W Hotels Worldwide Unveils Innovative iPhone Application

From the fourth annual International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza, Spain, W Hotels Worldwide today unveiled their highly anticipated global iPhone application. The W app not only holds hotel booking capability for W Hotels around the world, but also features an integrated music platform with exclusive content, a first for the hotel industry, as well as W Insider tips, fashion finds, and other meaningful ideas about “what’s new and next”. Beyond the extension of the W lifestyle, the mobile app will serve as a clear business driver for W Hotels, on trend with how guests are now booking guestrooms. The application can be downloaded free of charge at www.whotels.com/music or through the Apple App Store at www.whotels.com/mobileapp.

“The global iPhone application is a vital, new communication channel for W Hotels that allows us to further connect with our target audience, while bringing to life the passions of the W brand,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien. “Our savvy guests now have on the go information for all W Hotels, including access to W’s signature Whatever/Whenever service, as well as exclusive music content curated by our Global Music Director, Michaelangelo L’Aqua, from DJs all over the world. The W iPhone app is another way for W loyalists to stay connected 24/7.”

W’s Global Music Director, Michaelangelo L’Acqua, acts as the brand’s ambassador for what is new and next in music. One of his ongoing projects is the Symmetry Live series that brings emerging artists to perform in W Hotels, including such acts as Ellie Goulding, Cee Lo Green, Janelle Monae, and Neon Trees. L’Acqua now lends his expertly trained ear to curate music for the iPhone app and will continue to infuse the application with the newest DJ mixes, updated on an ongoing basis.

"MIX.dj is thrilled to provide W Hotels Worldwide with technology and a leading DJ music platform to power their mobile iPhone application," said Xavier Galliot, CEO, MIX.dj. "It is exciting to see an elite hospitality brand like W Hotels embrace the global DJ community and new technologies in order to connect with their audience and extend their brand into lifestyles around the world."

Beyond music, other features of the W Hotels iPhone app include:

• Explore W Hotels Worldwide: Find, explore and book W hotels and retreats around the world.
• Get Local: Check out the local weather, get directions or take a first look at W photos.
• Stay connected: Connect with friends and followers through Facebook, Twitter or FourSquare directly from the W Hotels app.
• Get Insider Access: Find out about special events and exclusive W Happenings in each destination through the "Insider" tab on each hotel page.
• Order In: View and order from the hotel’s in-room dining menus at all hours.
• Have it Delivered: Tap the “I Need” tab for immediate service.
• Treat Yourself or Someone Else: Guests and non-guests alike can order anything, from champagne to snacks, to a guest room at any W Hotel.
• Anything Else? Just Ask: For any other special requests or question, the app enables users to send the hotel an email.
• Get the Inside Scoop: Find out about special offers to redeem during your stay at W Hotels around the world by choosing the “Messages” tab on each hotel page.
• Bring W Hotels Home: Get instant, on-the-go access to W Hotels The Store (W’s take on the traditional hotel gift shop).
• And for those who want more: Check out what’s happening at W Hotels around the globe or find a special deal for your next stay using the ‘Special Offers’ page.

W Hotels Launches Partnership with burn Energy Drink from The Coca-Cola Company

W Hotels today also announced their collaboration with burn, an industry-leading energy drink of The Coca-Cola Company, for the music platform of the W iPhone application. These two international brands will together form the W Hotels and burn DJ Lab, a program that will support up-and-coming DJs. Michaelangelo L’Acqua and music ambassadors affiliated with burn Studios, an online creative community of music enthusiasts, will select DJs for the platform. The selected DJs will polish their skills at the burn Hacienda in Ibiza in August 2011 as they prepare for a global DJ tour. The W Hotels and burn DJ Lab global tour dates will be announced later this summer, while exclusive DJ mixes created at the burn Hacienda will be accessible through the W Hotels iPhone app as well as through MIX.dj.

To learn more about the W Hotels and burn partnership, please visit www.whotels.com/music.

About W Hotels Worldwide

W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the industry innovator with 42 hotels and retreats, including 14 W-branded residences, in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand’s sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous entertainment experiences, stylish retail concepts, signature spas and inspiring residences. With more than 12 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to reach more than 50 hotels by the end of 2012. W Hotels have been announced for Paris, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Athens – Astir Palace, Muscat, Mumbai, and Sante Fe, Mexico, while upcoming W Retreats include Verbier and Mexico’s Riveria Maya. For more information, visit www.whotels.com. To live the W Hotels lifestyle 24/7/365, visit www.wresidences.com.

About burn

burn is a category leader in the global energy drink explosion. The red formula is a symbol of active fire that provides drinkers the energy needed to leave their original vision on the world. Dismantling category norms, burn consumers embody a live-out-loud mentality, without fear of boundaries created by society. burn is a brand of The Coca-Cola Company.

About MIX.dj

MIX.dj is the world’s largest web and mobile based DJ community. The MIX.dj web and mobile music community consists of content producers, content consumers and advertisers. MIX.dj has 1.5 million mobile users (iOS and Droid) and over 120,000 registered users on the web. The community consists of over 55,000 DJ mixes from 12,000 DJs in 150 countries. New DJ party mixes are added 24/7/365. MIX.dj offers DJ promotional tools, fan discovery and recommendation tools, advertising platforms, mobile development, and streaming radio services. MIX.dj also develops customized mobile applications for artists, record labels and lifestyle/hospitality brands. MIX.dj has developed over 100 different mobile applications in the Apple Appstore and Android Market. The MIX.dj global network also offers a powerful mobile advertising platform with a growing network that reaches over 1.5 million mobile users around the world. For more information, visit www.mix.dj on a web or mobile browser.