Sections 6, 8, 10, 13 and 14 and, as to all other
provisions, (i) if at the time of execution of this Agreement the Registration
Statement has not become effective, at 8:00 A.M., California time, on the first
full business day following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or
(ii) if at the time of execution of this Agreement the Registration Statement
has been declared effective, at 2:00 P.M., California time, on the first full
business day following the date of execution of this Agreement; but this
Agreement shall nevertheless become effective at such earlier time after the
Registration Statement becomes effective as you may determine on and by notice
to the Company or by release of any of the Common Shares for sale to the public.
For the purposes of this Section 12, the Common Shares shall be deemed to have
been so released upon the release for publication of any newspaper advertisement
relating to the Common Shares or upon the release by you of telegrams (i)
advising Underwriters that the Common Shares are released for public offering or
(ii) offering the Common Shares for sale to securities dealers, whichever may
occur first.

                  SECTION 13. Termination. Without limiting the right to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to any other provision hereof:

                  (a) This Agreement may be terminated by the Company by notice
         to you or by you by notice to the Company at any time prior to the time
         this Agreement shall become effective as to all its provisions, and any
         such termination shall be without liability on the part of the Company
         to any Underwriter (except for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by
         the Company pursuant to Sections 6 and 8 (if



                                       40
   41

         applicable) hereof and except to the extent provided in Section 10
         hereof) or of any Underwriter to the Company (except to the extent
         provided in Section 10 hereof).

                  (b) This Agreement may also be terminated by you prior to the
         First Closing Date by notice to the Company (i) if additional material
         governmental restrictions, not in force and effect on the date hereof,
         shall have been imposed upon trading in securities generally or minimum
         or maximum prices shall have been generally established on the New York
         Stock Exchange or on the American Stock Exchange or in the over the
         counter market by the NASD, or trading in securities generally shall
         have been suspended on either such Exchange or in the over the counter
         market by the NASD, or a general banking moratorium shall have been
         established by federal, New York or California authorities; (ii) if an
         outbreak of major hostilities or other national or international
         calamity or any substantial change in political, financial or economic
         conditions shall have occurred or shall have accelerated or escalated
         to such an extent, as, in the judgment of the Representatives, to
         affect adversely the marketability of the Common Shares; (iii) if any
         adverse event shall have occurred or shall exist which makes untrue or
         incorrect in any material respect any statement or information
         contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or which is not
         reflected in the Registration Statement or Prospectus but should be
         reflected therein in order to make the statements or information
         contained therein not misleading in any material respect; or (iv) if
         there shall be any action, suit or proceeding pending or threatened, or
         there shall have been any development involving particularly the
         business or properties or securities of the Company, the Partnership or
         the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, which, in the
         reasonable judgment of the Representatives, may materially and
         adversely affect the Company's or the Partnership's business or
         earnings and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to offer or sell the
         Common Shares. Any termination pursuant to this Section (b) shall be
         without liability on the part of any Underwriter to the Company or on
         the part of the Company to any Underwriter (except for expenses to be
         paid or reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Sections 6 and 8 hereof
         and except to the extent provided in Section 10 hereof).

                  SECTION 14. Representations and Indemnities to Survive
Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company, the Partnership, the Company's and the
Partnership's officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made
pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or the
Partnership or any of its or their partners,



                                       41
   42

officers or trustees or any controlling person, as the case may be, and will
survive delivery of and payment for the Common Shares sold hereunder and any
termination of this Agreement.

                  SECTION 15. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in
writing and, if sent to the Representatives shall be mailed, delivered,
telecopied or telegraphed and confirmed to you at 600 Montgomery Street, San
Francisco, California 94111, Telecopier: (415) 249-5513, Attention: Sam Wilkins
III with a copy to O'Melveny & Myers LLP, Embarcadero Center West 275 Battery
Street, San Francisco, California 94111, Telecopier: (415) 984-8701, Attention:
Peter T. Healy; and if sent to the Company or the Partnership shall be mailed,
delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Company at 115 Calle de
Industrias, Suite 201 San Clemente, California 92672, Telecopier: (714)
361-3900, Attention: Robert A. Alter with a copy to Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison
LLP, 4675 MacArthur Court, Suite 1000, Newport Beach, California 92660,
Telecopier: (714) 752- 7522, Attention: Roger M. Cohen. The Company, the
Partnership or you may change the address for receipt of communications
hereunder by giving notice to the others.

                  SECTION 16. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute
Underwriters pursuant to Section 11 hereof, and to the benefit of the officers
and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 10, and in each
case their respective successors, personal representatives and assigns, and no
other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. No such assignment
shall relieve any party of its obligations hereunder. The term "successors"
shall not include any purchaser of the Common Shares as such from any of the
Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.

                  SECTION 17. Underwriters' Representatives. You will act as
Representatives for the several Underwriters in connection with all dealings
hereunder, and any action under or in respect of this Agreement taken by you, as
Representatives, will be binding upon all of the Underwriters.

                  SECTION 18. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or
provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is
for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed
to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to
make it valid and enforceable.

                  SECTION 19. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the internal laws (and not the laws
pertaining to conflicts of laws) of the State of California.


                                       42
   43

                  SECTION 20. General. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or
oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in
several counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, and all of which
shall constitute one and the same document.

                  In this Agreement, the masculine, feminine and neuter genders
and the singular and the plural include one another. The section headings in
this Agreement are for the convenience of the parties only and will not affect
the construction or interpretation of this Agreement. This Agreement may be
amended or modified, and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be
waived, only by a writing signed by the Company, the Partnership and you.



                                       43
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                  If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, kindly sign and return to us the enclosed copies hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company, the Partnership
and the several Underwriters, including you, all in accordance with its terms.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.



                                        By: ____________________________
                                            Robert A. Alter, President


                                        SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, L.P.

                                        By: SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

                                        Its: General Partner



                                                  By: _________________________
                                                       Robert A. Alter,
                                                       President


                                        The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is
                                        hereby confirmed and accepted by us in
                                        San Francisco, California as of the date
                                        first above written.

                                        MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
                                        BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
                                        EVEREN SECURITIES, INC.
                                        RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.

                                        Acting as Representatives of the several
                                        Underwriters named in the attached
                                        Schedule A.



                                        By: MONTGOMERY SECURITIES

                                            _____________________
                                            Managing Director



                                       44
   45

                                   SCHEDULE A
                                   ----------


                                                                      Amount of
                                                                      Securities
                                                                      to be
Underwriter                                                           Purchased
- -----------                                                           ---------


Total
                                                                      ==========


   46

                                   SCHEDULE B

                         CUMULATIVE UNIT ISSUANCE CHART
                       FOR SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.



                                 SSI REIT UNITS




     1.                    2.             3.             4.          5.              6.          7.            8.           9.

                                                                   Common                                   OTHER LPS      TOTAL
 TRANSACTION              Date         New Units     New Shares    Stock(1)         GP(2)        LP           UNITS        UNITS(3)
 -----------              ----         ---------     ----------    -----            --           --           -----        -----
                                                                                                        
Opening Balance         08/23/96           N/A            N/A    10,323,500       117,823    10,205,677     1,458,800    11,792,300

Over-Allotment          09/10/96       600,000        600,000    10,923,500       123,823    10,799,677     1,458,800    12,382,300
for Secondary
Public Offering

Redemption of           10/04/96        (3,000)           N/A    10,923,500       123,793    10,799,707     1,455,800    12,379,300
Units by
Steamboat Hotel
Partners, Ltd. 

Issuance of Shares      10/10/96         7,500          7,500    10,931,000       123,868    10,807,132     1,455,800    12,386,800
to Directors

Issuance of Shares      10/16/96         1,250          1,250    10,932,250       123,881    10,808,369     1,455,800    12,388,050
to Laurence Geller

Acquisition of          10/29/96       706,347            N/A    10,932,250       130,944    10,801,306     2,162,147    13,094,397
Summit Hotels

DRIP Issuance           11/15/96         1,182          1,182    10,933,432       130,956    10,802,476     2,162,147    13,095,579

DRIP Issuance           12/15/96         1,525          1,525    10,934,957       130,971    10,803,986     2,162,147    13,097,104


- ----------

1    Common Stock (column 5) should always equal SSI REIT Units outstanding
     (column 6 + column 7).

2    Units held by Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. as G.P. (column 6) must
     always equal 1% of the total outstanding limited partnership units
     (column 9).

3    Total Units (column 9) should always equal REIT Units (columns 6 + 7)
     plus Other LP Units (column 8).