DESIGN
A king guestroom at the upcoming W Budapest , which began construction in 2017 .
W Lounge at W Budapest .
Rooftop pool high atop W Milan-Duomo . landscape murals , a 42-flight concrete amphitheater named “ The Spanish Steps ” plays host to live music in a city known for entertainment . And at the soon-to-open W Budapest , beads of light adorn the spine of the original basement arches , modernizing the past into a stylish social setting .
Taking the commitment to entertainment even further , a global partnership with French media company Cercle enables W to promote new musicians with live concerts at W hotels and cultural landmarks .
It all adds to the vision of hotels as places to eat , work and socialize ; sleep , too .
“ All our design briefs are based on locality and rooted in the historical , physical and social dynamics of the destination ,” said Tuskes . “ Gen-Z wants authenticity when they travel , and what is more authentic than enjoying a city in a thriving social scene full of locals ?”
Even for a brand known for bold risks , Tuskes said it was a challenge maintaining the original spirit of the brand while moving it in this new , elevated direction . Key stakeholders had to be reassured this evolution would make the brand more relevant — culturally as well as aesthetically — not only today but tomorrow , too .
“ W Hotels has always been driven by reinvention , and the pursuit of what ’ s on the horizon in travel and culture at large ,” said Tina Edmundson , president , luxury at Marriott International . “ While we ’ re retaining several core components reflective of our brand DNA , we ’ re updating our design sensibilities to be more inviting and unexpected . There will always be a playfulness to W — an irreverence — but it ’ s less obvious , and more cleverly woven into the experience .”
Renovations are underway of W Hollywood and W New York-Union Square to fit the bold new aesthetic direction , but the five properties opening this year are the first with it ingrained in their identity . They promise to offer the same “ whatever ,
78 hotelsmag . com June 2023