What are the plans for W NYC at Union Square?
We are looking to raise the bar as we get ready to reinvent one of our most iconic locations to welcome the next generation of lux travellers from around the globe, right here in our hometown of New York City, where the W Hotels brand was born. The 270-room W New York – Union Square will be a cutting-edge showcase of what to expect from W in North America, and will become
a benchmark as we update our hotels across the US and Canada. While I can’t share exactly what the hotel will look and feel like just yet, we are aiming to break boundaries when it comes to design and innovation, and reinvent our iconic Whatever/Whenever service.
To what extent will this be a showcase for the future of W Hotels?
The new design direction will evolve W considerably moving forward and this renovation will serve as an opportunity to illustrate what we’ve been implementing overseas for a while: unique, destination-inspired design that gives guests a sense of place. To shape that future direction, we have taken many key learnings from our successful recently-opened properties in the US, such as W Bellevue and W Aspen, which both do an incredible job of showing off the natural, cultural and historical elements of each location, all with a W twist.
W Hotels has been around for more than 20 years - how do you keep it fresh?
W was built for evolution and revolution.
We create exclusive experiences that mirror the passions of our guests, often in ways that have never been done before. In the past two years alone, we’ve launched our own record label
(W Records), a global music festival series (WAKE UP CALL) and wellness-centric weekend getaways (FUEL Weekends). Most recently,
we teamed up with Rent the Runway to launch
a pilot of our destination-inspired fashion program, which allows W guests to rent their wardrobe for their upcoming trip. We also have fantastic new openings coming up this year, including W Philadelphia and W Toronto.
W set the tone for the new wave of “lifestyle hotels” that have saturated the planet in the last decade. How are you reinventing that concept for the 20s?
Lifestyle has long been a buzzword in the hospitality industry and that’s mainly because it is now a concept with significant flexibility. When W first launched in 1998, no other hotel brand was really putting the passions of its guests at the forefront of the hotel experience. It was all about sleep and comfort; the social component was an afterthought. Whereas 20 years ago, lifestyle would have mostly meant creating
a serious nightlife buzz, now guests’ social lives and passions are far more varied. Just like our guests, we don’t have to conform to a single core passion. It’s not just wellness or music;
we have multiple passions that we embrace globally. W Hotels continues to redefine lifestyle with a luxury edge and we‘re still one of only
a few hotel brands to truly infuse our guests’ many varied interests into our DNA.
You described W as a stepping-stone brand for young adults on their way up the Marriott chain, en route to the likes of St. Ritz-Carlton. Has this turned out to be the case?
Some do but most don’t. We have many loyal guests who have been staying at W Hotels for many years and love the experience. And it’s not just millennials either. We tend to think of our guests more in psychographics rather than demographics. The experience between,
let’s say, a stay at The Ritz-Carlton and a W hotel is so vastly different, that it attracts a different type of traveller. Just spend some time in the Living Room of W Aspen and then walk over to the lobby of The St. Regis down the street. You will immediately see and feel the difference. What we do find is that some guests pick different luxury hotels from our portfolio depending on their trip purpose; for example, are they travelling with children, or is it a fun weekend away for two.
What elements of the hotel experience are important now more than 20 years ago?
Twenty years ago, hotels were focused on the basics: a comfortable, convenient place to sleep and a great location. It wasn’t until W came to the scene and broke the mould that hotels started to become social stomping grounds the way they are today. Even 10 years ago, hotels weren’t looking at socialising the way we do now. W Hotels has always been at the forefront and ahead of the curve of this trend. The social component of our hotels continues to be a key pillar of the W experience and it guides everything we do. At the same time, people today want to engage with brands that stand for something. Since its inception, W has welcomed all and inclusivity is a crucial part of our DNA. We don’t just talk that talk. All of our programs are global in nature, which means guests can head to W Shanghai – The Bund or W South Beach and expect access to incredible people, ideas and experiences. It’s an intricate and intentional recipe for meaningful connection which has been setting W apart since the beginning.
Health, wellness and wellbeing are driving the luxury conversation. What is W doing to keep on top of this demand?
Our FUEL program ranges from lighter,
veg-focused meals and innovative FIT gym offerings, all the way to our all-out FUEL Weekends. It’s our role to support the balance our guests look for, and with this in mind, our “Detox. Retox. Repeat.” philosophy speaks to the reality of modern day self-care. From surf lessons at W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal, to the ultimate après ski afternoon at W Aspen, we give our guests the option to turn it up or wind down, whatever makes them feel best. That approach
is a game changer.
