W HOTELS WORLDWIDE ARRIVES TO MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK IN NEW YORK WITH JET SET STYLE

Returning for its 13th Season, the W Hotels Arrivals Lounge Highlights W's Continuing Global Growth While Bringing to Life the W Brand's Passions for Fashion and Music

New York, NY - February 11, 2010 - Marking its 13th consecutive season as a major sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, W Hotels Worldwide today kicks off another unique and stylish W VIP backstage Lounge at the Bryant Park Tents, this season with the theme of Arrival. The Arrivals Lounge will celebrate W's continued global expansion highlighting new and upcoming destinations, including soon-to-open W Hotels in London, Paris, St. Petersburg and New York as well as W Retreats in Koh Samui, Vieques Island, and Bali. Hosting fashion-focused events by day mixed with high-profile guest DJ sets by night, the Arrivals Lounge is the perfect blend of fashion and music, a true expression of W's passions come to life.

"Fashion Week is the perfect place for W Hotels to celebrate its ongoing passion for fashion," said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. "This season, in addition to announcing our newly appointed Fashion Director to the world, we are making music an integral part of the Lounge experience, offering fashion insiders a true W Hotels experience right in the middle of Bryant Park."

Created by New York design firm SLADE Architecture (Barbie Shanghai, Ordos 100 Villa, and the Lever House offices), the Arrivals Lounge is a contemporary and cool interpretation of arriving to a new destination, bringing to life locations where W will soon open new hotels and retreats. Celebrities, designers and fashion's elite will enter through a tunnel of ambient colored light, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of backstage. Playing with the idea of arriving to a new destination, the design of the Lounge includes sleek banquette seating inspired by luggage conveyor belts, signs inspired by "Arrival" and "Departure" boards displaying the names of W's current and upcoming destinations, and modern trunks showcasing W's exclusive Global Glam Collection, a newly launched fashion and accessories collection created exclusively by established and emerging designers inspired by the design of W's latest hotels.

Although fashion is the main attraction of the week, W will also celebrate its passion for music with high-profile DJ sets selected by W's Global Music Director, Michaelangelo L'Acqua. As day turns to night, the Arrivals Lounge will transform into a Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week hotspot, with a full service bar and a line-up of DJ and live performances, by the likes of Semiprecious Weapons; The Golden Filter; Designer Katie Gallagher; Victoria Bergsman; Theophilus London; Lincoln Madely; and Fashion Blogger Liz Cherkasova.

Throughout the week, the Lounge will feature an exciting schedule of fashionable events, including private soirées with fashion tastemakers and renowned designers. While sipping cocktails and Veuve Clicquot provided by Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits and enjoying treats from CRUMBS Bake Shop and POP Burger, guests of the Lounge will also be treated to an appearance by celebrated fashion illustrator Danny Roberts (of Igor + Andre fame) who will sketch guests and VIPs as well as an exclusive Valentine's Day appearance by astrologers to the stars, Starsky + Cox. Rounding out the week, W will celebrate the appointment of stylist and fashion authority Amanda Ross as the brand's first ever Global Fashion Director with a cocktail party for fashion insiders from around the globe.

Catwalk for a Cause:
This season, W Hotels once again offers its exclusive "Catwalk" package, available exclusively at W New York - Union Square, for an experience every fashionista will fancy. W's "Catwalk" guests will receive two VIP invitations to a runway show of their choice, two VIP passes to the W Hotels Arrivals Lounge, a late 3PM checkout, bliss's bestselling "Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask", and a Fantastic W suite. A portion of proceeds from the sales of each package will benefit W's charitable partner, Dress For Success. Rates for W's "Catwalk" package start at $899 per night. For more information, visit www.whotels.com/catwalk.