SAN DIEGO— The W San Diego opened its doors here last month, complete with a “Beach” on its roof with heated sand, a fire pit and private cabanas. The 261-room hotel has various touches throughout to make guests feel as though they are at an “urban resort,” beginning with the dramatic round entryway leading to the W Living Room or lobby. When checking in, guests see a clear resin wall embedded with floating shells, which is the backdrop for the front desk, and a glass bookcase filled with an assortment of sea glass jars. There is also a “techno wall” reflecting images of moving clouds and a sunset. “The techno wall has video monitors that create the art images that change based on the time of day,” said Melissa Messmer, director/interiors for W Hotels. Overall, the two-story lobby with its white walls and white terrazzo floor “has an art gallery feel,” she said. “We want to offer our guests a total experience from the time they arrive and give them the feel of San Diego with airiness and light throughout the property,” added Rob Stirling, director/sales and marketing at the hotel. While most of the hotel was newly constructed following a June 2000 groundbreaking, Stirling said that a small portion of the property was an existing historical building. “It was built 110 years ago and kept in tact,” he said, adding that over the years the structure was used as a Chinese laundry, car dealership, and restaurant and lounge. The historic section houses Rice, the W’s restaurant, with Beach on the roof. The new 20-story tower next to the historic building contains the Living Room, all guest-rooms and meeting space. Situated in the new residential loft district in downtown San Diego, the newest W was developed by Gatehouse Capital Corp. of Dallas. The design was a collaboration between Shopworks, designers of W hotels in San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago; Jensen/Fey Architects; and the W Design Group. The W brand is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ collection. Messmer described the overall image of the hotel as “very casual and modern, reflective of the southern California lifestyle. It’s an urban loft feel.” Guestrooms are decorated in shades of blue, lavender and purple with white furnishings and beach-like slatted window treatments. The carpet is khaki colored with blue accents “like a cabana stripe pattern,” Messmer said. Each guestroom has a window seat for relaxing and viewing San Diego, she added. Case goods include an oversized desk, a full credenza that holds the television and minibar “and the usual headboard and nightstands,” she said. Similar to the other 16 W-branded properties, guestrooms at the new hotel have the plush W bed with its pillow-top mattress, 250 thread-count sheets, and goose-down comforters and pillows; terry-lined, cotton pique bathrobes; and Aveda bath amenities. Guest bathrooms are done in white brick-shaped tile with one wall in periwinkle blue for contrast, and feature white marble countertops and a large shower, Messmer said. In-room features include two telephones, one with dataport and speakerphone capabilities, and the other a cordless dual-line phone; and high-speed Internet access. Additionally, rooms are equipped with a CD player, VCR, 27-inch television, bar and coffeemaker with the W’s own blend of coffee. An extensive CD library and a selection of movies and video programs are available upon request. Up on the roof there is Beach, an outdoor bar with heated sand floor, fire pit, private tented cabanas and nightly outdoor movie screenings. “Throughout the hotel, we have a ‘Come As You Are Theme’ and tell guests to bring their flip-flops and laptops,” Stirling said. “It’s a very relaxed atmosphere, and we have the latest and greatest technology. For example, at the front desk a guest can rent a card for their laptop and have remote Internet access.” The new hotel has a spa with four treatment rooms and an outdoor pool for relaxing, and three bars and Rice, the restaurant
