Dialsmith

Calling it ‘Project XYZ,’ Forbes reports that Starwood Hotels & Resorts plans to launch “a new line of lower-priced hotels based on its upscale W Hotel chain…”  Luxist likens the “cheaper but still cool” idea to brands such as Target, Mini Cooper and JetBlue.

For anyone who has stayed at a W Hotel, you know they have mastered the art of creating a unique experience and carrying it throughout a guest’s entire stay.  From the look and feel of the hotel to the materials used in the guestrooms to the little touches offered by the staff, W’s have it down.  Seth Godin describes this well as it relates to a recent stay of his (where the W Hotel in San Francisco was the bright spot in an otherwise tedious trip).

What will be interesting to watch is how Starwood carries the W vibe to a lower-priced extension of the brand.  I look forward to staying in one and sure hope they call it XYZ.