I've always wondered about this.

The level of service is usually better. They have better amenities. Higher end dining and nicer spas. I was told at one stay that these properties are the only properties owned entirely by Mr. Marriott and the standards are higher. They are usually at least $100 more then any nearby regular Marriott too.

Bathrooms are usually nicer - seperate tub and shower, marble, larger. Service seems more personal. I always think of the middle ground between fs Marriott and Ritz-Carlton.

The standards for the brands are different, but the reality is that the comparison depends more on the particular property than on the brand. I've stayed at Rens and Marriotts that outclassed nearby JW's and vice-versa.

That's my thinking as well.

We were staying at the Wailea Beach Marriott in Maui last month and asked about the rumor that it was being converted to a JW. We were told that that was the original plan but it seemed they couldn't retrofit the new rooms for a separate tub and shower. So that negated them becoming a JW.

Or at least that's the rumor.

that is not correct

Here are some threads from a couple of years ago where the "JW" distinction was discussed, What's with the JW Marriott Properties?? and What, specifically, is the difference between a "JW" and a regular Marriott?. I'm not sure that anything truly definitive was ever really found in those threads, but they both have some good info in them.

Also, if you check out Marriott's website here, Marriott seems to be "marketing" the JW brand as less of a business hotel and more of a luxery hotel. This matches some of what was brought out here and in the other threads.

the above is probably the best way to look at it, the original JW was actually developed as a tribute to JWM Senior and later developed into a brand to compete with Ritz-Carlton but never achieved that goal, it has settled into the middle ground

I'd have to agree that the bathrooms are the biggest and most obvious difference as well as the staff. I've stayed at a few J.W.s but the only city where I've stayed in just about all the Marriott properties would be Denver. Comparing them all I'd have to say that the Marriott City Center and J.W. are above and beyond better than the Renaissance.

The MCC and JW in Denver I'd almost rank as a tie but it depends on what you're looking for. The MCC is far larger and subsequently has more too offer for the added guests, but the rooms themselves are pretty on par. The JW on the other hand has 1/3 the rooms and ergo about 1/3 the "communal" space, but it's noticably "better"... Better lighting, more pleasing to the eye... (Reminds me a bit of the W on Union Square in NYC.) The room was equal to the MCC, but the bathroom... Holy cow.

For the sake of arguement, here are three different Marriott brands that I would say tie in respects to what I got at the JW when you add the "cool" factor. (this is room ONLY, not the bathroom.) The Renaissance Cleveland, Courtyard Pittsburgh Downtown and as I mentioned the Denver Marriott City Center. Each of those three had equally intriguing rooms but the bathroom in the JW, as well as the service staff were just in a league of their own.

I believe I once read one of the differences was in the employee to guest ratio.

Which has been my experience. The JW's where I've stayed have been very nice full-service Marriotts. I have not had the good fortune to stay at a JW property that has the grand bathrooms that others are raving about. Ritz-Carltons they ain't .

I stayed at the JW in DC and didn't really notice much difference.

I too have stayed on the club floor of the Penn Ave JW in DC. I happen to remember the fact that the bathroom was as small as a regular marriott (if not smaller) and did not have the seperate tub/shower.

I hate to say the reason I remember it vividly is because I was suffering the flu and was feeling quite clostophobic.

Anyone want to venture a guess how the DC location earns it distinction?

See my earlier post....DC is #1 in the brand extension

As Socrates stated, it is the original JW Marriott and as such holds that name for namesake, and not for JW standards which were developed after its existence. So it is kind of fathered/grandfathered to the JW name.