W South Beach & Residences in Miami Beach, Florida, will drop its Marriott affiliation and lay off hundreds of employees upon closing for renovations later this summer.
The hotel and residences will shut down for renovations on Aug. 20, at which time Marriott will no longer operate the hotel, according to a letter sent to Florida state officials in accordance with the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The transition will also result in the permanent termination of 337 employees at the property, effective Aug. 19.
W South Beach & Residences is “unaware of when the hotel will reopen or who the new operator will be at that time,” according to the June 18 letter.
The renovation and rebranding comes after Geneva, Switzerland-based private equity investment firm Reuben Brothers acquired W South Beach in a deal valued over $400 million in 2024. At that time, the property offered 348 managed hotel and condo units.
In a statement to Hotel Dive, Reuben Brothers said: “We understand this transition affects the talented employees who have dedicated themselves to this property. We value their commitment and are actively supporting them through this transition.
“Our investment in 2201 Collins Avenue is significant and long-term, and it will create additional employment opportunities for existing team members to return and for new colleagues to join,” the statement continued. “We are finalizing details regarding the new management operator and look forward to sharing that announcement soon. Our goal is to ensure this hotel continues to provide quality jobs for Miami Beach workers and remains a point of pride for the community for decades to come.”
According to planning documents submitted to the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board, the renovation is set to add a new patisserie, a private members-only club and a new beach club restaurant. The project would also modify valet operations, including adding a dedicated members-only drop-off entrance along the north side of the property. Meanwhile, cosmetic upgrades would be made to the guest rooms and public spaces, including the pool bar and deck.
Marriott International confirmed to Hotel Dive that it will no longer operate the property but did not provide further details on the brand transition.
Earlier this year in Miami Beach, hospitality management company Highgate announced it would cease operations and lay off more than 100 workers at the Goodtime Hotel.
