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                                                                   EXHIBIT 3.140

                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                          MERISTAR HOTEL LESSEE, INC.

1.   The name of the corporation is MeriStar Hotel Lessee, Inc.

2.   The address of its registered office in the State of Delaware is
     Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington,
     County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at such address is
     The Corporation Trust Company.

3.   The nature of the business or purpose to be conducted or promoted is to
     engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be
     organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

4.   The board of directors is authorized to make, alter or repeal the by-laws
     of the corporation. Election of directors need not be by written ballot.

5.   The name and mailing address of the sole incorporator is: Christopher
     Bennett, c/o MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, 1010 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington
     DC 20007.

6.   The total number of shares of stock which the corporation shall have
     authority to issue is: One Thousand (1,000) and the par value of each of
     such shares is One Cent ($.01) amounting in the aggregate to Ten Dollars
     ($10).

I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose
of forming a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, do make this certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that this is
my act and deed and the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have
hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of November 2000.



                                        /s/  Christopher Bennett
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Sole Incorporator
                                        Christopher Bennett