AMSTERDAM—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. plans to expand the W Amsterdam with the addition of a second building.
Originally conceived as a single-building property set in a former Telephone Exchange building on Dam Square, W Amsterdam, slated for a fall 2015 debut, will now include the adjacent former KAS Bank building on Spuistraat 172.
The bank building will house an additional 66 guestrooms and suites—many overlooking the UNESCO-listed Singel canal—as well as a signature Away Spa, nightclub and destination bar and restaurant. The bank building will also include a “creative incubator” concept space, providing a platform for local talent to showcase their fashion, art and design work and also featuring locally curated products.
“We have been overwhelmed by the interest and demand for W Amsterdam since we announced the project back in February and are thrilled to expand this hotel in partnership with its owner, Liran Wizman,” said Michael Wale, president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “The W brand clearly resonates with the Dutch market, and we can’t wait to bring the W mix of contemporary luxury to the city when we launch the hotel in autumn next year.”
W Amsterdam will mark the launch of the W Hotels brand in the Netherlands and is located just behind the Royal Palace and steps from the city’s canal district.
W Amsterdam will feature 238 guestrooms across the two buildings, including 25 suites, one Wow suite and two Extreme Wow Suites (the W brand’s reinterpretation of the Presidential Suite). Guests will enter the hotel in the exchange building, where they will be brought directly to the rooftop to check-in.
In addition to the destination bar and restaurant that will be located in the former banking hall of the bank building, the exchange will also feature a rooftop bar and restaurant with views over Dam Square and the city lights. The restaurants and nightspots will be managed by The Entourage Group, a specialist restaurant and bar operator setting new standards for the hospitality industry in the Netherlands.
Both the Exchange and the Bank buildings will be re-imagined by Office Winhov of Amsterdam and Tel Aviv-based BK Architecture, including full restoration of historical elements combined with a new, contemporary design.
Following the premieres of W Hotels in Istanbul, Barcelona, St. Petersburg, London, Paris and, most recently, Verbier, Switzerland, W Amsterdam will become the seventh W Hotel in Europe, joining a portfolio of 45 W Hotels around the world with more than 20 in development.
