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W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and leading industry innovator, today marks a milestone in its 10 year history with the opening of the hotel brand’s 30th property worldwide, W Fort Lauderdale and The Residences at W Fort Lauderdale. W Fort Lauderdale brings “Oceanfront Wow” to the shores of South Florida, perfectly positioned directly on Fort Lauderdale Beach with two towers soaring 23-stories each high above the crystal blue Atlantic waters. With interior design envisioned by critically acclaimed Clodagh Design, W Fort Lauderdale provides a modern, fully integrated lifestyle experience, including Whiskey Blue, a stylish bar and lounge from famed nightlife entrepreneurs Rande and Scott Gerber; Stephen Starr’s Steak 954, a modern interpretation of the traditional steakhouse; and Bliss spa, New York’s hottest spa. Developed by The DYL Development Group, W Fort Lauderdale is the ultimate insider escape sure to become the coolest destination in town.
“We are thrilled to unveil W Fort Lauderdale, our 30th W Hotel worldwide and our first in Florida, a perfect backdrop for W’s fully integrated lifestyle experience,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Meridien. “With the opening of this magnificent beachfront hotel and residences, we have created a destination within a destination and the ultimate urban escape.”
“DYL is proud to open Florida’s first W Hotel and Residences in the vibrant city of Fort Lauderdale,” said John Yanopoulos, Chief Executive Officer of the owner and developer. “With an incredible location and illustrious group of partners, W Fort Lauderdale is the perfect lifestyle destination.”
W Fort Lauderdale’s landmark exterior, designed to resemble a sailboat, was inspired by the city’s boating culture. The hotel’s broad pedestals represent the hull while the two towers form white opposing “sails,” which in boating terms means to “come about” or change direction, representative of Fort Lauderdale’s recent rebirth as a leading upscale destination.
In designing W Fort Lauderdale’s interiors, Clodagh set out to ensure that guests experience something beautiful and unique in each space. Using the wave and the sea as an inspiration and the beach as a directive, she has mixed elements of earth and stone with the sounds of water, the glowing light of fire, the natural feel of wood, and the edge of metal. Mirroring the color palette of the hotel’s surrounding oceanfront landscape, Clodagh infused waves of blue with jolts of magenta, while an undercurrent of concrete, resembling brushed sand, resonates throughout the hotel. She designed 230 custom furniture pieces, unique to the property with fabrics and finishes inspired by the shimmering sands, pounding surf and the infinite variation of colors found on nearby seashells. Clodagh brought the outside in and the inside out by using interior colors and textures on the terraces and pool decks, visually punctuating each deck with a fire bowl. With her unrivaled understanding of the use of scale, she defined and grounded the soaring interior volumes by molding intimate areas making the property profoundly comfortable.
“Some say God is in the details, but in hotel spaces it’s really about the WOWs,” said Clodagh. “When I walk into a hotel space, I want all of the senses to be enlivened.”
A main feature of the hotel is a breathtaking oceanfront pool deck with an awe-inspiring design feature – a glass-enclosed stairway allowing guests and residents to literally walk from the signature W living room through the pool’s inviting waters and onto the pool deck. Guests in the living room can watch swimmers above through slivers in the ceiling, adding to W Fort Lauderdale’s fun and flirty atmosphere.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
