W Hotels

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

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 facilites worldwide.[1]

History

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.[citation needed]

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.[6]

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.[7] Opened in October 2009, W Barcelona hotel was W's first in Western Europe.[8]

In September 2016, Marriott incorporated the W chain into its own portfolio as part of its acquisition of Starwood.[9]

Accommodations

W Hotel in Barcelona
W Hotel in Sydney

From 2016

North
America		  Europe  Middle E.
& Africa		 0Asia &0
Pacific		 Caribbean
Latin Am.		 Total
2016[10] Properties 26 7 2 11 5 51
Rooms 8,238 1,332 798 2,901 876 14,145
2017[11] Properties 27 7 2 12 5 53
Rooms 8,459 1,324 798 3,328 876 14,785
2018[12] Properties 25 6 3 15 6 55
Rooms 7,474 1,253 1,221 4,021 1,074 15,043
2019[13] Properties 26 7 5 14 6 58
Rooms 7,672 1,423 1,850 3,788 1,074 15,807
2020[14] Properties 24 7 5 16 7 59
Rooms 7,182 1,423 1,850 4,245 1,752 16,452
2021[15] Properties 24 6 6 20 7 63
Rooms 7,041 1,354 1,989 5,514 1,752 17,650
2022[16] Properties 25 8 7 20 7 67
Rooms 7,295 1,734 2,317 5,514 1,752 18,612

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. ^ 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. ^ 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.

External links

Media related to W Hotels at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website
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