by Leigh Christy
From the opening of its first hotel in New York City in 1998, the chain of W Hotels has been marketing itself to young, hip business travelers, who became a substantial customer base during the "dot.com" boom of the late 1990s.
Offering a combination of big-chain amenities and small-boutique idiosyncrasies, the W describes itself as "a new brand of business hotels" with "sleek design, superior service, and spaces that invite you to linger." There are now 20 W Hotels, primarily in North America, with more on the way.
Tackling the challenge of finding a balance between the chain and the boutique is the architecture firm Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz (KMD) Mexico, working in conjunction with New York-based interior designers Studio GAIA. The result in Mexico City is a resort turned inward and upward, a fishbowl of activity for locals as well as a temporary home for business travelers.
>>>
