Mainland China’s first W Hotel hosted premiere fete with exclusive performances by international line-up of DJs, dancers and a runway show by one of Asia’s hottest fashion brands, YMOYNOT
GUANGZHOU, China, May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- W Guangzhou premiered on May 16, 2013 and welcomed more than 500 trendsetting, well-heeled international and local guests, celebrating the arrival of the W Hotels brand to mainland China. An exclusive international line-up of emerging bands and DJs, original performances, bold fashion and exquisite cuisine ushered in a new scene in the Guangdong capital city. The event welcomed a glittering who’s who of international and local celebrities, influencers and tastemakers, including actors Daniel Wu and Gao Yuan Yuan, fashion and design luminaries Yohji Yamamnoto, Mao Ji Hong and Stanley Wong, along with renowned designers Glenn Pushelberg and Rocco Yim.
The Premiere activities began with a memorable ceremony in the stunning Yabu Pushelberg-designed Porte Cochere attended by executives from KWG Property Holdings, LLC, owner and developer of W Guangzhou as well as senior executives from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, including Paul James, Global Brand Leader for W Hotels Worldwide, St. Regis Hotels& Resorts and The Luxury Collection, Stephen Ho, President of Starwood Asia Pacific and Qian Jin, President of Starwood Greater China region.
To commemorate the hotel’s Premiere, an impressive Lion Dance with eight lions performed breathtakingly choreographed stunts and dances that are sure to wow the audience. The Chinese Southern Lion Dance originated over a thousand years ago in the Guangdong Province and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity.
A Taste of W Guangzhou
Guests were then ushered inside to enjoy tantalizing dinners at one of W Guangzhou’s three destination restaurants: Yan Yu, created in collaboration with celebrity chef Jereme Leung; I by Inagiku, a popular branded Japanese restaurant with fresh sushi and Teppanyaki; and The Kitchen Table, W’s signature all-day dining restaurant.
Weaving a Vibrant Tapestry of Music & Fashion
W Guangzhou also introduced the latest fashions with a high octane runway show featuring YMOYNOT, a collaboration between renowned fashion mogul Yohji Yamamoto, local fashion superstar Mao Ji Hung, creator of Exception de Mixmind, and renowned designer Stanley Wong.
W Guangzhou also launched its Fei Ultralounge for the first time with a mix of renowned and emerging DJs and performance acts from around the world. The music for the evening kicked into high gear with Go Chic Taiwan, an electric punk band rapidly gaining popularity throughout Asia. They were followed by an all-female lineup of guest DJs curated by W Hotels Global Music Director Michaelangelo L’Acqua exclusively for the W Guangzhou Premiere event. The international lineup included London-based Scarlet Etienne, one of the hottest players on the world DJ circuit, the provocative Kate Elsworth from Sydney, and Los Angeles-based Posso, participants of the 2012 W Hotels & burn studios DJ Lab.
About W Guangzhou
With an iconic architectural building set on the ancient Pearl River, W Guangzhou brings a new interpretation of modern luxury to China, seamlessly blending the city’s storied traditions with the W brand’s dynamic and future-forward designs. The 44th W Hotel globally, W Guangzhou marks a rapid Asian expansion for the W brand, which has plans to more than double its current footprint of nine hotels to nearly 20 over the next five years.
W Guangzhou is situated in the city’s bustling Pearl River New Town District, a rapidly evolving center of entertainment, commerce and design that is home to dozens of Fortune 500 companies and luxury shopping malls. The hotel, complete with 317 guest rooms and suites, offers a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience that stylishly reflects Guangzhou’s unique energy and personality as an ancient city in the midst of a modern economic explosion.
W Guangzhou features two dynamic nightlife venues, setting a new style scene in the capital city. At night, guests can sip, flirt and mingle at WOOBAR™, where furniture is art, mixologists create molecular cocktails, and DJs spin the latest tunes to set the mood. Fei Ultralounge, featuring a bold design and pulsating light installation that can be seen from both inside and outside the hotel, will debut as the newest nightlife destination in Guangzhou.
W Guangzhou also offers three destination restaurants, China’s first AWAY Spa®, the Extreme WOW Suite (the W brand’s take on the Presidential Suite and the largest suite in Zhujiang New Town), SWEAT state-of-the-art fitness center, WET® heated indoor pool, WIRED 24-hour business center, W Hotels The Store and the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, offering guests whatever they want, whenever they want it.
For more information or to book an introductory package at W Guangzhou, visit
www.whotels.com/guangzhou.
KWG Property Holdings
The developer and owner of W Guangzhou, KWG Property Holdings is a real estate development and management company focused on premier luxury residences and communities, high-end office buildings, international branded hotels and residences and luxury shopping malls. KWG has developed several luxury Starwood properties in Asia, including Four Points by Sheraton DongpuHotel and Sheraton Huadu Hotel. With headquarters in Guangzhou, KWG Property Holdings has a portfolio of assets worth $2,207.3 million net throughout Asia. Visit us at www.kwgproperty.com.
About W Hotels Worldwide
W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the industry innovator with 44 hotels and retreats, including 16 W-branded residences, in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand’s sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous entertainment experiences, stylish retail concepts, signature spas and inspiring residences. With more than 14 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to reach 60 hotels by the end of 2015. W Hotels have been announced for Milan, Shanghai, Beijing, Bogota, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Dubai, Jakarta, Panama, Muscat, Suzhou, Changsha, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Sante Fe, Mexico, while upcoming W Retreats include Verbier, Goa, and Mexico’s Riviera Maya. For more information, visit www.whotels.com or www.facebook.com/whotels.To live the W Hotels lifestyle 24/7/365, visit www.wresidences.com. Follow @WHotels on Twitter and Instagram.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,134 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Meridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
