W Hotels (now part of Marriott International since the merger with Starwood) has announced plans for its second Australian property, located in the Victoria state capital Melbourne.

The 294-room W Melbourne is set to open in 2020, and will be housed within the AU$1 billion (US$767 million) mixed-use Collins Arch, a two-tower development on Collins Street which will feature a sky bridge between the two towers.

Facilities will include a bar and restaurant, spa, fitness centre and indoor swimming pool, as well as around 13,000 square feet of conference, ballroom and meeting space.

Guests will be able to access the hotel through several entrances on William Street, Market Street and Collins Street, with the Living Room (lobby) located behind a port cochere on Flinders Lane.

W Melbourne will join the forthcoming W Brisbane, which is due to open in 2018.

In other news, the brand is in the process of refurbishing all 473 rooms and suites at its W Barcelona property. Due for completion by the end of April, the new design “celebrates both the city and the sea and embraces the unique views afforded by the hotel’s guest rooms”.

To this end carpets will “represent playful interpretation of the sea bed seen through the waters of the Mediterranean”, while “modular furniture in the sitting area is designed to reflect the Spanish tapas culture”, and “the Barcelona city grid comes to life on the guest room wall with an innovative lighting structure that transforms the mood from day to night”.

For a Tried and Tested review of the W Barcelona (published in 2011), see:

Hotel review: W Barcelona

marriott.com