W Hotels as announced that it will open its first French property, the W Paris-Opéra, in 2011. The hotel will be built in a 19th century building with neo-classical interior, including Corinthian columns and vaulted ceilings across the street from Opéra Garnier. The 90 guestrooms will have 10-foot-high ceilings, a fireplace, white marble bathrooms, and oversized dressing rooms.

Architecture and design firm Rockwell Group Europe will be responsible for the hotel's design under managing and creative director Diego Gronda. Upon arrival, guests will be greeted by an installation of changing images of nature, while a central wall of light that will expand throughout the hotel in both public spaces as well as private guestrooms. This undulating light form will be programmable to correspond with different seasons or times of day.

"For the first W Hotel in Paris, we wanted to give guests an unforgettable experience of the light and energy emanating from this incredible city," says Gronda in a statement. "Our goal was to transform this historic building into a W Hotel that literally shines with innovative and unexpected details, materials and technology."

—Nielsen Business Media