Marriott International has brought its W Hotels brand to China’s Hunan province, with a property in the city of Changsha.
Owned by the Hunan Yunda Industry Group, the hotel is the first W in central China and is located in the city’s business and shopping district.
W Changsha is within a 30-minute drive of Changsha Huanghua International airport and a 15-minute drive to Changsha South Railway Station, connecting directly to the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau expressway.
The hotel has been designed by Cheng Chung Design (H.K.) Ltd and draws inspiration from Changsha’s nickname “Star City”, with a “provocative and playful design inspired by space travel”. Features include a mixed-media landscape called “Avenue of the Stars” which combines digital, interactive and sound art, and a W logo illuminated to resemble the surface of the moon.
The hotel’s 345 rooms and suites also feature walls depicting planets, constellations and discovery of the nebulae through an LED screen.
The property also features two restaurants and a destination bar. The all-day restaurant Tropics has an open kitchen offering local and international cuisine; Shinn Yen provides Hunanese cuisine, and a live cabaret show every evening; and the Runway bar offers handcrafted cocktails, light bites and musical performances.
In terms of events space, there is over 1,000 sqm of function space across five flexible rooms. Leisure facilities include a pool with a three-metre ‘Space Cat’ sculpture, a 24-hour fitness centre, and a spa.
Tom Jarrold, Global Brand Leader at W Hotels Worldwide, commented:
“W Changsha marks the eighth W hotel to open in China, one of the most influential markets in both travel and business, and we’re excited to bring W Hotels to more destinations across the country.
“Cities such as Changsha, with their future-focused residents and fast-growing millennial luxury market who crave the new and unexpected, are playgrounds of limitless possibilities for W.”
Henry Lee, President, Greater China, Marriott International, added:
“We are thrilled to debut the W Hotels brand in central China and mark another symbolic step for us as we continue to expand our luxury portfolio into new markets across the country.
“As domestic travel continues to pick up tremendous momentum, we are bringing new and exciting brands such as W to the country’s emerging leisure destinations.”
W Hotels has 60 hotels around the world, with another 34 in the pipeline – forthcoming destinations include W Edinburgh, W Gramado and W Playa del Carmen.
The W brand recently opened a new hotel in Philadelphia’s Center City:
