Marriott unveils new look at marquee W New York Union Square

The reports about the death of the cool factor at W Hotels has been greatly exaggerated, per leadership at Marriott International.

W Hotels, once the face of the cooler-than-cool lifestyle hotel movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s, saw its star power dim over the last 15 or so years. Suddenly, it wasn’t the only lifestyle hotel brand out there amid the rise of brands like The Standard and offerings from brands under Accor’s Ennismore imprint like The Hoxton. It even faced sibling rivalry within Marriott, as brands like the Ian Schrager-partnered Edition brand swelled in popularity.

Marriott leaders in recent years acknowledged the brand had lost some of its luster. They worked to change that by de-flagging several hotels — including the original in New York City on Lexington Avenue — and noting the W New York Union Square would undergo a renovation to become a flagship of the brand’s new direction.

Several hotels under W’s new direction have opened, such as W Sydney, W Rome, W Budapest and W Macau. TPG had a great experience at the new W Nashville, too.

But Marriott on Thursday finally unveiled how the W in Union Square will look once its multimillion-dollar facelift, done by architecture firm Rockwell Group, which also did W Nashville, is completed in November. Let's just say all that critique about how the interiors of W hotels were too dark will subside if this look becomes the new brand standard.

“The reimagining of this iconic hotel is not just a hotel renovation. It actually marks the significant milestone and global proof point for the W brand and its critical evolution strategy,” George Fleck, vice president and global brand leader at W Hotels, said. “It also plays a significant milestone in the entire portfolio for us and also the positioning of W as a brand within the broader luxury brand portfolio at Marriott International.”

What’s new with the food and bar scene

Renderings of guest rooms, suites and public spaces at W New York Union Square indicate a major upgrade is mere weeks away at the hotel. The hotel was feeling dated with its blue, orange and white color blocking in guest rooms and its darker bars and restaurants. The new look is all about nuance, colors and textures.

John McDonald’s Mercer Street Hospitality is behind the soon-to-launch Seahorse Restaurant — the hotel's “destination seafood restaurant” that will feature a raw bar and seasonal menu items.

The space includes rich wooden paneling, intimate lighting and an expansive central bar area. The Living Room — better known as a lobby lounge to hotels that aren’t W — gets an upgrade at the Union Square hotel by leaning into its high ceilings and art deco accents.

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Fleck noted internal research showed younger travelers are more about inclusivity than displays of flashy wealth. That might explain the decision to have the Living Room be more of a transition space throughout the day (coffee or tea in the mornings and cocktails later at night) rather than the impervious lounge space once synonymous with W hotels earlier in the brand’s lifespan.

The W New York Union Square’s lobby is also getting a refresh with a sweeping staircase to take guests from the welcome area to the Living Room on the second floor. A rooftop bar will debut next spring.

What’s new with the guest rooms

The lifestyle hotel movement is about generating as much buzz downstairs in the bars and restaurants as upstairs in the guest rooms.

However, travelers checking into the W New York Union Square later this year are in for a treat: The revamped guest rooms and suites are a major upgrade from the former look of W properties.

The refreshed suites have a lighter, spring-influenced color palette of floral rugs, cream walls, blonde wooden floors and floor-to-ceiling green velvet headboards. A central minibar in the living area is meant to separate the “work” portion of the space from the “play.” Suite bathrooms include sit-down vanities.

Over in the guest rooms, travelers can expect an update in the texture department with floor-to-ceiling orange velvet headboards, floral carpeting and an overall design aesthetic meant to be more of a nod to autumn.

The wall sconces are meant to be a nod to subway station lighting, and the chess tables pay homage to the games played in Union Square outside.

Elevated bedding, bathrooms and the overall aesthetic give more of a high-end vibe than what travelers might have come to expect from W Hotels in recent years.

How long for the rest?

The W New York Union Square renovation is a massive upgrade both for the hotel and the broader W brand. Southern California's W Hollywood is also getting its own upgrade that's expected to be completed later this year. But there are more W hotels in need of a refresh beyond these two bookends in the U.S. portfolio.

How long will travelers have to wait for more of these upgraded properties to roll out?

“Every project, especially a renovation, is unique,” Fleck said. “I don't know if there's a specific timeline that is the same for every one of them.”

Be patient, W fans. Good things will come to those who wait (for however long that may be).

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