Later this week, on Thursday, October 29, 2009, a long awaited opening event will take place at the Boston W Hotel. The opening, however, could be characterized as a “soft” opening versus a “grand” opening because there is still work to be done on the building.
The Hotel will open its doors, yet, the Bliss Spa, standard fare at the luxury W brand, as well as the signature bar and nightclub to be called Descent, are not scheduled to open until the spring of 2010. Hotel management will hold an official “grand” opening event once those amenities are fully operational.
Sawyer Enterprises, the developer behind the Boston W Hotel, has not yet fully built out the signature spa and showcase lounge because it does not currently have $10.4 million in capital to go forward with the construction. Sawyer is in negotiations with the City of Boston to obtain the additional financing to finish off the hotel, yet the City appears to be apprehensive to extend the financing because Sawyer’s collateral for the funds is the building itself, which has already been extended as collateral to other financiers.
The W will attempt to charge an average room rate of approximately $300 per night, a figure higher than other Boston luxury hotels are securing during times of peak demand. The 123 luxury residential condos on the upper floors of the building are currently still scheduled for a phased opening in the late 2009 or early 2010 timeframe.
Keith Munsell 
