The W New York (First Ever W Hotel) Is Leaving The Brand

By: Ben Schlappig

Published: February 27, 2018

33 comments

It’s not uncommon to see hotels change their branding every so often for a variety of reasons. Typically it’s either because a hotel can’t conform to the standards of a brand anymore, or because a particular hotel’s branding isn’t meeting the revenue objectives for the hotel owners (n a vast majority of cases hotels are owned by investors, and the major global hotel brands just have management contracts for the hotels).

This particular situation is a pretty major development for a whole different reason. The first ever W Hotel was the W New York, located on Lexington Avenue, which opened in 1998. That was the hotel that started it all. Now that the hotel has been around for 20 years it’s generally not very well regarded, and it has the lowest guest rating scores of any Starwood hotel in New York City (it scores a 3.2 out of 5, which is quite low).

HotelBusiness reports that as of April 2018, the W New York will be rebranded, and will no longer be a W Hotel. This leaves the W brand in search of a new flagship property (though really this property was only ever “flagship” in the form of being the oldest property).

Here’s what Starwood’s brand leader for W had to say about this decision:

“It is a hotel that we have been super proud of, and it is really the hotel that started everything. It started what W is today with 53 hotels around the world and 40 more in the pipeline under construction. It changed the game in New York at its time, but the brand has evolved and as the brand has become more mature. We have been opening hotels all around the world—and now more recently back in the U.S.—that are increasingly purpose-built hotels with extraordinary architecture and a high level of design and quality, and a complex physical layout of bars, restaurants, nightlife and lifestyle spaces.

Basically, the architectural limitations of a building like that mean that it is practically impossible to renovate it to a level that would match the expectations of the brand that we are building today.”

It’s not yet known how the hotel will be rebranded (whether it still stay in the SPG/Marriott family, or become something else altogether). The hotel is known for having some of New York City’s smallest rooms, as their “Cozy Rooms” are just 150-170 square feet.

There are three other W Hotels in New York City, including the W Times Square, W Union Square, and W Downtown. Starwood is apparently now searching for a new flagship W Hotel in New York City, which they’re hoping to build from scratch so that it can meet their standards (which personally I don’t think are very high, as the W Times Square isn’t much to get excited about).

I’ve stayed at the two other Ws in New York City, though haven’t done this particular hotel, as I haven’t heard good things about it.

Have you stayed at the W New York on Lexington? What was your experience like?

(Tip of the hat to @HH_Cash)

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Travel1234 Guest

February 20, 2024, 5:40 am

Old story but came across this post. I unfortunately stayed there a number of years ago, and have avoided W Hotel since as best I cold . Terrible hotel. Terrilbe service. Complete rip off. Happy its closed. I did after that stay at a W in Chicago, and that was pretty bad as well. That is the only Marriott brand I will never use. Lound music and overpriced drinks do not make up for a really bad hotel.

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Curt Guest

March 2, 2023, 9:14 am

This was "the" spot in NYC in the late '90s. The second you walked onto the property, you knew it was a different kind of hotel. The music was louder, the people beautiful, and it had an energy that was constantly buzzing. The lobby bar was great and the Whiskey Bar in the Hotel was fantastic. I brought Wall Street clients there many times for drinks. You would likely see famous people and or athletes there. The rooms were nothing impressive, however, you don't go to New York City to stay in your room. This was a groundbreaking, trend-setting Hotel. It kicked off the boutique hotel revolution. The Hudson was not far after in upper midtown near the park. What a fantastic place that captured time and New York City in the late 90's. It had its moment in the sun. I remember the W on Lex so fondly.

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Jeffrey Guest

March 14, 2018, 3:24 pm

I stayed there when it first opened i 1998, and, at the time, it was a nice, trendy, not just-business-oriented option in NYC. The rooms were small, but the bar was lively. Fortunately, hotels have come a long way since then. I'm sure it needs a lot these days. I wouldn't stay there now.

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Anastasia Member

February 28, 2018, 3:35 pm

I stayed there in January and was unimpressed. It wasn't outright *bad*, but for the price they were asking I could have gotten something much more impressive. Everyone in the miles and points world always raves about Starwood and this hotel made me go "uh, why?" The hotel is clearly feeling its age: the tiles and plaster in the bathroom were old and chipping and yellowing, so that the hip look they were going for just looked, well, cheap. My room didn't have an ironing board and I had to call down for it - it took at least 20 minutes, and I was almost late. There's no coffee maker in the room unless you call down to request one, which, again, takes about 20 minutes. The sliding door to the bathroom came off the rails. The lobby was bleak and uninviting. None of those are as awful as some hotel experiences I've had but at that price point? Do better.

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Dodson Guest

February 28, 2018, 2:30 pm

I've stayed at the W New York several times over the years. Although I've sometimes read the horror stories, personally I always enjoyed my stays in every way. I've stayed in all the W properties in New York mentioned. My own personal rank (top to bottom): 1 - Union Square, 2 - Downtown, 3 - New York, 4 - Times Square (not a fan).

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