Harbouring a long-held crush, W Hotels Worldwide announced its grand re-entry to the iconic harbour city with the highly-anticipated signing of W Sydney, W Sydney set to mark the third hotel in Australia following W Brisbane (now open) and W Melbourne (2020).

Built and developed by Grocon and funded by Greaton Group, W Sydney will make waves with its debut slated for 2020. The new-build hotel will be part of ‘The Ribbon’, an electrifying development designed by the award-winning architect HASSEL that will transform Sydney’s skyline on Darling Harbour. With its game-changing Whatever/Whenever service and bold design, W Sydney will shake up the city’s social scene, turning traditional luxury on its head.

“Sydney – with its glamorous energy, cultural diversity and statement architecture – is the perfect match for W Hotels,” said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. “Wherever my travels take me, I am asked again and again when W is returning to Sydney, and I am thrilled to finally be able to answer the question. With the long-awaited return of the W brand in Sydney, Australia will now have three W hotels, along with W Brisbane and W Melbourne – demonstrating just how important and exciting this continent is for global travel.”

W Sydney will feature 593 stylish guestrooms, suites and serviced apartments. Guests can spend lazy days or wild nights at the WET DECK®, the brand’s iconic pool deck with shimmering, Insta-worthy views of Darling Harbour. A restaurant serving up local flavors as well as two bars, including the brand’s signature see-and-be-seen Living Room, will round out the hotel’s buzzing cocktail and cuisine scene. W Sydney will also be home to the W brand’s signature AWAY® Spa , as well as a state-of-the-art FIT gym, and 925 square meters of event space (including a grand ballroom) which will set the stage for creative meetings and sparkling social ocassions.

“The boundary breaking approach to luxury from W Hotels is a worldwide phenomenon, and there is no better city than Sydney to shake off convention and shake up the way it’s always been done,” said Richard Crawford, Senior Director Hotel Development, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Marriott International. “We are excited to have found the right location and the right partner who shares our vision. The property will be a game-changer for Sydney and an absolute market leader when it comes to luxury hotels in the city.”

The opening of W Sydney will mark the third W in Australia alongside W Brisbane (just opened in June 2018) and W Melbourne (opening 2020). Together with recent openings like W Amman, W Panama and W Shanghai, the Aussie openings will bring W Hotels close to its goal of 75 hotels by the end of 2020. W Sydney will also be part of Marriott International’s rapidly-expanding portfolio of 18 hotels in Australia. The signing of W Sydney marks close to 20 properties under development in Australia including The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, The Ritz-Carlton Perth, and The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart.