W Hotels Goes To Washington | Opens In 2009 in What Is Currently The Historic Hotel Washington
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. | In its continued demand to select only world class destinations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces plans to open its first W Hotel in Washington, D.C. Scheduled to debut in 2009, W Washington D.C. will open in what is currently the historic Hotel Washington, an Italian Renaissance revival building occupying the corner of the city's world-famous Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street.
"In our relentless pursuit of the unexpected and the extraordinary, W goes to Washington with W Washington D.C., offering an enticing blend of warmth, wit and whimsy in one of the world's most delightful destinations," said Ross Klein, President of Starwood's Luxury Brands Group. "From D.C. to Doha, Bangkok to Barcelona, W is going global as the influential and innovative lifestyle authority."
W Washington D.C. will feature rooftop bar and terrace with unprecedented views of Washington D.C. and the White House, and a world-class signature restaurant and spa. Guests can indulge in W's exclusive Whatever/Whenever service, the hotel's 24-hour concierge that provides whatever guests want - from a pair or running shoes to a private jet service - whenever they want it.
"We are delighted to sign W as operator for this hotel. We strongly believe in the W story and are confident we can create an asset for the whole DC community to embrace and enjoy," said Joe Sita, Chief Executive of Isithmar Hotels. "The Hotel Washington has played an important part in the history of the city and we wish to expand on the hotel's history and to acknowledge its role in the community. This now brings our W portfolio to four following the Bangkok and Koh Samui deals that were recently announced and the existing W Union Square in New York."
Originally built as a retail store and apartment building in 1888, the 11-story property was transformed into a hotel in 1917 by the same architects who designed the Senate and the House on Capitol Hill. Within walking distance of major landmarks including Capitol Hill and the Washington Monument, the hotel is also close to renowned museums such as the Smithsonian and the National Gallery as well as major corporate offices and government buildings. A perfect setting for enjoying a cocktail with friends or colleagues, the hotel is also an ideal venue for meetings and functions, offering more than 13,000 square feet of flexible meeting space including an 11th floor rooftop meeting level with direct views of the White House and the Washington Monument.
W Hotels recently announced new hotels in Bangkok, Macao, Milan and Verbier, as the leading luxury brand rapidly expands footprint in the world's most intriguing destinations.
W Hotels is a global lifestyle brand with 21 properties in the most vibrant cities around the world. Inspiring and indulging its guests with thoughtful, refreshing and stylish experiences, signature restaurants, bars and destination spas, W has become the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world. Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design, comfort, and cultural influences from fashion to music to art and everything in between. W's first residential property, W Dallas-Victory, opened in June of 2006, and soon thereafter was named a Forbes Magazine "Top Business Hotel." W Residences, offering the W lifestyle at home, have been announced for Scottsdale (2008), Midtown Atlanta (2008), Fort Lauderdale (2008), Buckhead (2008), Hoboken (2008), San Juan (2008), Downtown Atlanta (2009), Downtown New York (2009), South Beach (2009), Hollywood (2009), Philadelphia (2009), and Austin (2010). Internationally, W has announced plans for hotels in Istanbul (2008), Doha (2008), Hong Kong (2008), St. Petersburg (2008), Santiago (2008), Athens (2009), Milan (2009), Dubai-Festival City (2009), Shanghai (2009), Barcelona (2009), Macao-Studio City (2010), Guangzhou (2010), Dubai-The Palm (2010), and Bangkok (2011). W's first Retreat & Spa, W Maldives, opened in September of 2006 and in March of 2007, received the prestigious Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best Resort. W has plans to open Retreat & Spa hotels in Vieques (2008), Koh Samui (2008), and Verbier (2010), the latter of which will serve as W's first ski retreat. For more information, visit
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 890 properties in more than 100 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Meridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, Aloft(SM), and Element(SM). Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit
Istithmar Real Estate, a division of Istithmar PJSC, the investment arm of Dubai World, manages investments in commercial property, retail, the leisure sector and hotels.
It also has a unit focused specifically upon developing real estate investment opportunities in the hotels sector.
With more than USD 10 billion of assets under management, Istithmar Real Estate's strategy is to earn exceptional returns through the acquisition and active management of substantial investments in key locations around the world.
Istithmar Real Estate is run by group chief executive Alan Rogers and managing director Richard Johnson.
Dubai World is the holding company which manages and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai Government, working towards making Dubai the leading hub for trade and commerce. Dubai World has more than 50,000 employees in more than 100 cities around the world and its companies include DP World, P&O, Nakheel, Inchcape Shipping Services, Tejari and Tamweel.