????萬豪國際集團（Marriott International）一直希望為發展迅速的JW萬豪酒店（JW Marriott）豪華品牌在紐約尋找一個知名度比較高的位置。很幸運，他們獲邀負責艾塞克斯豪斯酒店（Essex House）的運營。去年秋天，這家酒店被芝加哥不動產投資信托戰略旅館公司（Strategic Hotels）收購。JW萬豪酒店僅參與管理不動產，名下并不擁有任何地產。

????與戰略旅館公司的合作讓萬豪國際集團第二次有機會與曼哈頓最著名的豪華酒店艾塞克斯豪斯酒店合作。萬豪國際集團曾經擁有艾塞克斯豪斯酒店酒店長達16年之久。1985年，集團把它出售給了日本航空公司（Japan Air Lines）。【戰略酒店項目之前也曾經擁有該酒店，但在2005年作價4.4億美元賣給了迪拜投資集團（Dubai Investment Group），后來又以3.623億美元的價格重新購回。】

????之前，艾塞克斯豪斯酒店已花費9,000萬美元進行徹底修整。因此，萬豪此時接管這家酒店可謂非常幸運，不過要給這座不動產打上JW萬豪酒店的烙印，仍然有許多工作要做。JW萬豪酒店副總裁兼全球品牌經理米茲?加斯金斯一直在負責具體的整合工作。來自華盛頓特區的加斯金斯于2010年開始負責JW品牌。她在紐約期間接受了《財富》雜志（Fortune）的采訪，討論了艾斯克斯豪斯酒店，豪華旅游市場的狀況，以及JW萬豪酒店在全球看到了哪些新的增長點。

????不論是在華盛頓特區還是迪拜，JW萬豪酒店一直在努力代表周圍的環境。是什么讓艾斯克斯豪斯JW萬豪酒店成為紐約市的標志？

????艾塞克斯豪斯酒店是紐約市標志性的一部分。從上世紀30年代以來，它引人注目的、具有裝飾藝術風格的酒店標識一直是曼哈頓地區具有歷史意義的建筑。而且酒店所體現出的那種永恒的高貴典雅從來都不會過時。

????我們的最終目標是保持和維護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、設計與周到的便利設施。

????萬豪國際集團旗下擁有許多豪華品牌，包括麗思卡爾頓酒店酒店（Ritz-Carlton）。JW萬豪酒店的出眾之處體現在什么地方？

????JW品牌對于萬豪國際集團具有特殊意義，因為它是為了紀念集團創始人（J?威拉德?馬里奧特）及其所留下的遺產。他的子女于1984年創建了JW品牌。時任CEO的JW?馬里奧特二世創建了最初的JW萬豪酒店，把它獻給了自己的父親。酒店位于華盛頓特區，緊鄰一家九個座位的小啤酒店，而這里正是萬豪國際集團的發源地。

????JW品牌一直在培養對于高級豪華酒店的獨特理解。為了始終專注于顧客的情感、餐飲文化與健康，我們在與許多神奇的品牌合作，其中包括營養專家克里?格拉斯曼和藝術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.