Starwood signs W Hotel in Paris

Starwood has signed its latest hotel in the beautiful city of Paris, France. When it opens in 2011, the W Paris-Opéra will mark the debut of the W Hotels brand in France.

Located in the bustling Opéra area of Paris, amid lively cafés, contemporary designer boutiques, and buzzing restaurants and nightlife destinations, W Paris-Opéra will occupy an elegant 1870s Haussmann era building, close to the Galleries Lafayette and Place Vendome in an area where Paris earned its praise as the “City of Lights”.

Owned by Meridia Capital, a Barcelona-based private equity global real estate fund, W Paris-Opéra will feature 90 stylish guest rooms, a world-class contemporary restaurant and destination bar, a state-of-the-art fitness facility with spa treatment rooms, and W Hotels’ signature lounge experience where guests are encouraged to mix, mingle and relax in a chic social atmosphere.

W Paris-Opéra will be the W brand’s eighth property in Europe, following the opening of W Istanbul in 2008, and the upcoming openings of W Hotels in Barcelona, St. Petersburg, Athens, Manchester, Milan and London. With 10 years of proven success, W Hotels will triple its footprint by 2011 in vibrant primary destinations throughout Europe and the world from Paris to Marrakech, Dubai to Doha, Hollywood to South Beach, and Shanghai to Bali.

“We are thrilled to expand the W brand into Paris, a major milestone in transforming W Hotels into a global powerhouse, debuting in the world’s most exciting and vibrant destinations,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien. “W Paris-Opéra will offer insider access, extravaganza and cool contemporary design in the heart of Paris, bringing contemporary luxury and a completely new and distinctive product to the Parisian hotel market.”

“Paris has been on the hit list for W Hotels for many years and I am delighted we now have a site which is so central and a building which is so quintessentially Parisian,” said Roeland Vos, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe Africa and Middle East. “With Paris joining the roster of European openings for W over the next two years, our global W guests now have access to some of the most sought after destinations.”

In addition to the many exclusive indulgences at W Paris-Opéra, the hotel will offer a full-service WIRED business center open 24-hours, fully wired, ultra-modern meeting and event space, and the brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever concierge service, providing guests whatever they want - from a gourmet picnic in the Jardin du Luxembourg to exclusive shopping excursions at the emporiums of Faubourg St-Honoré - whenever they want it.

Guest rooms and suites, including W Hotels’ renowned WOW suites and Extreme WOW suites, will all feature custom-made furnishings, sophisticated accents unique to Paris, the W Hotels signature bed with feather-top mattress, 350 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and goose down comforter, creating an ultimate urban escape. Guest rooms will offer the latest in cutting-edge technology and some of the most advanced in-room entertainment systems in the industry.

“Attracting a prestigious global brand like W Hotels to Paris will make this one of the most significant hotel projects the city has seen in recent years. We are delighted to be part of bringing the W brand to this destination,” said Javier Faus, Chairman & CEO, Meridia Capital.

W Paris-Opéra will join six sister properties in France under the Sheraton, Le Méridien, Westin and The Luxury Collection brands.

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