GUANGZHOU, China--Apr. 3, 2013 -- W® Hotels Worldwide today announced the opening of W Guangzhou, the first W Hotel in mainland China. With an iconic architectural building set on the ancient Pearl River, W Guangzhou brings a new interpretation of modern luxury to China, seamlessly blending the city’s storied traditions with the W brand’s dynamic and future-forward designs. The 44th W Hotel globally, W Guangzhou marks a rapid Asian expansion for the W brand, which has plans to more than double its current footprint of nine hotels to nearly 20 over the next five years.

“W Hotels has a strong pipeline of global growth, specifically in Asia, and mainland China is a highly-anticipated and strategic market for us as we continue to reinvent the luxury hotel landscape with each new W Hotel opening,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide, St. Regis, and The Luxury Collection. “W Guangzhou will set a new scene in the city with its innovative design, buzzing bars and restaurants and Whatever/Whenever service, showcasing what’s new and next for both our jet set guests and trendsetting locals.”

W Guangzhou is situated in the city’s bustling Pearl River New Town District, a rapidly evolving center of entertainment, commerce and design, that is home to dozens of Fortune 500 companies and luxury shopping malls, adjacent to some of China’s oldest cultural treasures. The hotel, complete with 317 guest rooms and suites, offers a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience that stylishly reflects Guangzhou’s unique energy and personality as an ancient city in the midst of a modern economic explosion.

“We are delighted to debut the W brand’s modern, design-led experience in mainland China,” said Stephen Ho, President Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “As Guangzhou sets the pace for its continuing transformation from ancient to modern, W Guangzhou will help redefine the emerging cosmopolitan and urban lifestyle.”

Iconic Design High Above the Ancient Pearl River

The design of W Guangzhou uniquely juxtaposes the historic capital city’s modern urban tapestry through its cutting-edge architecture and modern interiors. The exterior, defined by sleek black glass, has been envisioned by renowned architect Rocco Yim, who has developed some of China’s most recognizable and iconic projects, including Guangzhou’s Guangdong Museum. A stunning entrance features a 19-meter tall “Luminous Water Wall” by WETDesign, evocative of Impressionist paintings with a liquid mosaic of light, lines and color.

W Guangzhou’s guestrooms and suites have been designed by award-winning agency, Yabu Pushelberg, as a retreat away from the hustle and bright lights of the city. Ranging from Spectacular to WOW, W Guangzhou offers seven different categories of guestrooms perfectly suited for the global jet-setter. All guest rooms and suites feature the first motion sensor capability in the city, the signature W Bed, Munchie Box stocked with exclusive amenities, 46” LED HD TV, state-of-the-art surround sound system, high-speed Wi-Fi, and MP3 player plug-and-play device. All bathrooms are complete with Bliss® amenities to ensure a relaxing experience after a day of shopping or a night out on the town.

A New Scene Debuts in Guangzhou

W Guangzhou features two dynamic nightlife venues and three signature restaurants, setting a new style scene in the capital city. At night, guests can sip, flirt and mingle at WOOBAR™, where furniture is art, mixologists create molecular cocktails, and DJ’s spin the latest tunes to set the mood. WOOBAR will hold monthly Happenings events, showcasing the latest in design, fashion and music for both guests and locals alike.

Fei Ultralounge, featuring a bold design and pulsating light installation that can be seen from both inside and outside the hotel, is the newest nightlife destination in Guangzhou. Transferring the energy of the vibrant city to the dance floor, the DJ keeps the dance floor moving until the early morning.

Yan Yu, created in collaboration with celebrity Chef Jereme Leung, presents a symphony of Cantonese and other stylish delicacies in this masterfully designed menu. See and be seen at the Chef’s table in the modern dining room, or escape to one of the seven private dining rooms for a more intimate affair.

I by Inagiku, Guangzhou’s first Japanese hotel restaurant, offers a completely unique experience for visitors. Offering indoor or garden dining options, guests can also mix and mingle at the Sake bar or casually dine at the sushi and teppanyaki counter.

The Kitchen Table™ is a home away from home that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a stylishly relaxed, welcoming setting with large oversized tables and an open kitchen. Mingling is encouraged with food stations, pass-around dishes, and communal tables.

Detox, Refuel and Celebrate at W Guangzhou

W Guangzhou offers China’s first AWAY Spa®, the 24/7 retreat for W guests and savvy city locals to detox and refuel for what’s to come. From the contemporary design to the indulgent menu of signature services, AWAY Spa captures the glamorous and playful W experience, infusing Western and Eastern elements to create an exclusive experience. W Guangzhou also offers SWEAT state-of-the-art fitness center, WET® heated indoor pool, WIRED 24-hour business center, and the W brand’s Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, offering guests whatever they want, whenever they want it.

With more than 2,000 square meters of meeting and event space, W Guangzhou is the ideal location for high-energy presentations or spectacular special events. The hotel offers studios that are completely customizable with fully-adaptable conference equipment and state-of-the-art audio visual facilities. Verve, a remarkable private multi-function room, boasts a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that let in beautiful natural daylight and offer easy access to the private lush gardens outdoors.

For more information or to book an introductory package at W Guangzhou, visit www.whotels.com/guangzhou

KWG Property Holdings
The developer and owner of W Guangzhou, KWG Property Holdings is a real estate development and management company focused on premier luxury residences and communities, high-end office buildings, international branded hotels and residences and luxury shopping malls. KWG has developed several luxury Starwood properties in Asia, including Four Points by Sheraton DongpuHotel and Sheraton Huadu Hotel. With headquarters in Guangzhou, KWG Property Holdings has a portfolio of assets worth $2,207.3 million net throughout Asia. Visit us at www.kwgproperty.com

About W Hotels Worldwide
W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the industry innovator with 44 hotels and retreats, including 16 W-branded residences, in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand’s sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous entertainment experiences, stylish retail concepts, signature spas and inspiring residences. With more than 14 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to reach 60 hotels by the end of 2015. W Hotels have been announced for Milan, Shanghai, Beijing, Bogota, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Dubai, Jakarta, Panama, Muscat, Suzhou, Changsha, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Sante Fe, Mexico, while upcoming W Retreats include Verbier, Goa, and Mexico’s Riviera Maya. For more information, visit www.whotels.com or www.facebook.com/whotels. To live the W Hotels lifestyle 24/7/365, visit www.wresidences.com . Follow @WHotels on Twitter and Instagram.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,134 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)