News for the Hospitality Executive |
New York – February 9, 2011 – W Hotels
Worldwide will continue to showcase what’s new and next in design with
the opening of six new W Hotels around the world in 2011. Design
has been at the forefront of W Hotels since the opening of the David
Rockwell-designed W New York – the first ever W Hotel – more than 12
years ago and has evolved with more recent hotel openings by designers
such as Patricia Urquiola (W Vieques), United Design (W Doha), and
Ricardo Bofill (W Barcelona), among others. As a way to further
fuel innovation in design, W Hotels has also forged unique design
partnerships such as its “W Hotels Designers of the Future” award with
Design Miami/Basel.
“Design has always been an integral part of the W brand,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader of W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien. “As W continues to transform into a global powerhouse, we have evolved our design approach to include contextual insights that lead to locally relevant designs bound together by W’s DNA.”
On track to reach more than 50 hotels by the end of
2012, W Hotels will, this year, open:
Inspired by these unique design personalities of W Hotels around the world, W has recently launched the Global Glam collection of exclusive designer fashion and accessories. An intrinsic expression of design, W Hotels is using Fashion to communicate its global growth. This week, during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, W will launch the fourth season of the Global Glam collection, reflecting the designs of W Taipei (opening February 14, 2011), W Austin (opened December 2010) and W Mexico City (undergoing renovation).
In 2010, W Hotels had an exciting presence at key
international design weeks, kicking the year off by announcing a
partnership with Design Miami/Basel, the most prominent and substantive
forum for international design. The new alliance began at Salone del
Mobile in Milan in April, when Design Miami/ Basel announced the “W
Hotels Designers of the Future Award” recipients. The four
winners of the first ever W-sponsored prize – Beta Tank, Graham Hudson, rAndom
International and Zigelbaum + Coelho – debuted exclusive
concepts for W Hotels at Art Basel Switzerland in June and then
presented these works at various W Hotels across Europe throughout the
year. The designers’ projects are also being integrated into soon
to open W Hotels around the world. In September 2010, W was an
official sponsor of Istanbul Design Week, hosting a Young Designer
Competition and also displaying the innovative “W Hotels Designers of
the Future” works within W Istanbul. Closing out 2010, W Hong
Kong hosted a variety of special events, dinners and presentations
during Hong Kong’s annual Business of Design Week in December. About W Hotels Worldwide W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle
brand and the industry innovator with 38 hotels and retreats 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 and signature spas.
With more than 12 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to
reach more than 50 hotels by the end of 2012. W Hotels and W Retreats
have been announced for London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Guangzhou,
Shanghai, Taipei, Bali, Bangkok, Athens – Astir Palace, and Verbier,
among other international destinations. For more information,
visit www.whotels.com. |