BROOKLYN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today West Elm announced the expansion of its signature new modern aesthetic into the travel and hospitality industry with the launch of West Elm HOTELS (www.westelmhotels.com), a partnership with hospitality management and development company DDK. The first properties are expected to be located in Detroit, Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Savannah, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana, and are planned to begin opening in late 2018. Additional locations will be announced in the future.
“After twenty-six consecutive quarters of double-digit comparative growth, including our successful entry into the commercial furnishings market with West Elm Workspace, we’ve created an active bond with our customers that can extend beyond home and work,” said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “By adapting the framework design of each hotel to reflect the mood and identity of its host city, we will continue to engage the adventurous spirit of our customers as they follow us to our next level of hospitality.”
As part of West Elm's ongoing commitment and relationship with makers around the world, each West Elm hotel will feature local design elements that celebrate community and reflect traditional décor, handicraft, cuisine and culture from the region. Artwork will be commissioned and curated locally for each guest room as well as for the communal, common areas in each hotel.
“There is a growing desire among modern travelers to immerse themselves in the place they are visiting. They want a boutique experience, and expect great, reliable service that caters to their needs,” said David Bowd, co-founder of DDK. “Our general managers will serve as innkeepers, and West Elm HOTELS will focus on making real community connections for visitors and residents alike.”
A network of locally managed properties, West Elm HOTELS revolves around three key tenets:
- Wholehearted hospitality: Great service, personalized attention, regional knowledge and community connections will help guests feel like a local and at home.
- Distinctive, thoughtful design: Each property will have its own design point of view, from the exterior architecture to custom installations, such as locally crafted art and bespoke furnishings.
- Community connection: Communal spaces and one-of-a-kind experiences will bring guests and neighbors together in a relaxed, collective setting.
True to the West Elm brand, these tenets will be reflected in the design, programming and overall guest visit to offer an inviting and accessible hospitality experience. Guests will also be able to purchase the furnishings and artwork found in any room on-line at www.westelm.com.
About West Elm
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first store in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. With the mission of helping customers express their personal style at home, work and away, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern living to its commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and handcrafted products to community-driven in-store events and collaborations. The brand operates 93 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world and operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines through unaffiliated franchisees. In addition to home furnishings retail, West Elm operates West Elm Workspace in the commercial furnishings industry. West Elm publishes the blog Front+Main and is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
About DDK
Founded in 2014, DDK is a full service management company providing operations expertise and technical services for boutique hotel management and development. Co-founders and company principals Kim Phoebus, David Bowd & David Wasserman have helped to create, launch and operate more than 70 properties globally, creating a unique hospitality experience with each project. DDK excels in producing hotel environments that truly reflect the local neighborhood and surrounding areas through locally-inspired design, cuisine and services, along with hiring of local staff to help create an engaging experience from the moment guests walk inside. In addition to hotel planning and programming, DDK provides leadership in all aspects of operations, including: pre-opening coordination, sales and marketing, revenue management, online presence and distribution, financial and asset management and human resources. For additional information, visit www.ddkhotels.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they do not fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause Williams-Sonoma, Inc.’s results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the anticipated opening of West Elm HOTELS locations and the success of such hotels. The risks and uncertainties that could cause the company’s results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include the risks that the hotels do not open on schedule or are not successful. Other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Williams-Sonoma, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2016, all subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the company as of the date hereof, and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
