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Ross Klein Leaving W Hotels for... Hilton?!!

June 2, 2008 at 9:05 AM | 3 Comments

Yesterday's Page Six reported that Ross Klein has resigned as President of Starwood Hotels and Resort's Luxury Brand Group (but best known as the person behind W Hotels) due to differences with Starwood's new CEO, Frits van Paasschen.

His position is being given to Paul McAveety who was recently hired as Starwood's Chief Branding Officer.

From Page Six:

He didn't get along with Frits, everyone knows that. When Frits came here, the problem started," said the source. "And he was definitely having an issue with Starwood in general, because someone moved into the offices where Ross was and began micromanaging. He resigned because he wasn't having a great time anymore."

Klein has been the person behind the W brand since Barry Sternlicht left Starwood Hotels, and is credited for raising W's cachet with the celebrity set and making W Hotels the "it" place to be.

Klein came up with the idea for the W Fashion Tent at New York City's Fashion Week and the W Hampton Retreat. Klein also brought the aloft brand from concept to fruition.

Last year we were able to meet Klein where it was apparent that the W Hotels that you see today is due to his true passion for the brand and priority number one was creating new unique experiences for guests. Don't you just hate it when the new boss comes in?!

Klein has now taken a position with the Hilton Group, where he will "work closely with their Los Angeles properties."

What?!

Could that mean that Hilton finally got the memo saying that style needs to be infused into today's brands in order to have that edge?

[Photo Credit: NYTimes.com]

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Author Photo: AndrewC by AndrewC

3 Comments

Return to » Ross Klein Leaving W Hotels for... Hilton?!!

  1. AndrewC

    HotelChatter Contributing Editor
    June 2, 2008 at 10:01 AM




    Re: Ross Klein Leaving W Hotels for... Hilton?!!

    The Wall Street Journal reported on Ross's & his right hand man leaving Starwood for Hilton to launch Hilton's luxury boutique hotel brand:
    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121236314063036385.htm

  1. iamdanny

    HotelChatter Member
    June 2, 2008 at 10:51 AM




    Re: Ross Klein Leaving W Hotels for... Hilton?!!

    stunned!

  1. juliana

    HotelChatter
    June 2, 2008 at 11:48 AM




    Re: Ross Klein Leaving W Hotels for... Hilton?!!

    what's really interesting is that aloft was ross' baby. i mean, he was all about "reinventing the roadside motel" with aloft. maybe he got frustrated it took so fricking long to open the first one. er scratch that. we still have two months to wait on the first aloft.

Return to » Ross Klein Leaving W Hotels for... Hilton?!!

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