Chicago’s JW Marriott opens its doors

The JW Marriott in downtown Chicago made it’s official debut this month, the 50th JW to open among of a flurry of expansion in the luxury brand. With Gadling Labs just up the road in Chicago, the team stopped by for the opening gala to see what all of the buzz was about.

On the surface, Chicago’s JW Marriott conforms well to the brand’s standard — that is to say, it is really nice. Despite a modest front foyer, ballrooms are deep, tall and vaulted and the signature Italian restaurant Florentine and the spa Valeo are each well appointed and expertly curated.

Most enticing about this building, however, is its history. Legendary Chicago architect Danial Burnham was the original mastermind behind this building, the same figure who helped create the White City in the early 1900’s (and the centerpiece of Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City). With the column spacing of this building slightly larger than most modern structures, architect Lucien Lagrange was able to experiment more in the room layouts, resulting in wider rooms, and dynamic layouts.

Opening festivities included special guests from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet and even a special appearance by Shameless star and opera singer Emmy Rossum. We even got the chance to hang out with our favorite jetsetting hero, Johnny Jet. Check out Gadling Labs’ gallery of the event for the full scoop.

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JW Marriott Los Angeles celebrates first birthday with $1 room packages

Want to live like an A-lister for just a dollar? That’s just what will happen to ten lucky travelers who book the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live’s special first birthday package.

The hotel, celebrating its first anniversary on February 15, is offering a “Happy Birthday” package to the first ten reservations. The package, valued at almost $4,000, includes:

· Overnight accommodations in the Chairman Suite, the hotel’s most luxurious 1,566 square-foot suite over looking the Los Angeles skyline
· Two glasses of Champagne at gLAnce Wine Bar
· Breakfast for two at LA Market restaurant
· Complimentary valet parking

The “Happy Birthday” package will go on sale at 8:00 a.m. PST on February 15 for $1.00. The package will be available for a Friday or Saturday night stay only between August 6, 2011 and September 10, 2011. The package will be available online only with code ES6.

In town on the 15th? Hotel guests will be treated to commemorative cupcakes throughout the day while hotel employees will give back to the local community through volunteering at Midnight Mission, a non-profit serving the homeless of the city located in downtown Los Angeles.

Daily Pampering: Reidel Room at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong

What’s better than a night of fine wine and cocktails? An evening of fine wine and cocktails served in some of the best crystal stemware available.

With around 40 wines to choose from by the glass and 170 by the bottle, the world’s only Reidel Room at the JW Marriott Hong Kong ups the experience of a night out for wine lovers by offering pours in top-line Riedel crystal glassware. The elegance of the dark room lined with animal prints and crystal chandeliers provides an ambiance unique to Hong Kong nightlife. Stylish chairs and sofas force you to relax in luxury, and if you’re craving a bit more pampering, opt for the private suite with tens of thousands of crystals hanging from the ceiling to set your scene.

Try the large range of Grand Cru and vintage champagnes or pick your own wine from their walk-in wine cellar.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

JW Marriott opens in Chicago

Marriott certainly is making the rounds. The first ever JW Marriott Marquis opened in Miami last week and coming Thursday, Nov. 11, the JW Marriott Chicago will open its doors.

Situated in the historic Continental & Commercial National Bank Building in Chicago’s financial district, the JW Marriott Chicago will be the first of its brand in the windy city. Occupying the first 12 floors of the building at 151 W. Adams St., the hotel will have 610 guestrooms, including 29 corner suites and more than 44,000-square-feet of meeting space, a 20,000-square-foot world class spa and fitness center, and two different dining options – an Italian Steakhouse and a lounge serving more casual plates and sushi.

Each guestroom will offer complimentary in-room coffee/tea service and nightly turndown service. All rooms have 10-foot ceilings with handcrafted crown molding and spacious bathrooms clad in Italian marble, featuring stand alone tubs and separate marble showers. Forty-two inch flat-panel high-definition televisions grace each room with hookups for A/V stations and Wi-Fi capabilities.

The spa, VALEO, is a 20,000-square-foot space of ultimate serenity combining fitness facilities, traditional and non-traditional spa services and myriad salon services. The fitness center will feature cardio and circuit training equipment, a large pool for laps as well as a therapeutic whirlpool.

The hotel’s restaurants, The Florentine and the lobby lounge, give travelers and hotel guests the option of fine dining or casual take-out. The Florentine, a concept from the BLT Restaurant Group, offers Italian-American fare from Corporate Executive Chef Rodelio Aglibot and Executive Chef Todd Stein, of Sunda and mk fame respectively. For a more casual experience, the JW Marriott Chicago’s lobby lounge will serve light fare like appetizers and sushi.

To celebrate the opening of the hotel, individual room reservations will be available beginning November 11, 2010 with introductory rates from $179 – $329.

World’s first JW Marriott Marquis opens in Miami

When entertainment and luxury combine with travel, the options are endless (and often glamorous). Setting a new premise for hotels around the world, the first ever JW Marriott Marquis Miami opened its doors in downtown Miami to a celebrity-infused, technology-studded event that merged sophistication, design, art, fashion and fun into one massive space.

The very first JW Marquis-branded hotel is set to transform way travelers view their hotel stay with an onsite golf school, virtual bowling alley, 10,000-square-foot NBA approved basketball arena and tennis court, billiard room and full-service spa. And, of course, there are guestrooms.

Part-theme park, part-resort, Marriott is setting the stage for a new kind of hotel experience. Are you game?

Rooms

The first in the company’s brand, The JW Marriott Marquis Miami has 41 floors, 313 rooms and 56 suites. There is more than 80,000 sq ft of total meeting space, and 20,000 sq ft Grand Ballroom and three concierge floors. Each guest room comes complete with an illy red Y1 espresso machine, complimentary bottles of water, imported Italian Marble Baths including a television embedded in bathroom mirror and a separate tub and shower.

Restaurants

Three restaurants give guests various options for dining. db Bistro Moderne is home to three time James Beard Foundation winner and French Chef, Daniel Boulud, who creates blends traditional French cuisine with the flavors of the American market. There’s a lounge and street level terrace for casual dining, including and cafe and bar, and Intermezzo, an illy Artisti del Gusto Café that features breakfast options including pastries Wide selection of pastries and other baked items, as well as coffee, cappuccino, espresso and teas.Spa/Fitness

The hotel’s Rik-Rak Salon & Spa, located on the 20th floor includes a full- service spa, beauty salon and fitness center.
The 4,000-square-foot spa includes five massage treatment rooms, including one couples room, co-ed relaxation room, separate men and women’s sauna, and a full-service hair and nail salon. The fitness center will be outfitted with eco-friendly Technogym equipment, top-of-the-line cardio vascular machinery, free weights and a yoga and exercise studio.

Entertainment

In addition to spa and fitness, guests can enjoy an outdoor swimming pool; a 10,000-square-foot NBA approved basketball court, Jim McLean Golf School with virtual golf and golf lessons, a bowling alley, media room, billiard room and a state of the art fitness center.

The Jim McLean Golf School will offer skilled personal instruction, virtual golf simulators, two putting greens, lounge seating, a Pro Shop, and sweeping city views. A 10,000-square-foot arena has a multi-use portable floor system that transforms into an NBA Approved Basketball court, a tennis court featuring the identical surface used at the Sony Ericsson Open or carpeted event space. For the less active sports-lover, take advantage of the hotel’s billiard room or virtual bowling alley.

Business/Corporate

Over 80,000 square feet of space is available for corporate and business events, that includes Virtual Meetings by JW Marriott, in partnership with AT&T and Cisco. The public telepresence facility enables people to hold virtual meetings with customers and colleagues around the world.

JW Marriott is widely known as Marriott International’s luxury brand of hotels, currently consisting of 45 properties around the world.
A second 1,612-room JW Marriott Marquis is scheduled to open in Dubai in 2011, and the company plans to host 73 properties in total in 28 countries by 2013.