"Hotels are a kind of mythical social space that is very specific, " notes David Rockwell, designer of the W hotels in New York.

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Then there is W Hotels.

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Member hotels include W, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points, St Regis, the Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, Aloft and Element.

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And Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide wants to turn its hotels, including Westin and W, into lifestyle brands that offer unique and entertaining stays.

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Overall, international chains are planning 208 new hotels across Africa, according to W Hospitality Group, a research company, up from 159 in development last year.

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BLUE, Woolloomooloo Bay, Sydney, changed its name in February--it was formerly the W. Now part of the India-based Taj hotels and resorts group, it still offers the same 100 spacious, hip, loftlike rooms located in a converted wharf.

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Starwood also has a W hotel near the French Quarter on Poydras Street, three other hotels in New Orleans and two in suburban Metairie.

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Unlike most of the hotels in the area, the Paramount, which is priced under the nearby W and the Marquis, has a welcoming two-story "living room" lobby where "you can kick up your feet, chill out and regroup, " said Mr. Rosen.

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