Twenty-six years after W Hotels ignited the lifestyle hotel movement, the brand is undergoing its most significant evolution yet. The transformation is anchored by the dramatic reopening of W New York – Union Square, which has been reimagined as the brand’s new global flagship following an extensive renovation by original designer David Rockwell.

“New York is the birthplace of the brand, so we intentionally wanted to make this our new global flagship hotel because it helps us tell the story of the origin of the brand,” says George Fleck, who oversees W Hotels, St. Regis Hotels and Resorts and Edition as part of Marriott’s luxury group portfolio. “It’s fitting that W Hotels is focusing on transforming key properties within the U.S. portfolio from coast to coast.”

With 70 hotels globally and more than 45 in the pipeline, the company is rolling out transformations across key North American properties, including W Hollywood, also designed with Rockwell Group, as the brand’s West Coast flagship.

“It’s really about having that duality of New York and Los Angeles,” Fleck says. “The brand was born in the U.S., so for us to return to New York with this moment that truly marks the beginning of the next era for the brand makes sense.”

Fashion at the Forefront
W Hotels’ fashion heritage runs deep, dating back to its 2012 initiative supporting CFDA Incubator designers at W New York – Times Square.

Recent collaborations include global ones with French artist Thomas Lelu. This spring, the newly transformed W Austin unveiled an immersive three-day pop-up with Los Angeles-based fashion brand Cherry Los Angeles, which took over the hotel’s Blue Room bar while making its spring collection exclusively available for purchase in all 32 luxury suites. W Aspen hosted a limited-edition pop-up terrace with Goldbergh’s Le Café de l’Aspen, while the newly opened W Budapest partnered with renowned Hungarian brand Nanushka to create an exclusive collection.

The transformation extends beyond fashion and design. W Hotels has taken what Fleck calls a “360-approach” to its evolution, encompassing product, service, programming, talent, and food and beverage concepts.

Evolved Expectations
As W Hotels approaches its third decade, the brand evolution is both a return to roots as well as a leap forward. Fleck explained millennials have become more discerning about luxury basics while still seeking authentic experiences.

“Post-pandemic, a lot of younger travelers don’t want to sacrifice a good time or a fun night out, but they also don’t want the hotel to feel like it’s a party place,” Fleck notes. “They want the shower pressure to be great, they want their French fries at two in the morning to be delicious and high quality, and they want a great gym the next morning.”

This shift has influenced everything from room amenities – all guest rooms now feature Nespresso machines and Dyson hair dryers – to sustainability initiatives like eliminating single-use plastics in favor of hydration stations throughout properties.

The brand has also elevated its service standards. “We’re upskilling and retraining all of our associates to get the luxury service basics right,” Fleck says. “As part of Marriott’s luxury group, we really want to show our guests that it’s not just a beautiful new hotel, but an elevated experience.”

Design Innovation and Cultural Programming
At Union Square, Rockwell Group has created a sophisticated take on the brand’s traditional bold aesthetic. The design incorporates custom murals that tell New York stories in abstract form, with the hotel’s new tile flooring mimicking the grid of Manhattan streets and subtle nods to the city’s waterways.

The property will debut new food and beverage concepts, including Seahorse, a seafood brasserie by Mercer Street Hospitality on the ground floor, and an intimate rooftop bar designed by AvroKO with views of the city skyline,.

Programming has also evolved to embrace more sophisticated cultural initiatives. Rather than relying on obvious activations like drag brunches, properties now focus on collaborations like queer cinema festivals in Sydney or apprenticeships with local artists for photography exhibitions.

“We’re trying to be more specific and authentic to each market,” Fleck explains. “It’s about bringing in themes and realizing them in non-obvious ways.”

By 2028, 80% of the global portfolio will be fully transformed, including marquee North America properties like W Hoboken and the return of W Las Vegas, alongside upcoming international openings including W Sardinia, W Naples, and W Riyadh.