Starwood Hotels & Resorts opened in February the first of its French hotel chain connected. A new brand of luxury hotels in Paris to establish themselves on Valentine’s Day.
On 14 February, the American group Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which operates 1,070 hotels worldwide under nine brands (Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien …) will open a “W”, the most trendy brand, launched in 1998 in New York . He will manage the hotel, located on rue Meyerbeer, near the Opera Garnier. The owner of the walls, Spanish Meridia Capital, has achieved 85 million work in this building Haussmann.
With approximately 150 employees, W is hoping to attract a trendy clientele of artists, designers, models and other “b eautiful people”, in Paris for business or pleasure. With 91 rooms including 20 suites from 36 to 70 square meters, it is a five-star rating. “Our average price will be between 400 and 450 euros (against 700 minimum in a palace, Ed), says Olivier Servat, its chief executive. We seek an occupancy rate of about 75% the first year. ”
Jostling codes, “W is a laboratory of trends that will revolutionize the language of hospitality, he says. The idea is to have a head start. We are rather than Kate Moss Claudia Schiffer. ” Thus, no hall to W, but a “living room”, where do its check-in, but also a drink while listening to a DJ. The concierge service promises “Whenever Whatever” and the best places “hype” of the capital. If the decor is signed Rockwell Group, the hotel will offer either pool or spa. However it will organize regular “happenings” (fashion show …), against a backdrop of electronic music.
Starwood “under-represented in France”
The next Fashion Week in February, which attracts the who’s who of fashion in Paris promises to be a key week for the hotel. The first W in Paris will be the 41st of the brand in the world and 5th in Europe (after Istanbul, Barcelona, London and St. Petersburg).
It will also be the sixth facility in France from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, in addition to the Sheraton Roissy, Le Meridien Etoile Le Meridien Nice, The Westin Paris Vendome and the Prince of Wales, closed for renovations until fall 2012.
“We are under-represented in France, Flavio Bucciarelli admits, Regional Director, also head of the Meridien Etoile. But the good opportunities are few. “Since the opening of the Westin Paris Vendome in 2005, the chain had no hotel opened in France. In January, he lost the use of the Meridien Montparnasse, in favor of Accor, who renamed Pullman Paris Montparnasse.
“We focus on the Bric (Brazil, Russia, India, China), said Flavio Bucciarelli. In the next two years, China, with 150 hotels, will be our first countries to the United States. “All brands, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Announces 350 hotel projects under development in the world, the trend is to be less and less owner of the walls. Thus, while it operates since 2006 the Meridian Star (the largest business hotel in France, with 1021 rooms), he never owned. Its current owner, the company Starman, considering the walls to sell 350 million euros.