New and Improved Hotels and Resorts Offer Fresh Options for Memorable Meetings

January 14, 2021

In cities across the United States, as well as south of the border, hotels and resorts are under construction, coming online or completing remodel projects. The work comes just in time to start luring group business as the hospitality industry begins its recovery. Take a look:

In December, Indianapolis welcomed the Bottleworks Hotel, a new 139-key boutique property occupying the top two floors of the historic Coca-Cola Bottling Co. administration building in the city’s downtown.

Featuring a glamorous art-deco aesthetic that weaves historic architectural features with modern hotel amenities, the hotel offers a variety of rooms and suites,13,493 square feet of meeting space, room service, a fitness center, valet parking, an upscale restaurant and lounge and retail offerings.           

The hotel serves as a marquee property for the city’s new Bottleworks District, a $300 million,12-acre urban mixed-use development. As the largest private development of its kind in Indiana, the district is designed to serve as a culinary, arts and entertainment hub and features the city’s first food hall, residential options, 180,000 sq. ft. of flexible office space and 175,000 sq. ft. of retail space. 

The Marker Key West Harbor Resort in Key West, Florida, has unveiled a $3 million renovation project that includes new guest rooms, a refurbished meeting space and updated fitness center.

Sporting a tropical beach resort vibe and located in the resort’s secluded private residence, Harbor House, “The Residences” are 1,000–1,400-sq.-ft. one and two bedroom suites with open-air balconies and spa-like bathrooms. Brimming with natural light, the resort’s updated 655-sq.-ft. meeting space includes 11-foot ceilings and can accommodate up to 70 guests, while the resort’s refreshed fitness center has been outfitted with new workout equipment, including Hydrow rower machines and Peloton bikes.

Situated steps from the waterfront boardwalk, al fresco dining, outdoor bars and fishing charters, the modern waterfront resort has 96 guest rooms as well as three saltwater pools and an open-air restaurant and bar. In response to COVID-19, the hotel has embraced the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Safe Stay initiative focused on enhanced hotel cleaning practices, social interactions and workplace protocols.

The 12-story, 196-room Renaissance Milwaukee West Hotel opened its doors in August 2020 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Minutes from downtown Milwaukee and within the Mayfair Mall shopping and lifestyle district, the upscale property features a unique garment construction-themed design throughout its guestrooms and suites.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, the new property’s more than 9,864 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space includes the 4,500-sq.-ft. Revel Hall ballroom, modern furnishings, AV capabilities that can serve virtual conferencing and high-speed Wi-Fi. A dedicated in-house events team is also available to assist groups.

Guests can take advantage of a top-floor fitness center, food and beverage outlets, and easy access to the area’s shopping, culinary and entertainment offerings. The hotel participates in Marriott’s Commitment to Clean and Concord Hospitality’s PureStay Program, which includes on-going staff training, social distancing, enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

Louisville, Kentucky, is taking big strides to grow its hotel room inventory, with 6,000 new hotel rooms coming online, proposed or added in the past 18 months. In that timeframe, 1,500 hotel rooms have been added to the city’s inventory, led by downtown’s Hotel Distil, Moxy and the micro-boutique Hancock House, along with another 1,600 under construction. 

Some of the city’s hotel development projects include:

  • Churchill Downs is developing a 7-story, 156-room hotel. Slated for a late 2022 unveiling, it will offer trackside suites with private balconies and covered panoramic views of the entire track, as well as non-track facing rooms providing access to a second floor party deck for race viewing. A penthouse banquet room, 27,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, meeting rooms and event space will be available throughout the year and will likely include exclusive Derby packages with track views. 
  • Expected to open by mid-2021, Cambria Hotel Louisville Downtown-Whiskey Row will have 128 guest rooms and nearly 2,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. It will house two full-service restaurants, an indoor heated pool, a grab-and-go market and sundry shop.
  • Louisville’s only riverfront hotel, Galt House Hotel, recently underwent an $80 million renovation to update guest rooms, ballrooms and meeting space, as well as re-tool three restaurants: the new Walker’s Exchange, rotating restaurant Swizzle and the bourbon-centric lounge, Jockey Silks.

Louisville’s total room inventory is projected to reach 22,869 by 2022.

Opening in Feb. 2021 as the first Marriott International property to debut in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico, Aloft Tulumis a boho-chic-inspired hotel offering 140 loft-style guest rooms and suites, trendy social spaces (including a rooftop bar and lounge), a pool, a fitness center and a meetings venue.

Located between Tulum’s downtown district and its beaches, the property’s guest rooms will feature 10-foot high ceilings, plush platform beds, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, 55-inch LCD televisions, Aloft custom toiletries and walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads.  

Aloft Tulum has three multi-functional conference spaces totaling 2,761 sq. ft. that can accommodate up to 240 people. The spaces will be equipped with the latest audiovisual-technology, plasma screen televisions and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Offering the largest meeting resort on Florida’s west coast, TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, Fla. has completed a $15 million guest room and meeting space renovation project at its Island Grand and RumFish Beach Resort properties. 

Completed in phases from Jan. 2019 through March 2020, the $13 million guest room renovations include all 585 rooms at the Island Grand and 211 rooms at the RumFish Beach Resort. New guest room furniture includes sofa beds, carpeting, paint and upgraded bathroom mirrors and lighting, as well as bedding, draperies and upholstery. Rooms at the RumFish Beach Resort also received new closet doors, sliding glass doors, windows and club chairs in the seating area. New beachfront balconies were added to 56 RumFish Beach Resort rooms and 24 Island Grand Rooms, while new railings and exterior paint were added property-wide.

Finished in Fall 2020, the $2.2 million redesign of the resorts’ 50,000-sq.-ft. meeting spaces and common areas included the Grand Palm Colonnade lobby area, all meeting rooms and the Pavilion at the Island Grand property. Transformative touches include new carpeting, furniture, lighting and paint.

On Jan. 11, Embassy Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport reopened with a fresh new look following a multi-million dollar makeover of its public space, restaurant and 316 two-room guest suites.

Located less than a mile from San Francisco Bay Trail in the Northern California city’s Biopharmaceutical area, the hotel features a contemporary design, with its two-room suites offering a residential feel that allows for separate work, living or dining room space. In addition to hotel guestrooms, designers reimagined Taste Restaurant, which features locally sourced food and beverages. 

The hotel also has 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, an indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a Grab & Go market, a 24-hour fitness facility, electric car charging stations, and is 10 minutes to San Francisco International Airport.  

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some services and amenities have been adjusted in order to adhere to health and safety guidance from the local government. To ensure the health and safety of its guests, the property is participating in the Hilton CleanStay Program.

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