Ciao Roma! W Hotels Sets Its Sights On Italy

ROME, Oct. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- W Hotels Worldwide, the contemporary design-led lifestyle brand, today announced plans to open W Rome, offering a unique twist on La Dolce Vita in the capital city. Marking the first time that the iconic W sign will land in Italy, W Rome will be developed by Omnam Group through a real estate fund managed by Kryalos SGR. The hotel is set across two historic buildings in the energetic Via Veneto neighborhood and will connect guests to what's new and next in Rome as of 2021.

"Rome is one of Italy's most stylish and fashionable cities, and therefore a perfect destination for the W brand," said Jenni Benzaquen, Vice President, Luxury Brands, Europe for Marriott International. "With its boundary-breaking design, buzzing spaces and unique style, W Rome will inject a new and decidedly social style of modern luxury to the Roman hospitality scene."

Ideally situated near the famous Spanish Steps and the fashionable boutiques of Via Condotti, W Rome will soon be the city's must-visit location for locals and global nomads to mix and mingle. As a longstanding hub of Roman social life, Via Veneto has been the destination for pleasure-seekers for decades, offering guests the latest in fashion, a thriving dining scene, chic cafés and fabulous late-night haunts. Set to become the buzzing centerpiece of the neighbourhood, the hotel will feature 159 stylish guest rooms and suites, including a decadent Extreme WOW suite (the brands take on the traditional Presidential Suite).

On its expansive rooftop, W Rome will feature a signature destination bar where style-savvy guests and local trendsetters can take in sweeping cityscape views and enjoy the brand's playful approach to cocktail culture. Social spaces at W Rome include the W Living Room (the W brand's spin on the hotel lobby) along with two vibrant restaurants and over 120 square meters of ultra-modern event space. A FIT^® workout facility and a spa will offer W guests a chance to relax or work up a sweat. Throughout the hotel, guests will have unlimited access to the brand's signature Whatever/Whenever^® service, delivering whatever they want, whenever they want it.

"This collaboration reflects our ambitions for this distinctive landmark development, and we could not imagine a better or more qualified operator than Marriott International and its phenomenal W Hotels brand," said David Zisser, Founder and CEO of Omnam Group. "The combination of the central location and beauty of this historic building, together with the distinct personality and cutting-edge style of the brand, presents a prime opportunity to provide a new luxury hotel experience in Rome."

W Rome will span two adjacent 19^th century properties on Via Liguria. Originally intended for residential use, the commanding buildings previously operated as a hotel, as well as offices for government ministries and private companies. The structures will be carefully renovated and re-imagined to refresh the historic elements, while infusing the W brand's bold and inspiring design philosophy.

"This latest signing shows that even in mature markets like Rome, W Hotels is fortunate to collaborate with visionary developers such as the Omnam Group who are equally passionate about creating an exciting and original hospitality experience," said Carlton Ervin, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Marriott International. "The choice of W Hotels for their prime development, reflects our shared confidence that the brand's inimitable offer will be perfectly attuned to this spectacular city to meet the needs and desires of future travelers in the Italian capital."

"We are particularly excited to welcome the first W hotel in Italy, located in one of our most iconic buildings in Rome. Once again, this confirms Kryalos as a trusted and capable collaborator for leading international brands aiming to debut and set roots for successful growth in Italy," said Paolo Bottelli, CEO of Kryalos SGR.

This announcement reaffirms the unstoppable growth of the brand in Europe, where W Hotels currently operates seven properties. Ten new W hotels are planned in the region, with the arrival of W Tel Aviv in early 2018, the opening of W Hotels in Madrid, Belgrade and Portugal's stunning Algarve coast in 2019, followed by Prague and Budapest in 2020. In addition to Rome, W Hotels is also slated to debut in Marbella and Edinburgh in 2021. W Hotels boasts a worldwide portfolio of more than 50 properties and is on track to reach 75 hotels by 2020.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the number of lodging properties the company may add in future years and similar statements concerning possible future events or expectations that are not historical facts.  We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in market conditions; changes in global and regional economies; supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth and refurbishment; and other risk factors that the company identifies in its most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q or annual report on Form 10-K; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply here.  We make these statements as of the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About W Hotels Worldwide
Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels has disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for nearly two decades. Trailblazing its way around the globe, W is on track to reach 75 hotels by 2020, defying expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands. With a mission to fuel guests' lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit repeat. The brand's provocative design, iconic Whatever/Whenever service and buzzing Living Rooms create an experience that is often copied but never matched. Innovative, inspiring and infectious, the brand's super-charged energy celebrates guests' endless appetite to discover what's new/next in each destination, to see more, feel more, go longer, stay later. W Hotels Worldwide is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®. Members can now link accounts with Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information on W Hotels, visit whotels.com/theangle or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,200 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 125 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

About Omnam Group:
Omnam is a pioneering and diverse global real estate group with an incisive vision to source and develop iconic real estate assets. The group's expertise lies in large-scale developments encompassing hotels, aparthotels, residential, mixed-use developments and complex building conversions. For more information on Omnam Group, visit: www.omnamgroup.com

About Kryalos SGR:
Kryalos SGR is an independent private fund manager with currently 17 funds worth € 2.6 billion of assets under management. Kryalos SGR has a deep knowledge of the Italian real estate market with diversified professional experiences in the International Industry. For more information on Kryalos SGR, visit: www.kryalossgr.com

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

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