W New York - Times Square Hotel opens

[hyperfine]

Starwood to Open W New York - Times Square Hotel (http://www.wirednewyork.com/w_new_york.htm) for New Year's Revelers

By Glen Thompson (http://www.globest.com)
Last updated: Nov 27, 2001 09:51AM

NEW YORK CITY- The scaffolding is still up and plywood covers most of the ground floor, but Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. says it will put its long-awaited W New York - Times Square Hotel (http://www.wirednewyork.com/w_new_york.htm) through its paces with a "soft" opening just in time for New Year's Eve. The property's retail shop, bar and restaurant all will be open to guests on the last weekend of the year.
Located in the heart of the Theater District at 47th Street and Broadway, the upscale Starwood property is selling two-night-minimum packages starting Dec. 27 through Dec 30. for $399. New Year's Eve packages go for $499.

"This is the first time the doors will be open to the public," a Starwood representative tells GlobeSt.com. Preview guests at the 52-story hotel will also have the opportunity to shop at the first W retail store, opening in the hotel Dec. 28. Grand opening ceremonies have not yet been set but are expected to occur in late February, according to Starwood officials.

Starwood is bringing its ultra-hip W brand into Manhattan with a 509-room, 43-suite hotel. Designed by Toronto-based Yabu Pushelberg, W Times Square features a glass-encased waterfall in the lobby, guest rooms with high-speed Internet access via infrared keyboards, secure e-mail, VHS and DVD players.

A 6,000-sf bar subterranean bar The Whiskey, will be open evenings. Blue Fin, a seafood restaurant, will seat 350 on two levels and will feature live jazz.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. owns and operates 750 properties in more than 80 countries. In addition to the W brands, the Starwood umbrella includes the St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and Starwood Vacation Ownership Inc.

W New York - Times Square Hotel (http://www.wirednewyork.com/w_new_york.htm) to the right of Morgan Stanley Building.

http://www.wirednewyork.com/images/w_newyork_times_square_06oct2001.jpg


The view on W New York - Times Square Hotel (http://www.wirednewyork.com/w_new_york.htm) from the Navy Piers at sunset. To the left of the hotel is the Morgan Stanley Building and World Wide Plaza.

http://www.wirednewyork.com/images/world_wide_plaza_piers_morgan.jpg

[MikeV]

They could have at least put windows on the side...

[Edward]

{I am going to use username "Edward" for postings instead of "noharmony" from now on}

From GlobeSt.com (http://www.globest.com)

W New York-Times Square to Open Today
By Glen Thompson
Last updated: Dec 26, 2001 *01:38PM

NEW YORK CITY-Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide will open its swank W hotel brand's flagship property in Times Square today. W New York-Times Square is the 16th W property to open in the last three years.
The 57-story hotel's design is a collaborative effort between Toronto-based design firm Yabu Pushelberg and the Starwood Design Group. The sleek, modern building has 509 guestrooms, including 43 suites.

The hotel will also open its retail operation, W The Store, a partnership between Starwood and Platform LLC. Platform partners Stephen Werther, founder of the Portico, and Troy Halterman, proprietor of Troy, will stock a wide-ranging inventory of fashion accessories, beauty products, as well as home furnishing and small electronic items.

Also ready for business is the Whiskey, a below-ground, 7,500-sf bar and screening room. Rande Gerber's Midnight Oil Co. has Whiskey locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, Aspen and Boston. Gerber already has one Whiskey club in New York, Whiskey Park.

Restaurateur Stephen Hanson, who owns several upscale New York eateries through his B.R. Guest company, will operate the hotel's 350-seat seafood restaurant, Blue Fin.

The first W property opened in new York in December 1998. There are now five W hotels in New York City and 16 hotels brand-wide in the US and abroad. W hotels in development include properties in San Diego, Miami, Mexico City and Seoul, Korea.

[CityGod5]

Arquitectonica's Westin E-Walk is a lot more interesting, but it's better than your average glass box. *I hate the blank wall though.


And is it really that skinny, or are my eyes playing tricks on me?

[Edward]

Nothing wrong with your eyes, it is really that skinny.

By the way, the W New York Hotel page (http://www.wirednewyork.com/w_new_york.htm) of Wired New York has the pictures of the inside.

And it baffles me why would anyone deny the hotel visitors the great view on the Hudson River (see the picture below). Perhaps Clinton neighborhood is not chic enough for W Hotel.



The Celebrity Cruises ship leaving New York City Harbor, with Queen Elizabeth 2 docked at Pier 90.

http://www.wirednewyork.com/images/piers_view_celebrity_cruises.jpg

[redbrick]

I love the complexity skinny buildings like that add to the urban environment. The transformation of Times Square is very interesting itself.

[Fabb]

They deprived the residents of the view on the Hudson River. That's right. But I think the other three are better. That's where the action is.

Maybe there are elevators on the side of the blind wall ? If that's correct, they should have built a transparent wall. Seeing a moving elevator and its mechanism is always better than a blind wall.

[maxinmilano]

I guess that Frank Williams W-Hotel in Times Square is not very original and quite dull. It's strange to see the windows in the north side (where there is no or little sun) and not for example in the west side (where the sun come down over the Hudson). But I think that there will be technical reasons for this that I don't know. Anycase, the couple W-Hotel and Marriot (J.Portman) is not a great couple of hotels. One is a little bit too oppressive (an airport architecture for Francis Morrone) the other is simply anonymous. E.-Walk is really better. *

[FRED]

I went inside, it's amazing, so nice and trendy !!!

[londonlawyer]

And the waitresses in the bar are HOT! SMOKIN' HOT!!! :D