W Hotels set to debut in Colombia

W Hotels Worldwide today announced it has signed an agreement with Terranum Hotels to debut a new W Hotel in Bogota, Colombia. Slated to open in 2014, W Bogota will be a part of a larger mixed-use development, which will also include premium office space and high-end retail. W Bogota will be located in the heart of the fashionable Usaquen district in the northern part of the city, just steps away from the neighborhood’s trendy restaurants, cafes, and shopping. “We are delighted to expand our partnership with Terranum Hotels to launch the W brand in Colombia,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President of the Americas, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “Bogota is one of the fastest growing economic hubs in Latin America and is also renowned for its fashion, music, tremendous gastronomic options, and historical significance in the region.” “This signing underscores our commitment to expansion in Latin America and marks an important milestone in our overall growth strategy to introduce our world-class brands into burgeoning cities around the globe,” said Ricardo Suarez, Vice President of Latin America Acquisitions and Development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “Colombia, at the crossroads between the Americas, draws a diverse set of cultures for both business and leisure travel, and provides an ideal foothold as we continue to grow our pipeline in the region.” “Our vision is to create a hotel which will set a new lifestyle standard for Colombia,” said Javier Pimienta, Managing Director of Terranum Hotels. “Selecting Starwood and its innovative W Hotels brand for this development was an easy decision. We have no doubt that W Bogota will become a must-see for both locals and international visitors to Colombia.” W Bogota will be designed by New York-based Studio Gaia, who has drawn inspiration from Colombia’s famous El Dorado legend. According to the legend, during the pre-Colombian period, every time the indigenous Muisca tribe had a new Chief, the people would make offerings to their god by throwing gold, emeralds and semi-precious stones into the Guatavita Lake. The mystery and adventure of the El Dorado legend will come to life in the design of the hotel in innovative and unique ways, using color, light and texture to bring in the vibrancy and glamour of Colombia’s varied landscape. “The W brand’s expansion into Colombia is another milestone in bringing the global design powerhouse to the world’s most exciting cities and vibrant resort destinations,” said Vincent Gillet, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels and Le Méridien. “W will offer a completely new and distinctive experience to the hotel market in Bogota, providing a stylish escape and innovative design in one of the city’s most premier districts.” W Bogota will provide an integrated contemporary lifestyle experience, offering 168 stylish guestrooms, including 20 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite (the W brand’s interpretation of the Presidential Suite), the signature W Lounge experience (the W take on the traditional hotel lobby), destination restaurant and nightclub, Away® spa, and 3,000 square foot Workout fitness center. The hotel will also be an ideal venue for meetings with more than 12,000 square feet of function space, including a Great Room and five state-of-the-art meeting rooms. Guests will also be treated to the W brand’s iconic Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing guests with whatever they want, whenever they want it. W Bogota will be located only seven miles from the El Dorado International Airport in one of the premium areas in Colombia’s capital city, where many of the most prominent companies are based.