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W Hotels

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W Hotels
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryHospitality
Founded1998
HeadquartersBethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Number of locations
71 (2023)
Area served
Worldwide
ParentMarriott International
Websitew-hotels.marriott.com Edit this at Wikidata

W Hotels is an American hotel chain founded by Starwood Hotels and Resorts but now owned by Marriott International operating around 70 upscale hotels and long-stay apartment facilities worldwide.[1]

History

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W Hotels was launched in 1998 with W New York, a conversion of the former Doral Inn hotel on Lexington Avenue, Manhattan.[2][3] Barry Sternlicht, then CEO of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Hotels 1995–2005, created the brand.[4] The concept included dark, muted colors, brushed metal, hotel staff in black T-shirts, photographs, and a bar.[5] His demand for all-white bedding required manufacturers to develop white fabric that stayed clean without weekly dry cleaning.[4] Many properties are co-located with luxury apartments known as "Residences at the W", such as W Boston and W Austin.[6][7] About 3 in 10 W Hotels have Residences.[8]

The earlier W Hotels in the U.S. were 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.[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.[9]

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.[10] Opened in October 2009, W Barcelona hotel was W's first in Western Europe.[11]

In September 2016, Marriott incorporated the W chain into its own portfolio as part of its acquisition of Starwood.[12]

In 2024, it was announced that the Delano Las Vegas which is located on the campus of Mandalay Bay will become the W Las Vegas. [13]

W Hotel in Union Square, Manhattan
W Hotel in Barcelona
W Hotel in Sydney

References

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  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. ^ a b c Trejos, Nancy (November 25, 2019). "Marriott's Mission: Make W Hotels Cool Again". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c 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. ^ "The W Residences". Elevated Boston. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  7. ^ "The W Residences". Urbanspace. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Jones, Rhys (January 27, 2022). "What is a W Hotel? We look at the history and background". Head for Points. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2024. There are currently around 60 W Hotels worldwide, with many more in the pipeline. [...] There are currently 18 W Hotels with Residences.
  9. ^ Clausing, Jeri (July 2, 2018). "W, the brand that invented 'lifestyle,' moves to abandon older properties". Travel Weekly.
  10. ^ "Starwood opens W Hotel in Istanbul". Travel News Asia. May 12, 2008.
  11. ^ "W Hotel Barcelona – first W in western Europe". Design Scene. October 1, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  12. ^ "Marriott buys Starwood, becoming world's largest hotel chain". CNBC. September 23, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  13. ^ MGM Resorts, Marriott to open W Las Vegas on Strip
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Media related to W Hotels at Wikimedia Commons

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