Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has unveiled a new two-story creative design lab at its global headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. The Starwood Experience showcases the company’s nine global lifestyle brands, and its history of innovation and design-led approach.
Developed as an “idea lab” for Starwood, The Starwood Experience gives associates, owners, developers, customers and marketing partners a first look at new innovations in two- and three-dimensional design, guest-facing technology, brand programming, event activation in public spaces, and food and beverage initiatives. Starwood’s creative and design teams engage with visitors utilizing working design studios and next generation model guest rooms for brands including Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton.
The Starwood Experience Space
On the ground floor, an LED wall features a feed of Starwood news and headlines from around the world. Nearby, a five-panel Global Gallery highlights Starwood’s industry-leading global footprint in 100 countries with a five-panel installation featuring some of the company’s most high profile new hotel properties around the world from Austin to Abu Dhabi, Beijing to Bogota and London to Lhasa.
As guests move to the second floor of The Starwood Experience, they pass through the SPG Tunnel, a passageway that highlights the many innovative partnerships and programming that are at the hallmark of Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) as well as personal stories from SPG members around the globe.
Following the SPG Tunnel, guests enter the inspiring public space of The Starwood Experience where there are four distinct, curated installations, including: a 40-foot Articulated Wall which features the stories and core values of each of Starwood’s nine iconic brands; The Showcase, which is comprised of two separate Corian walls where unique drawer and shelving systems allow for story-telling through physical elements and graphics – the first features a “Brand Storytelling” exhibition and the second is called the “Power of Starwood” which highlights the company’s successful cross-brand, cross-division and cross-hotel programs; and, The Story Wall, which provides an in-depth look at some of Starwood’s latest high-profile brand activations, such as W Hotels Designers of the Future Awards and the Live at Aloft Hotels music program.
A customized meeting space within The Starwood Experience demos next generation meeting technology, including a six-foot tall, 22-foot wide immersion projection screen delivering high-impact presentations.
Additionally, The Starwood Experience is a staging area where visitors can see two- and three-dimensional design work in progress through a combination of eight different design studios and model hotel guest rooms for brands including, Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton.
