The island of Vieques, located eight miles off the coast Puerto Rico, is a 55 square mile island with pristine white sand beaches and aquamarine views of the Caribbean Sea. The island, which until now has managed to fly below the radar of the more fashionable crowds, is slowly becoming a destination for the same kind of global trendsetters that discovered St. Bart's twenty years ago.

"The W Vieques will serve as a sanctuary to those who want to surround themselves with an aesthetic sense that is both modern and comfortable, while at the same time, part of the incredible natural setting," said Ross Klein, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for W Hotels. "The hotel will pay homage to the peaceful and welcoming nature of the island with a style and service that reflects it."

The plantation-style resort will feature 20 luxurious private villas along the hillside of the property with access to W's 24 hour concierge service, in- room dining and other signature amenities. There will also be an extensive fitness facility, two tennis courts and an entertainment salon with billiards, backgammon and other games on property.

Taking full advantage of the island's extraordinary outdoor surroundings, the W Vieques will offer its guests an adventurous assortment of activities including island excursions by land and boat, kayaking, scuba diving and eco tours through the Bioluminescent Bay, Vieques' most prized natural wonder. The hotel will also have a unique wellness element with a focus on healthy dining, exercise and spa therapy.

"The presence of the W Vieques - Martineau Bay will further establish Vieques as the crowned jewel of the Caribbean," said Jaime Lopez, project manager for Reig Capital Puerto Rico, Inc. "As the single luxury resort on the island with amenities found only in world's leading hotels, the W will play a key role in the island's renaissance."

The developers have chosen Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, named by House Beautiful as one of America's Most Brilliant Decorators for seven consecutive years, to design the W Vieques - Martineau Bay. Noriega-Ortiz's works include residences for media mogul Michael Fuchs and recording artist Lenny Kravitz and the redesign of the Cartier store on Fifth Avenue in New York.

About W Hotels
W Hotels is a global lifestyle brand with 20 properties in vibrant cities around the world. Inspiring and indulging its guests with thoughtful, refreshing and stylish experiences, signature restaurants, bars and destination spas, W has become the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world. Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design, comfort and cultural influences from fashion to music to art and everything in between. Recent openings include W's first property in Asia, W Seoul - Walkerhill, which opened in August of 2004 and its first property in Canada, W Montreal, in October of 2004. Residence properties, offering the W lifestyle at home, have been announced for Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Scottsdale and Hoboken. In addition, there are more than a dozen W Hotels in the development pipeline in city and resort destinations.