Hotels on the Horizon - The W Edition

Despite the economic slowdown, W Hotels remains a star on the rise...

With more than 940 properties operating worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts set a slew of new projects in motion long before the economic meltdown and credit crunch. Still at full speed ahead, W Hotels, one of Starwood's fastest growing brands, plans to triple its locations worldwide to 60 by 2011. Each W has a distinct look, feel, and set of features tied to its location. But all share a commitment to two things: W's signature Whatever/Whenever service and cutting-edge innovation in everything from design to dining, nightlife, technology, and meeting support.

W Hotels calls its appeal the Wow factor. And that "wow" can't help but motivate participants eager to experience the latest and greatest on the international hotel scene. At the same time, that "wow" virtually guarantees successful outcomes for groups seeking creative solutions.

W's Sensory Set-Up, for instance, stimulates the senses to keep attendees on point with citrus-infused water, aromatherapy, unusual notepads and pencils, music, and inspirational or whimsical message quotes with creative room signage. Breaks—called Recess at a W—might involve yoga, brain-teasers, or Wish Workshops where participants can follow their passion in learning how to cook like a star chef, knit, DJ, or whatever their hearts desire.

The Ws deserve to be on every meeting planner's radar. Here are nine favorites from this year's crop:

	Atlanta, Georgia
	W Atlanta Buckhead OPENED January 22, 2009 ROOMS 291 MEETING SPACE 8,000+ square feet THE BUZZ A decor that reimagines country club chic in Buckhead, one of the nation's ten most affluent communities, created by Thom Filicia, the interior style guru on TV's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. The locale adjacent to Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza, two of the region's toniest retail therapy centers, in easy striking distance of Fortune 500 headquarters and world-class universities. THE PERKS A glamorous outdoor infinity-edge pool surrounded by private cabanas. The restaurant Market, where celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten puts a modern twist on traditional favorites. Whiskey Blue, an über-cool rooftop bar and lounge from nightlife impresario Rande Gerber.
	W Atlanta–Downtown Hotel & Residences OPENED April 9, 2009 ROOMS 237 MEETING SPACE 8,900+ square feet THE BUZZ All the W-branded amenities combined with the stylish urban living, shopping, working, dining, and entertainment at Allen Plaza, a $1.95-billion mixed-use development at the core of downtown Atlanta. THE PERKS Drinkshop, a haute cocktail bar where the bottles arrive at guests' tables frozen in ice and accompanied with freshly made mixers; the city's first rooftop heliport; and an open-air infinity-edge pool on the sixteenth floor.
	Fort Lauderdale, Florida
	W Fort Lauderdale OPENED June 4, 2009 ROOMS 517 MEETING SPACE 18,000 square feet THE BUZZ A wave away from Millionaire's Row, dual 23-story towers with Florida Gold Coast sand and surf in one direction, the Intracoastal Waterway in the other. The glass-enclosed stairway leading from the Living Room lobby through the oceanfront pool to the pool deck. Interiors by famed spa designer Clodagh, who mixed elements of earth and stone with the sounds of water, the glow of fire, the natural feel of wood, and the edge of metal. THE PERKS A decadent brownie bar and rhythm-and-blues soundtrack at the Bliss Spa. Steak 954, a boutique steak house by trendsetter Stephen Starr, who emphasizes dry-aged meats, artisanal ingredients, and organic produce.
	Miami Beach, Florida
	W South Beach and The Residences at W South Beach OPENED July 14, 2009 ROOMS 408 MEETING SPACE 10,000+ square feet THE BUZZ W's first hotel with all condos—some with Japanese soaking tubs—joined by Miami's first Bliss Spa and Mr. Chow restaurant. The Grove, a leafy garden surprise designed by conceptual landscape artist Paula Hayes, transporting guests from the sands of South Beach to Provençe, circa 1890. THE PERKS The spa's irresistible brownie buffet and backdrop of rhythm and blues; Sub-Zero and Wolf–appointed kitchenettes; and two plasma-screen TVs per room plus CD, DVD, and MP-3 players.
	Washington, D.C.
	W Washington, D.C. OPENED July 30, 2009 ROOMS 317 MEETING SPACE 12,000+ square feet THE BUZZ Pennsylvania Avenue's legendary Hotel Washington transformed into a W, with the Washington Monument on one side and the White House on the other. Designer Diana Wong's inspired design theme: "pinstripes and lace…a play between history and fashion, classic and sleek, monument and sublime." THE PERKS Watching the sun set over the South Lawn of the White House from POV, Sasha Petraske's rooftop bar and terrace, and imaging what former guests and visitors like John Wayne, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton would say about the W's chic new personality.
	Boston, Massachusetts
	W Boston Hotel & Residences OPENING October 22, 2009 ROOMS 234 MEETING SPACE 7,500 square feet THE BUZZ W's signature style, wit, and whimsy at the epicenter of Boston's historic theater district, complete with inspirational views of the Public Garden, Boston Common, Back Bay, Charles River, and downtown skyline. Architecture by Boston's William Rawn Associates, named the top architectural firm in the country by Architects magazine this year. Light-filled interiors inspired by the nearby public gardens—New England warmth meets cosmopolitan cool. THE PERKS A state-of-the-art fitness center, pool, and spa as well as a cutting-edge restaurant, bar, and dramatic lobby lounge with four raised seating areas for groups of up to eight under ultramodern pergolas.
	Vieques, Puerto Rico
	W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island OPENING November 19, 2009 ROOMS 157 MEETING SPACE 3,548 square feet THE BUZZ The Caribbean's first W—an $18-million transformation of Westin's Martineau Bay Resort & Spa on the Puerto Rican isle of Vieques. None other than France's Michelin three-star superstar chef Alain Ducasse at the helm of Mix on the Beach, promising "colorful Latino-Caribbean flavors with an artful French twist." THE PERKS Two secluded beaches viewing Culebra and Puerto Rico's main island eight miles across the water. Spa Chakra presiding with more than 60 holistic wellness and beauty treatments in its own 6,000-square-foot seaside pavilion. A bioluminescent bay nearby for magical swims after dark.
	New York, New York
	W New York—Downtown OPENING December 1, 2009 ROOMS 217 MEETING SPACE 1,933 square feet THE BUZZ Putting the W in Wall Street—57 floors of upscale urban luxury in downtown New York—within view of the New York Stock Exchange, upcoming Freedom Tower, and Statue of Liberty. THE PERKS The Living Room lobby with terrace lounge and a fourth-floor conference center—four meeting rooms packed with state-of-the-art technology. BLT Grill, the latest version of up-to-the-minute dining from celebrity chef Laurent Tourondel.
	Hollywood, California
	W Hollywood Hotel & Residences OPENING December 3, 2009 ROOMS 305 MEETING SPACE 15,000+ square feet THE BUZZ The hotel's $350-million price tag, LEED-minded design, and almost mythic location at the corner of Hollywood and Vine—pulse point of Tinseltown for decades and a stone's throw from the Capital Records Building, Paramount Pictures, and CBS and ABC production facilities. THE PERKS Drai's Hollywood, a nightclub aiming to redefine the Hollywood scene with a ground floor ultralounge (complete with monumental movie screen) and rooftop nightclub and pool bar. The French brasserie-concept Delphine for people watching on Hollywood Boulevard. For those in a hurry: a rooftop helipad and proximity to the Metro Red Line, which carries commuters to downtown Los Angeles in less than 12 minutes.
	For more information on W Hotels, call 888.201.4482. Or visit www.whotels.com.