????萬(wàn)豪國(guó)際集團(tuán)（Marriott International）一直希望為發(fā)展迅速的JW萬(wàn)豪酒店（JW Marriott）豪華品牌在紐約尋找一個(gè)知名度比較高的位置。很幸運(yùn)，他們獲邀負(fù)責(zé)艾塞克斯豪斯酒店（Essex House）的運(yùn)營(yíng)。去年秋天，這家酒店被芝加哥不動(dòng)產(chǎn)投資信托戰(zhàn)略旅館公司（Strategic Hotels）收購(gòu)。JW萬(wàn)豪酒店僅參與管理不動(dòng)產(chǎn)，名下并不擁有任何地產(chǎn)。

????與戰(zhàn)略旅館公司的合作讓萬(wàn)豪國(guó)際集團(tuán)第二次有機(jī)會(huì)與曼哈頓最著名的豪華酒店艾塞克斯豪斯酒店合作。萬(wàn)豪國(guó)際集團(tuán)曾經(jīng)擁有艾塞克斯豪斯酒店酒店長(zhǎng)達(dá)16年之久。1985年，集團(tuán)把它出售給了日本航空公司（Japan Air Lines）?！緫?zhàn)略酒店項(xiàng)目之前也曾經(jīng)擁有該酒店，但在2005年作價(jià)4.4億美元賣給了迪拜投資集團(tuán)（Dubai Investment Group），后來(lái)又以3.623億美元的價(jià)格重新購(gòu)回?！?/p>

????之前，艾塞克斯豪斯酒店已花費(fèi)9,000萬(wàn)美元進(jìn)行徹底修整。因此，萬(wàn)豪此時(shí)接管這家酒店可謂非常幸運(yùn)，不過(guò)要給這座不動(dòng)產(chǎn)打上JW萬(wàn)豪酒店的烙印，仍然有許多工作要做。JW萬(wàn)豪酒店副總裁兼全球品牌經(jīng)理米茲?加斯金斯一直在負(fù)責(zé)具體的整合工作。來(lái)自華盛頓特區(qū)的加斯金斯于2010年開始負(fù)責(zé)JW品牌。她在紐約期間接受了《財(cái)富》雜志（Fortune）的采訪，討論了艾斯克斯豪斯酒店，豪華旅游市場(chǎng)的狀況，以及JW萬(wàn)豪酒店在全球看到了哪些新的增長(zhǎng)點(diǎn)。

????不論是在華盛頓特區(qū)還是迪拜，JW萬(wàn)豪酒店一直在努力代表周圍的環(huán)境。是什么讓艾斯克斯豪斯JW萬(wàn)豪酒店成為紐約市的標(biāo)志？

????艾塞克斯豪斯酒店是紐約市標(biāo)志性的一部分。從上世紀(jì)30年代以來(lái)，它引人注目的、具有裝飾藝術(shù)風(fēng)格的酒店標(biāo)識(shí)一直是曼哈頓地區(qū)具有歷史意義的建筑。而且酒店所體現(xiàn)出的那種永恒的高貴典雅從來(lái)都不會(huì)過(guò)時(shí)。

????我們的最終目標(biāo)是保持和維護(hù)艾塞克斯豪斯的歷史完整性和歷史建筑，并在酒店中整合JW品牌聞名世界的服務(wù)、設(shè)計(jì)與周到的便利設(shè)施。

????萬(wàn)豪國(guó)際集團(tuán)旗下?lián)碛性S多豪華品牌，包括麗思卡爾頓酒店酒店（Ritz-Carlton）。JW萬(wàn)豪酒店的出眾之處體現(xiàn)在什么地方？

????JW品牌對(duì)于萬(wàn)豪國(guó)際集團(tuán)具有特殊意義，因?yàn)樗菫榱思o(jì)念集團(tuán)創(chuàng)始人（J?威拉德?馬里奧特）及其所留下的遺產(chǎn)。他的子女于1984年創(chuàng)建了JW品牌。時(shí)任CEO的JW?馬里奧特二世創(chuàng)建了最初的JW萬(wàn)豪酒店，把它獻(xiàn)給了自己的父親。酒店位于華盛頓特區(qū)，緊鄰一家九個(gè)座位的小啤酒店，而這里正是萬(wàn)豪國(guó)際集團(tuán)的發(fā)源地。

????JW品牌一直在培養(yǎng)對(duì)于高級(jí)豪華酒店的獨(dú)特理解。為了始終專注于顧客的情感、餐飲文化與健康，我們?cè)谂c許多神奇的品牌合作，其中包括營(yíng)養(yǎng)專家克里?格拉斯曼和藝術(shù)合作伙伴佳士得拍賣行（Christie's）。

????Marriott International had been looking for a high-profile New York City location for the company's growing JW Marriott luxury brand. As luck would have it, JW Marriott, which manages but does not own properties, was asked to run the Essex House after it was bought last fall by the Chicago-based real estate investment trust Strategic Hotels.

????The deal with Strategic was a second chance for Marriott to work with the Essex House, one of Manhattan's most visible luxury hotels. Back in 1985, Marriott had sold the property to Japan Air Lines, after having owned it for 16 years. (Strategic Hotels had previously owned the hotel, too, having sold it to the Dubai Investment Group in 2005 for $440 million before buying it back in September for $362.3 million.)

????While Marriott was fortunate to inherit the Essex House after it had undergone a $90 million overhaul, there was still work to be done to put the JW stamp on the property. Mitzi Gaskins, vice president and global brand manager for JW Marriott, has overseen much of that effort. Gaskins, who is based in Washington D.C., has steered the JW Brand since 2010. While she was in New York, she caught up with Fortune to discuss the Essex House, the state of the luxury travel market, and where JW Marriott sees growth around the world.

????JW Marriott hotels try to reflect their surroundings, whether in Washington, DC or Dubai. What makes the JW Marriott Essex house quintessentially New York City?

????The Essex House is an iconic part of New York. Its striking Art Deco sign has been an historic fixture of the Manhattan skyline since the 1930s and the hotel truly embodies the kind of timeless elegance that never goes out of style.

????Our ultimate goal was to preserve and maintain the Essex House's historic integrity and architecture, but incorporate the service, design and thoughtful amenities the JW brand is known for worldwide.

????Marriott (MAR) has a lot of luxury brands, including Ritz-Carlton. What sets JW Marriott apart?

????JW is very special to Marriott International because it is a tribute to the founder [J. Willard Marriott] and his legacy. His children started the brand in 1984; and JW Marriott Jr., who was CEO at the time, dedicated the original JW Marriott hotel to his father. It opened close to the nine-seat root beer stand in Washington D.C. where the Marriott business began.

????The JW brand has since developed its own unique take on sophisticated luxury. To help focus on our guests' passions, culinary culture and well-being, we've partnered with some incredible brands including Keri Glassman, a nutrition expert, and Christie's, our partner in art.