LIFESTYLE HOTELS

Lifestyle is the term used to describe a growing niche of upscale or luxury hotel properties that cater to clientel with a certain lifestyle - it could be a lifestyle that demands the finer things in life, one that looks for high-tech in all things, or one that seeks balance for body, mind and soul. These hotels are usually associated with designer decor, high-quality amenities, above-average service and superior attention to detail. Many of these so-called "lifestyle hotels" also fall into the "boutique" category, but the term "boutique" has become such a catch-all for any hotel that is "smallish," that the true and original meaning of the term has somewhat lost its allure.

HERE'S WHAT'S NEW ON THE LIFESTYLE HOTEL SCENE


Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced that W Hotels Worldwide will open its first property in Boston, Massachusetts in the heart of the city’s bustling theater district in 2009. Developed by Sawyer Enterprises, the new property will feature 235 guest rooms, 123 branded, private residences, a world-class signature restaurant, destination bar and luxury spa. www.whotels.com


UNIK Resorts will open its flagship hotel on April 15, 2008 on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. A tapestry of azure, bright white and emerald green, UNIK is an architectural gem that blends seamlessly with its exquisite surroundings,.

Operated by the de la Peña family—long-time hoteliers in the Riviera Maya—UNIK opens the door to a level of service and accommodations that had yet to be reached in Isla Mujeres. "We're raising the bar as far as hotels on this beautiful island are concerned,” says Patricia de la Peña, Vice President of the group.

The hotel will offer 84 rooms and suites with every upscale amenity, gourmet dining, six restaurants and bars, and Spa Izel. Guests will be offered car and boat service from Cancun International. www.unikresorts.com


W Hotel in Washington, D.C. is ccheduled to debut in 2009 in is currently the historic Hotel Washington, an Italian Renaissance revival building occupying the corner of the city’s world-famous Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street. Offering 317 guest rooms, including 32 suites, a spectacular rooftop bar and terrace and a world-class signature restaurant, the new W Washington D.C. will be located directly across the street from the White House.
www.whotels.com


The Hazelton Hotel opened its doors in downtown Toronto's tony Yorkville district with 77 spacious guest rooms. Rooms have French doors with views overlooking the streets of Yorkville. Every room is equipped with a flat screen plasma TV, Lutron lighting, wireless connections and iPod docking stations. Granite lined bathrooms feature Bulgari amenities, deep soaking tubs, separate rain showers, heated floors and 1940s-inspired vanities in polished chrome. www.thehazeltonhotel.com

Hotel Indigo Ottawa is the first of a new Intercontinental Hotels Group boutique concept to open in Canada. Offering 106 guestrooms that feature signature murals, hardwood flooring, plush bedding and spa-inspired showers. www.hotelindigoottawa.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced plans for a new W hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia. Scheduled to open in mid 2008, W St. Petersburg represents a rare development in the main historic area of this vibrant city. This is the first W to be announced in Eastern Europe and marks another important step in W Hotel’s global expansion. The W St. Petersburg will have approximately 135 rooms, including suites. Guests will indulge in the W signature beds with feather-top mattresses, 350 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and goose down comforters. They will also be treated to Whatever/Whenever service, the hotel’s 24-hour concierge that can provide whatever guests want (from a pair of running shoes to private jet service), whenever they want it. W Hotels now has 21 properties in cities around the globe. swww.whotels.com

The worlds of high style and cowboy chic collide with the opening of the first W Hotel in Texas, the W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences. The W Dallas features 252 guestrooms and 144 one- and two-bedroom condos, Craft restaurant by world-renowned chef Tom Collichio, an outpost of Las Vegas' renowned Ghostbar nightclub on the 33rd floor, a 5,000-square-foot Bliss spa and 16th floor infinity pool and fitness facility overlooking downtown. There's also a heli-pad.

W Hotels, the world’s fastest growing luxury hotel brand, has announced plans to open the W Doha Hotel & Residences in Qatar, scheduled for the end of 2007. The W Doha, which will be located in the West Bay of Doha on the Qatar peninsula, is the brand’s second hotel planned for the Middle East. The W Dubai Festival City will open in 2008. As part of a larger global expansion, W also plans to open hotels in the Maldives, Barcelona, Shanghai Hong Kong, Santiago, and Vieques. www.whotels.com

The Hazelton Hotel & Private Residences in Toronto have assembled a team of designers and partners that includes Canadian culinary superstar Mark McEwan, design legend Yabu Pushelberg and Toronto’s acclaimed hotelier, Klaus Tenter. The hotel, which is set to open in summer of 2007, will feature 77 hotel rooms and 13 private residences. The 77 spacious units include beds backed with leather surround, walk-in dressing rooms and oversized bathrooms built with Italian marble. The Hazelton Hotel is pre-approved to be a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, making it the first Toronto property to have such honour.