The hotel will form the centerpiece of TH Real Estate’s wider Edinburgh St James project, a 1.7 million square foot scheme that will incorporate retail, entertainment, leisure and apartments and is set to complete by 2020.

Designed by architecture and interior design practice Jestico + Whiles, in conjunction with Allan Murray Architects, the 12-story building will feature an innovative facade crafted from a winding steel ‘ribbon’ around the building.

W Edinburgh will be only the second W hotel in the UK, joining the existing property on Leicester Square in London, which opened in 2011.

The hotel is projected to open in 2021 with 214 guestrooms, including 20 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite, W’s version of a presidential suite.

The Edinburgh St James development will bring a fresh boost to the city’s tourist industry, which contributes an estimated £260 million to Edinburgh’s economy annually.

“As an established business hub with a thriving global tourism industry, we are confident that there will be a huge appetite for our innovative lifestyle brand in the Scottish capital,” said Michael Wale, president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East.

The hotel will also boast a 360-degree panoramic rooftop bar and terrace, with views of the Edinburgh skyline.

On the lower levels will be the lobby bar/reception, which the brand calls W Lounge; a signature restaurant; FIT workout facility; AWAY Spa; and 2,450 square feet of event space.

“From the outset, our intention has been to secure a truly world class hotel operator for Edinburgh St James, complementing the rest of the development and forming an integral part of the scheme’s vibrant offer,” said Stephen Wicks, director of shopping centres at TH Real Estate.

Since launching 15 years ago, W Hotels now stands at 49 hotels and is heading towards 75 by 2020.

Other projects in the pipeline include Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Goa, Abu Dhabi, Phuket, Dubai, Amman, Jakarta, Panama, Riviera Maya, Muscat, Hainan Island, Suzhou, Changsha, Chengdu, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Shenyang, Marrakech, Brisbane, Aspen and Madrid.