If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the action, the location is hard to beat with the hotel located perfectly adjacent to many of the city’s star attractions from the Museum of Modern Art to Radio City to Madison Square Garden & more. W New York – Times Square is home to 509 guest rooms and 43 suites. The aptly named Extreme WOW Penthouse Suite features large windows revealing sweeping views of the city skyline.
To celebrate its partnership with Elite Traveler, we spoke to the hotel’s general manager Christine Devers.
What attracted you to your position at the hotel?
I love that I am the CEO of my hotel. As the leader of the property, you have to make decisions and be held accountable, and your network of talent helps along that journey of overall goal achievement. Having the opportunity to learn across disciplines is inspiring and every day is a unique challenge and opportunity toward overall property success.
Tell us about a defining moment in your role that sticks out.
The day before the Starwood merger was announced I was selected to lead a tour for Mr Marriott to various NYC hotels from the existing Marriott & Starwood brands. As part of this role, I personally introduced him to every GM across the New York City hotel network. This was truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire career because of the excitement and positivity that was ignited from Mr Marriott’s presence.
Our associates would gleam with enthusiasm as he approached them to introduce himself, and the sheer presence of him inside the property garnered a sense of passion, and almost even fandom, amongst our staff. I was witness to a pertinent moment in Marriott’s history during the pinnacle of the Starwood merger and was able to be a part of capturing that joy as we paraded around New York City with pride.
And what has been the hotel’s biggest challenge during your time there?
One of the biggest challenges during my leadership at the property was the powerful COVID-19 pandemic. I am sure I am not the only one to reference this time as one of great challenge as our industry faced unparalleled challenges. During this time, we had to close the hotel for 1-year, and it was in these 12-months that I took to the strategy board to develop and put plans into place for our eventual reopening. Just over 365 days later, our team was able to reopen the illustrious property and overcome the obstacles faced during recovery while rebuilding our business and in turn making it an even better hotel.
What is it about the Extreme WOW Penthouse Suite that separates it from anything else on offer in the region?
Residing 57 flights above the greatest city in the world lives our Extreme WOW Penthouse Suite. Guests are captivated upon arrival, entering into a world of bright inspiration with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the landscape of midtown Manhattan. It is simply breathtaking. The one-bedroom suite is home to a whimsical circular bed and two bathrooms equipped with luxury, Davines bath products. The dining room paired with a fully stocked kitchenette support the suite as a true home away from home or the ideal setting for an intimate event. The Extreme WOW Penthouse suite can be easily converted from guestroom to a sultry gathering space with a bit of creativity, as it has been home before to many iconic events and celebrations from corporate gatherings to NYFW showcase after parties. The EWOW Penthouse Suite is a truly redefined luxury experience for overnight stays with jaw-dropping views, giving guests exclusive access to view the world from a new, inspiring perspective.
What exciting plans do you have for the hotel that you can share with our readers?
At W we do things a bit differently, but always with luxury, sophistication, and purpose in mind. Upcoming at the hotel are activations and programs in partnership with local and global entities that welcome hotel guests and the public to immerse in a true W experience, both inside and outside the guestroom. Tying into our W brand passions, our hotel is home to many programs and events that speak to our core values and mission.
Soonest ahead we will be hosting an Astrology Program in celebration of National Astrology Day & Spring Solstice led by our wellness partner, Sage + Sound, and new partner, Astral Tequila, where guests will pair color reading birth sessions with astrologically inspired tequila tastings. In April, we will be launching Earth Month programming as our commitment to sustainability.
The programming will involve the launch of zero-waste cocktails and mocktails at our bar, a give-get clothing donation collection program, and a sustainable retail pop-up led by a leading sustainable and cultural retail brand based in Brooklyn. Lastly, we have upcoming PRIDE programming as part of our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. In June we will launch a large-scale multi-faceted celebration entering into PRIDE weekend where we are merging Drag and NYC history and culture to create a one-of-a-kind PRIDE party at the hotel in partnership with great LGBTQ+ brands and organizations.
