EDITION Hotels exists because Ian Schrager — the man who co-founded Studio 54 and invented the boutique hotel with Morgans Hotel in 1984 — believed he could create something that neither the boutique world nor the luxury chain world could produce alone: a design-driven, culturally vibrant luxury hotel with the operational scale and distribution of a global brand. The partnership with Marriott International, launched in 2010, gives Schrager creative control over design, dining, nightlife, and cultural programming while Marriott provides the infrastructure, loyalty integration, and booking distribution. The result is a brand that feels independent and curated while delivering the reliability and rewards of the world's largest hotel company.
The Ian Schrager Philosophy
Schrager's approach to hotel design centers on a concept he calls "lobby socializing" — the idea that a hotel's public spaces should function as the living room of the city, drawing locals and guests into a shared social experience. Every EDITION property features carefully designed public areas where the lobby, bar, restaurant, and event spaces flow into one another, creating a social ecosystem that evolves throughout the day: quiet mornings, productive afternoons, vibrant evenings, and intimate late nights.
The design language is sophisticated minimalism with warmth. Where W Hotels lean into bold color and maximalist energy, EDITION properties tend toward muted palettes, natural materials, careful lighting, and a restrained elegance that lets the architecture and the social energy do the work. The food and beverage concepts are not afterthoughts — they are collaborations with world-class chefs and bar operators designed to be destinations in their own right. The nightlife programming, managed by Schrager's team, draws on his decades of experience in creating spaces where interesting people want to gather.
The practical result for guests is a hotel that feels like it was designed by someone with a clear, personal vision — because it was. EDITION properties do not feel like the output of a committee. They feel like the product of a singular creative mind informed by 40 years of defining nightlife and hospitality culture.
The Best EDITION Properties
The London EDITION
Schrager's home base and the property that most fully embodies his vision. Set in the former Berners Hotel — a landmark Victorian building on Berners Street in Fitzrovia — the London EDITION combines historic architectural grandeur with contemporary restraint. The lobby features double-height ceilings, a dramatic fireplace, and the wood-paneled Berners Tavern restaurant, which occupies one of the most beautiful dining rooms in London: 150 works of art salon-hung across the ornate original plasterwork walls and ceiling.
The Punch Room — a 30-seat cocktail bar serving only punch and spirits from a menu of historic recipes — is one of the most distinctive bars in London. The basement events space hosts curated programming, from live music to cultural conversations. The rooms are warm minimalism: dark wood, custom furniture by Yabu Pushelberg, deep bathtubs, and the kind of thoughtful details (custom toiletries, premium technology, soft lighting) that reflect genuine design attention.
The Miami Beach EDITION
The property that proved EDITION could work as a resort brand, not just an urban concept. On the oceanfront in mid-Beach Miami — deliberately positioned between the art deco density of South Beach and the quiet affluence of Bal Harbour — the Miami Beach EDITION features a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, a basement bowling alley and ice-skating rink (a Schrager signature: unexpected recreational spaces), a tropical garden designed by Marcel Wanders, and one of the most sought-after pool scenes in Miami.
The Sandbox — the pool and beach area — combines clean architectural lines with tropical landscape design, creating a social environment that is sophisticated without being exclusive. The spa draws on marine and botanical treatments, and the penthouse suites offer panoramic views across the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay. For travelers choosing between the W South Beach, the Faena, and the EDITION, the distinction is tone: the EDITION is more refined and less overt than either competitor.
The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon
Set in the upper floors of a Toranomon Hills tower, the Tokyo EDITION is the brand's most architecturally refined property. The design, conceived by Kengo Kuma, channels Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics through EDITION's minimalist lens — natural timber, muted tones, deliberate imperfection, and panoramic views across the Tokyo skyline to Mount Fuji on clear days. The Gold Bar on the 31st floor is one of Tokyo's most dramatic cocktail venues, and the lobby lounge occupies a breathtaking double-height space with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The dining program reflects Tokyo's culinary culture: a main restaurant, an intimate omakase counter, and in-room dining that exceeds the standard of most standalone restaurants. The location in Toranomon — a rapidly developing business district adjacent to both Roppongi and Ginza — positions the hotel for guests who want to be in the center of Tokyo's energy without the tourist density of Shinjuku or Shibuya.
The New York EDITION
Set in the landmark Metropolitan Life Clock Tower building on Madison Square Park — one of the most recognizable buildings in Manhattan — the New York EDITION combines historic New York grandeur with Schrager's contemporary vision. The lobby opens onto Madison Square Park, and the Clock Tower restaurant and bar on the upper floors offer views across lower Manhattan through the building's original clock faces. The location, at the intersection of the Flatiron District, NoMad, and Gramercy, is ideal for guests who prefer Manhattan's creative midtown neighborhoods to the corporate density of Midtown or the boutique intensity of the Lower East Side.
The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai
The first large-scale resort EDITION, set within the 600-acre Kanai development on Mexico's Caribbean coast. The property features 180 rooms and suites with private terraces, a cenote-inspired spa, and Schrager's signature integration of nightlife and social programming into a tropical resort setting. The beachfront location, proximity to Tulum's archaeological sites, and the development's commitment to preserving the surrounding jungle and mangrove ecosystem distinguish this from the Riviera Maya's more conventional mega-resorts.
The Barcelona EDITION
Converted from a historic building on Via Laietana in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, the Barcelona EDITION brings Schrager's lobby socializing concept to one of Europe's most vibrant cities. The rooftop pool and terrace, with views across the Gothic Quarter to the Mediterranean, has become one of Barcelona's most desirable social spaces. The ground-floor restaurant and bar flow into one another in characteristic EDITION style, creating a public space that draws both hotel guests and locals from the surrounding neighborhood.
The Abu Dhabi EDITION
Set on Al Bateen Marina with views across the Arabian Gulf, the Abu Dhabi EDITION brings Schrager's social vision to a region traditionally dominated by palatial mega-resorts. The result is a refreshing counterpoint: intimate scale (198 rooms), sophisticated design, and a curated dining and nightlife program that draws Abu Dhabi's creative community alongside hotel guests. The rooftop pool and Oak Room restaurant have become gathering points for a younger, design-conscious Abu Dhabi audience that had previously lacked a hotel that matched their sensibility. The Marina Beach Club provides direct waterfront access with the brand's signature social energy.
The EDITION Nightlife Philosophy
Schrager's background — Studio 54, the Palladium, Morgans Hotel Group — gives EDITION a nightlife credibility that no other luxury hotel brand can claim. Every EDITION property includes at least one venue designed specifically for evening social programming, from the Punch Room at The London EDITION to the basement spaces at Miami Beach. These are not hotel bars that happen to play music. They are nightlife concepts developed with the same care and curatorial attention as standalone venues.
The approach is sophisticated rather than loud. EDITION nightlife tends toward intimate cocktail bars, curated DJ programming, and private event spaces rather than full-scale nightclubs. The Gold Bar at Tokyo EDITION Toranomon exemplifies this: a 31st-floor cocktail lounge with panoramic views, a carefully curated spirits program, and a sound system designed for conversation-level music that rises as the evening progresses. The experience is immersive without being overwhelming — a night out that you feel good about the next morning.
This nightlife dimension adds genuine value for guests. At most luxury hotels, the evening social options are limited to the hotel bar and the concierge's restaurant list. At EDITION properties, the hotel itself becomes the evening destination — a self-contained ecosystem of dining, drinking, and social energy that eliminates the need to navigate unfamiliar neighborhoods or compete for reservations at overbooked restaurants.
EDITION vs. Other Design-Driven Luxury Brands
EDITION vs. W Hotels: The closest comparison within Marriott. Both target design-conscious travelers, both receive identical STARS benefits, and both reject the formality of Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis. The difference is register: EDITION is the elegant cocktail party where the music and conversation are perfectly balanced. W is the vibrant rooftop where the DJ is turned up and the energy is unmistakable. EDITION attracts the creative director; W attracts the creative director on vacation.
EDITION vs. Rosewood: Both brands prioritize design and location-specific character. Rosewood's "A Sense of Place" philosophy shares conceptual territory with Schrager's approach. The difference is heritage: Rosewood draws on the history and culture of each location. EDITION imposes Schrager's contemporary vision onto each location. Rosewood feels rooted; EDITION feels curated. See our Rosewood guide for the full comparison.
EDITION vs. Aman: Opposite ends of the design luxury spectrum. Aman subtracts — radical minimalism, extreme privacy, meditative stillness. EDITION adds — social energy, nightlife programming, curated cultural experiences. Aman is the retreat from the world. EDITION is the immersion into it.
Marriott STARS at EDITION Hotels
EDITION is fully eligible for Marriott STARS benefits — the same preferred partner program covering Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and W Hotels:
- Daily breakfast for two
- Hotel credit applicable toward dining, spa, or experiences
- Priority room upgrade at check-in
- Early check-in and late check-out on priority request
- VIP welcome amenity and recognition
- Full Bonvoy point earning
EDITION + STARS: The combination is particularly compelling because EDITION's dining venues — Berners Tavern in London, Jean-Georges in Miami, the restaurants in Tokyo — are destinations in their own right. Daily breakfast at these restaurants is a genuine culinary experience, not a buffet obligation. When STARS provides it complimentary, the benefit feels proportionally more valuable than at a conventional hotel breakfast room.
How to Book EDITION Through STARS
WhataHotel! holds STARS authorization for every EDITION property worldwide. Book at the same rate as marriott.com with STARS benefits applied automatically. Bonvoy elite benefits stack on top. For design-conscious travelers who value Schrager's curated vision and want complimentary perks at the same published rate, EDITION through STARS is the optimal booking method — combining the most distinctive design hotel brand in the Marriott portfolio with guaranteed benefits that enhance every stay. From the Punch Room in London to the Gold Bar in Tokyo, your STARS breakfast, credit, and upgrade ensure each EDITION experience begins on the best possible terms.