JW Marriott D.C. first to reposition to ‘affordable luxury’

National Report–The JW Marriott in Washington, D.C., is currently undergoing a repositioning to become more competitive in what it refers to as the “entry-level luxury market.”

“It’s much more about the evolution of the brand,” said Mitzi Gaskins, VP of brand development for JW Marriott. “The brand has played in this entry-level luxury space and there are developments centered around that.”

The revamped hotel will feature a new lounge and a bevy of new amenities based around the luxury experience. “There are several things that reflect our new brand identity,” said Gaskins. “There’s a much fresher look, a new guest services director, new amenities and a new wine ambassador program.”

Overall, the hotel will better reflect the brand’s global value proposition. “We have 53 hotels currently in about 22 countries,” said Gaskins. “We have 30 hotels in our pipeline that will be opening within the next three to four years and a lot of that growth is all over the world. We opened five hotels in the U.S. over the last two years, and the portfolio is really in a sweet spot in the entry-level luxury space.”

Demand for affordable luxury is a major sticking point for the JW Marriott brand, Gaskins said. “We’ve seen demand in the entry-level luxury space is stronger than in other segments, and we’ve got hotels in some pretty great resort destinations and gateway cities,” said Gaskins.