No more ‘W’ for W New York
Once-revolutionary hotel is leaving portfolio.
The W New York that started the luxury hotel chain 20 years ago will no longer be branded a W Hotel.
The Lexington Avenue hotel will leave the W portfolio on April 11.
HOST Hotels, which had owned the property, sold it to Capstone Development. That company has contracted Highgate Hotels to manage the hotel. It is unclear whether the hotel will remain in the Marriott International family.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts opened the W New York in 1998. At the time, it was considered a revolutionary concept with its living room-like lobby, high-end food and beverage concepts, designer minibar items and appeal to younger travelers.
It had a more playful image than other luxury hotels of similar price points, even in the language it used. Presidential suites became Extreme Wow suites. Pools were WET decks. Gyms were called FIT.
W Hotels tried to become cultural hubs rather than just places for sleep. Many hotel brands have since followed that lead.
Marriott International purchased Starwood last year and is looking to expand the W brand while upgrading older properties.
Ten major renovations are in progress in the USA in cities such as Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Recent renovations have already taken place at properties in Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle. The changes include top-to-bottom makeovers and new food and beverage concepts.
Meanwhile, W New York, a conversion of the old Doral Inn hotel, lost some of its luster and its status as the flagship of the brand about a decade ago. That’s also the last time its rooms were renovated.
By then, W Hotels had changed its strategy and began developing more new-build hotels in North America and internationally. In particular, the company was interested in growing overseas, though in recent years it has turned its attention back to North America.
W New York may have started it all, but the newer, flashier properties took over as flagships: the W Shanghai-The Bund and the W Barcelona.
And now, it’s time to part ways. “The W flag coming down from W New York — the hotel that started it all and created an industry phenomenon — comes after two fabulous decades,” says Anthony Ingham, global brand leader at W Hotels. “This departure is a strategic decision.”
William Frye, professor of hospitality and tourism management at Niagra University, says the new owners probably didn’t want to invest the money into meeting the standards of newer W Hotels.
“Back in 1998, there was nothing to compare it to — it was unique and trendy. Twenty years later, it is no longer unique or trendy,” he says. “What would be needed is a renovation to match the other W hotels in their portfolio.”
The brand has 53 hotels and expects to reach 75 by 2020. This year, there will be eight openings in the North America and abroad.
Upcoming openings are expected in Panama, W Hotels’ first hotel in Central America.