W London at Leicester Square to open Feb 14, 2011

By David Flynn, October 28 2010
W London at Leicester Square to open Feb 14, 2011

Starwood’s first W Hotel in the UK is set to open on Valentine’s Day next year.

Located on a corner of landmark Leicester Square itself, the hotel’s design is in keeping with the trendy West End location.

Threaded throughout the exterior frosted glass panels are LEDs with over a million possible lighting combinations which can be remotely controlled to set a mood or pulse to music.

“It was decided early on that the hotel would have a cool, understated Englishness by day and then would glam up for a night in the vibrant West End” explains John Wiles, director of W Leicester Square architects Jestico + Whiles.

The hip’n’happening vibe is carried through to the dazzling club-like reception area and funky decor and lighting of the rooms. And who hasn’t walked into a hotel’s bar and thought “All this place is missing is a disco ball the size of small weather balloon”?

While this might all be a bit much for travellers accustomed to more conventional and sedate digs, Starwood hopes the W at Leicester Square will attract a young globe-trotting business audience more at home with iPads than notepads.

Bookings are now open for the hotel’s 192 rooms at wlondon.co.uk, and if you really want to live it up in the heart of the West End you can plonk down a briefcase full of cash for one of ten two-floor W Residences.

David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

25 Oct 2010

Total posts 24

No thanks! That reception area just looks TOO "way out" for me, just give me something nice and quite like a normal Westin please. I'm going to a hotel not a nightclub!


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