BEIJING—W Hotels Worldwide, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., has opened W Beijing – Chang’an.
Owned by COFCO Property Investment Co., Ltd., W Beijing – Chang’an marks the 45th W Hotel worldwide and the second W Hotel in mainland China after W Guangzhou.
W Beijing – Chang’an is the latest addition to Starwood’s portfolio of nearly 140 operating hotels in Greater China, with a pipeline of more than 130 hotels to come. W is on track to open seven W Hotels within the next five years in China, across major cities including Changsha, Chengdu, Shanghai, Suzhou, Sanya and Shenyang. Other Asia-Pacific openings will include Brisbane, Australia; Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Gurgaon, Noida, India; and Phuket, Thailand.
W Beijing is situated on Chang’an Ave., a major thoroughfare that includes Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the headquarters of the Central Bank of China. Nearby destinations also include central government buildings, the National Museum of China, National Centre for the Performing Arts, Silk Market, Beijing Concert Hall and the Diplomat District.
Global architecture practice RTKL and Hong Kong-based interior design firm AB Concepts were tapped for the new hotel’s design. W Beijing – Chang’an consists of 349 guestrooms and suites, featuring technology such as a digital tablet that manipulates the room’s lighting and mood, 48-in. LED TV and Bluetooth sound system. Suites sport a JBL home theater system and Bose portable speakers. Additionally, all guestrooms include the signature W bed; Bliss bath amenities; Mix Bar (the W brand’s reinterpretation of the minibar); and a round bathtub in king bedrooms and suites.
In addition, an Extreme WOW Suite, W Hotels’ take on the traditional Presidential Suite, includes a living room and space for parties; 76-in. UED Samsung TV in the living room; circular bed; and Jacuzzi by a floor-to-ceiling window.
The Living Room at W Beijing – Chang’an features an LED-lighted catwalk in the middle of the room that leads to a circular bar counter, and a golden globe DJ booth hanging from the ceiling. A secret space is tucked away behind the bar, while the other side of the room houses a light-filled venue inspired by Beijing’s iconic Water Cube aquatics center. Other venues include X25, an exclusive lounge at the top of the hotel; the hotel’s Chinese restaurant YEN featuring food from northern China’s Canton province; and the Kitchen Table, which serves casual, home-style fare in a communal table setting.
The hotel also offers meeting space, including The Great Room. The Away Spa embodies a beehive design and offers honey-based treatments, among other restorative regimens. Other amenities include the FIT fitness center and the WET heated indoor pool.