W Hotels
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryHospitality
Founded1998
HeadquartersBethesda, Maryland
Number of locations
67 (2022)
Area served
Worldwide
ParentMarriott International
Websitew-hotels.marriott.com

W Hotels is an American upscale lifestyle hotel chain owned by Marriott International[1] that is marketed towards a younger age group.

History

W Hotels was launched in 1998 with W New York, a conversion of the former Doral Inn hotel on Lexington Avenue, Manhattan.[2] It quickly became popular as a New York City nightclub.[3] Identifying a gap in the market, Barry Sternlicht, CEO of Starwood Hotels 1995–2005, created the brand that popularized the lifestyle hotel concept of focusing on fashion and design.[4] This included dark, muted colors, brushed metal, hotel staff in black T-shirts rather than white jackets, tasteful photographs, and a trendy bar.[5] His demand for all-white bedding required manufacturers to develop white fabric that stayed clean without weekly dry cleaning.[4]

The earlier W Hotels in the U.S. were cutting edge renovations of existing hotels within the Starwood group.[3] Replacing the lobby with the "living room" concept, where guests could gather at the bar, differed from the traditional hotel.[4] Although W Hotels receives credit for the idea, the underlying concept was once common. In the 1800s, the lobby provided a social gathering point in most communities. In earlier eras, the bar was often unseparated from the lobby. However, the aspirational, stylish, modern, and very strong design identity was W Hotel's unique feature.[3] In 2001, Starwood added W New York - Times Square, a design model for the rapid expansion of properties in the United States over the next decade.[6]

In following new trends, the challenge was to find the right balance between style, newness, attitude and profitability.[4] Guests sought more than the cookie-cutter styles that had previously defined luxury and branded properties.[6] The edgy W brand evolved with consumers. The demographics of early guests steered the W's rise into the luxury hotel tier. It incorporated popular culture, contemporary design, and a certain casual irreverent attitude.[4]

Each new W Hotels is unique, but all incorporate an entrance floor that holds all the public spaces, including the lobby, or "living room", a bar, restaurant and indoor and outdoor "hubs".[6] However, the brand, positioned for the American environment, slowly aged. With global expansion, the aesthetic needed to evolve to resonate with those markets.[3] Consequently, each venue incorporated local cultural and design features.[4]

W Hotels opened its first hotel in Europe in Istanbul in May 2008. Within the renovated Akaretler Row Houses, a group of historic structures built in the 1870s to house the employees of the Dolmabahçe Palace, the hotel blends the traditional Ottoman design of the row houses with the contemporary feel of a luxury brand.[7] Opened in October 2009, W Barcelona hotel was W's first in Western Europe. The 26-story futuristic design by architect Ricardo Bofill, in the shape of a sail, is visible from throughout the city.[8] A unique location is Punta de Mita, Mexico, where the W, which embraces a surfing culture, was built along the beach and into the natural forest of the nearby hillside.[6] A notable project under development is the 62-story W Mumbai, also known as Namaste Tower.

Many properties are co-located with luxury apartments known as "Residences at the W", such as W Boston and W Austin. These residences are also marketed toward a younger, more affluent demographic.

In September 2016, Marriott gained the W chain as part of its acquisition of Starwood.[9]

Accommodations

From 2016

North
America		 Europe Middle E.
& Africa		Asia &
Pacific		Caribbean
Latin Am.		Total
2016[10]Properties267211551
Rooms8,2381,3327982,90187614,145
2017[11]Properties277212553
Rooms8,4591,3247983,32887614,785
2018[12]Properties256315655
Rooms7,4741,2531,2214,0211,07415,043
2019[13]Properties267514658
Rooms7,6721,4231,8503,7881,07415,807
2020[14]Properties247516759
Rooms7,1821,4231,8504,2451,75216,452
2021[15]Properties246620763
Rooms7,0411,3541,9895,5141,75217,650
2022[16]Properties258720767
Rooms7,2951,7342,3175,5141,75218,612

References

  1. ↑ "Starwood Hotels says it's exploring strategic alternatives". Fortune. Reuters. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  2. ↑ Trejos, Nancy (March 1, 2018). "W Hotels to drop original flagship hotel in New York City". USA Today. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Trejos, Nancy (November 25, 2019). "Marriott's Mission: Make W Hotels Cool Again". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Higley, Jeff (April 29, 2013). "W Put 'lifestyle' on Map 15 Years Ago". Hotel News Now.
  5. ↑ "W Hotels: The McDonald's of Hipster Exclusivity". Slate. August 1, 2000. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Clausing, Jeri (July 2, 2018). "W, the brand that invented 'lifestyle,' moves to abandon older properties". Travel Weekly.
  7. ↑ "Starwood opens W Hotel in Istanbul". Travel News Asia. May 12, 2008.
  8. ↑ "W Hotel Barcelona – first W in western Europe". Design Scene. October 1, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Marriott buys Starwood, becoming world's largest hotel chain". CNBC. September 23, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  10. ↑ "2016 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 7.
  11. ↑ "2017 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 7.
  12. ↑ "2018 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 6.
  13. ↑ "2019 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 6.
  14. ↑ "2020 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 8.
  15. ↑ "2021 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 6.
  16. ↑ "2022 Annual Report". Marriott International. p. 6.
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