Straight ahead, a curved staircase sweeps upward, wrapped in carpeting that appears to ripple down the steps in swirls of orange, cream and rust. Florals cascade from above, while glass-block walls glow with backlighting behind the welcome desks.
It’s a maximalist and multilayered aesthetic, and a far cry from what the hotel looked like when it opened in 2000. The 256-room hotel’s transformation is the result of a $100 million, four-year renovation following Marriott International’s purchase of the property in 2019.
It’s also reflective of the lifestyle brand’s efforts to re-establish its relevance as part of an ongoing, multiyear brand refresh.
“A lot of W hotels are changing their look, and they’re being redesigned to match the new ethos of the brand, said Sohrab Parakh, director of marketing at the Union Square W, during a tour of the property.
Originally developed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the W brand emerged as a lifestyle hospitality pioneer with its first hotel, the W New York in Manhattan’s Midtown East neighborhood, in 1998. The concept became known for its modern design elements and lively bar scene as well as playful touches like room categories labeled Cozy, Wonderful or Fabulous and culminating in an Extreme WOW Suite.
The brand joined Marriott’s portfolio in 2016 via Marriott’s Starwood acquisition, and today, W has more than 70 properties globally. With the original W New York reflagged in 2018, the Union Square hotel is now the oldest W in its system.
According to George Fleck, senior vice president and global brand leader for W Hotels, the Union Square hotel has been deemed a global flagship, serving as a “blueprint that inspires and informs what W Hotels looks like moving forward.” Fleck said the brand expects more than 80% of its portfolio to meet W Hotels’ refreshed standards by 2028.
