W Hotels Worldwide will upgrade 11 of its properties across North America over the next 18 months. Renovations, which vary by hotel, will include new F&B concepts, revamped guestrooms, and refreshed public spaces.
Starwood and its ownership groups will invest more than $100 million in renovating the following hotels:
- W New York – Union Square. Wilson Associates and d-ash recently completed the redesign of all 270 guestrooms and corridors, along with Olives, the hotel’s Todd English restaurant and nightlife venue Lilium (formerly Underbar). The hotel’s Living Room is set to be updated by Krause + Sawyer early next year.
- W Seattle. Inspired by the feeling of a wharf, intermixed with a central “point of impact” that radiates outward, W Seattle recently unveiled a completely redesigned Living Room and bar area. Skylab Architecture designed the debut of the W brand’s signature restaurant concept, Trace, while Therese Virserius Design will renovate all of its meeting rooms later this year.
- W San Francisco. Earlier this year, the hotel unveiled an expanded Living Room and destination bar, as well as the launch of Trace. Executed by Stanley Saitowitz/Natoma Architects Inc., the new design drew inspiration from the fog and city grid of San Francisco.
- W New York. The property’s meeting rooms and Great Room received a facelift by d-ash earlier this year. These updates are to be followed by the unveiling of a Krause + Sawyer-designed Living Room bar in 2013.
- W Chicago – Lakeshore. Envisioned by Josh Held Design, the renovations are a nod to the ingenuity of Chicago and the tension between city and nature. Each of the 520 guestrooms will be refreshed to include faceted patterns, a bridge of light, and energetic colors. The hotel’s public spaces, including the Living Room, Wave restaurant, Whiskey Sky (rooftop bar), the Welcome Desk, and meeting venue Altitude (with 360 degree views of the city), will also be transformed to recall the strength, invention, and industrialism of Chicago, for a final reveal in 2013.
- W New Orleans – French Quarter. The hotel is currently undergoing renovations of all guestrooms courtesy of nemaworkshop, who incorporated both jazz and tarot motifs in the design. Renovations on the first floor were revealed this past month, with the project due to be complete by mid-summer. Led by Ti Martin of the Commander’s Palace Family of Restaurants, SoBou is the hotel’s new destination restaurant.
- W San Diego. W San Diego has re-energized its Rooftop Bar with a bright, bold bonfire theme-including a playful sculpture of stacked beach chairs-as envisioned by Mr. Important Design. In the Living Room, vibrant colors heat up the lounge atmosphere. Other changes include expanded and renovated meeting rooms and a new restaurant called kelvin.
- W Los Angeles – Westwood. Mr. Important Design will expand and redefine the hotel’s Living Room, bar, and public spaces. The renovations will result in a more cohesive union of the Living Room and bar, engaging secret spaces, additional high-tech meeting room options, and a dramatic entrance moment with a signature chandelier inspired by city of LA. The hotel’s signature restaurant and popular Backyard will also be reimagined in 2013.
- W Dallas. With the design narrative of “Big/Bold,” Mars Culture is revamping the guestrooms with traditional Texas accents that marry the juxtaposition of masculine and the belle. Accents include lasso sculptures, rhinestone hardware, armadillo skin embellishments, and more.
- W New York – Times Square. The hotel will revamp the WOW and EWOW suites.
- W Montreal. Later this year, the hotel will begin renovating all of its guestrooms with a colorful new palette that also pays tribute to the historical architecture of Montreal.
