New hotels: W – Vegas, Conrad – Chicago, Hilton – New York, DoubleTree – Hawaii + more

In U.S. hotel news, Marriott/Starwood opens a new W in Las Vegas; the Conrad Chicago makes its debut; Hilton adds a location in downtown Brooklyn and an affiliate in Manhattan, as well as a DoubleTree in Hawaii; and there’s a new boutique property in the Twin Cities.

One of the two towers at the SLS Las Vegas – which is a member of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio – has been transformed into a 289-room W Hotel. Marriott took on the W brand as part of its merger with Starwood, and this becomes the first W in Las Vegas. The W’s rooms were designed by Philippe Starck, offering “a cheeky interpretation of luxury hospitality,” the company said, along with the W brand’s signature bedding and Bliss bath amenities. At the top of the tower is a 2,382 square foot Extreme WOW Suite designed by Lenny Kravitz. (Yes, that Lenny Kravitz.) The W has 15,000 square feet of its own meeting space, plus another 80,000 in the SLS complex. There’s a rooftop bar called the Wet Deck, a spa and fitness center, and a total of seven restaurants in the complex. Rates start as low as $114.

At 101 E. Erie in downtown Chicago, a former office building has been transformed into the newly opened Conrad Chicago, a part of the Hilton family of brands. The 20-story Conrad has 287 rooms and suites equipped with personal refrigerators, big 96-inch beds, 65-inch TVs and keyless entry. Guests can use the hotel’s luxury car service for free drop-offs within a two-mile radius. Food and beverage options include an Italian restaurant on the ground floor, a “bourbon- centric” eatery with American cuisine on the 20th floor, and a Japanese rooftop restaurant coming next summer. Guests can sample some of what Chicago offers without leaving the premises by using the hotel’s VR Concierge, offering 360-degree views through an Oculus VR headset. Rates start at $225. (The previous Conrad Chicago in 2015 was transformed into The Gwen, a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection.)

New York City’s borough of Brooklyn has become a hot spot for commercial development, and Hilton has just opened a property in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood, two blocks from Atlantic Avenue and not far from the Brooklyn Heights Historic District and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The Hilton Brooklyn New York at Smith and Schermerhorn streets occupies a building that used to be a rope factory in the 19^th century. The 196-room Hilton has a 24-hour fitness center, a business center, concierge service and a grab-and-go pantry. Through May 29, HHonors members can earn an extra 1,000 points per night when they stay here. Non-refundable advance purchase rates start as low as $135; regular rates are from $159. (Meanwhile, an independent luxury property called The Renwick that opened last year in Manhattan on East 40^th Street has just become a member of Hilton’s Curio Collection, making it a participant in Hilton’s reservations system and HHonors program.)

In Hawaii, the former Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo, on the Big Island, has gone through a $30 million overhaul and emerged as a DoubleTree by Hilton. The 320-room hotel – the first DoubleTree on the Big Island — is on a 70-acre oceanfront site just two miles from Hilo International Airport. It has a nine-hole golf course, a big outdoor pool, 24-hour business center, and 13,000 square feet of meeting space. Guest rooms come with free Wi-Fi, big work desks, microwaves, refrigerators, and DoubleTree’s signature beds. Hilton is offering Honors members 5,000 bonus points for a minimum three-night stay at the hotel through March 15 when they book directly with Hilton. HHonors rates start at $154 in January on direct bookings.

What was formerly an old warehouse in the North Loop section of Minneapolis has been reborn as a boutique hotel. The 124-room Hewing Hotel is at the corner of Washington and 3^rd Avenue, featuring “Nordic-inspired décor” like lots of bare wood and rooms with exposed brick walls and timber ceilings. It has a rooftop bar, spa pool and sauna; and a main floor restaurant called Tullibee. The Hewing is operated by the Chicago-based Aparium Hotel Group, which also runs the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee. Rates start at $179.

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