Starwood Hotels & Resorts Opens First W Branded Property in Mainland China

By Adriana Pop, Associate Editor

Guangzhou, China—Starwood Hotels & Resorts has launched the W Hotels brand in Mainland China with the opening of W Guangzhou.

KWG Property Holdings is the developer and owner of the new hotel, which is located in Guangzhou’s vibrant Pearl River New Town District, an area that features Fortune 500 companies, shopping and entertainment.

Set on the banks of Pearl River, the building offers 317 guest rooms and suites designed by award-winning agency Yabu Pushelberg. All units are equipped with motion sensors, 46-inch LED HDTVs and MP3 player “plug-and-play” devices.

Amenities include a 62-foot tall “Luminous Water Wall” by WETDesign at the entrance, a spa, a fitness center, an indoor heated pool and a 24-hour business center, as well as meeting and event space. Guests also have access to three restaurants—Cantonese, Japanese and International—and two nightlife venues, including the W brand’s signature Woobar and the Fei Ultralounge with dancefloor.

“We are delighted to debut the W brand’s modern, design-led experience in mainland China,” Stephen Ho, president Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., says. “As Guangzhou sets the pace for its continuing transformation from ancient to modern, W Guangzhou will help redefine the emerging cosmopolitan and urban lifestyle.”

The exterior of the building, characterized by black glass, has been designed by renowned architect Rocco Yim. Other projects carrying Yim’s signature include Guangzhou’s Guangdong Museum.

W Guangzhou is the 44th W Hotel globally. W Hotels Worldwide has announced plans to expand its current footprint in Asia from nine hotels to nearly 20 over the next five years. Four more hotels are slated to open in Mainland China, including the W Beijing, W Changsha and W Shanghai The Bund (launching in 2014) and the W Suzhou (launching in 2017).

“W Hotels has a strong pipeline of global growth, specifically in Asia, and mainland China is a highly-anticipated and strategic market for us as we continue to reinvent the luxury hotel landscape with each new W Hotel opening,” Paul James, global brand leader, W Hotels Worldwide, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection, says. “W Guangzhou will set a new scene in the city with its innovative design, buzzing bars and restaurants and Whatever/Whenever service, showcasing what’s new and next for both our jet set guests and trendsetting locals.”