From massive multimillion dollar overhauls to elaborate conversion and adaptive reuse projects, there were plenty of hotel renovations that grabbed our attention this year. Here are some of the most impressive hotel makeovers of 2014:
Loews Regency Hotel: The more than 50-year-old Loews Regency Hotel in Midtown Manhattan reopened in January following a yearlong, $100 million renovation. The Park Avenue property’s 321 apartment-style guestrooms and 58 suites, designed by Rottett Studio, now feature smart TVs, free high-speed Internet access, and Frette bed linens.To culminate the transformation, Loews Regency recently debuted six new signature suites designed by Nate Berkus Associates, Meyer Davis Studio, Rottet Studio, and Haynes-Roberts. Meyer Davis Studio also designed the hotel’s new restaurant, Regency Bar and Grill, which boasts a 135-seat dining room, a 32-seat full-service bar, and a menu focused on market-fresh ingredients and modern interpretations of classic dishes. Other enhancements to the property include four private meeting spaces, Julien Farel’s new flagship salon and spa, a Milanese-style coffee bar, and a 24-hour fitness center.
The Brice: The Brice hotel in Savannah, Ga., may appear all stylish and modern after a major overhaul by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, but it’s a true slice of history. The 145-room boutique property is located in a historic site, originally built in the 1860s, that once housed a livery stable, a cotton warehouse, a wholesale grocer, a tin shop, and a machine shop. Most famously, it was home to the first Coca-Cola bottling plant in Savannah before its conversion to a hotel in 1982. While Kimpton aimed to put a playful, modern twist on the more traditional style of lodging found throughout Savannah with its latest adaptive reuse project, the company also wanted to bring back memories of a bygone era.
The Broadmoor: In July, Johnson David Interiors completed three distinct interior design projects at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. The $60 million renovation of the property’s Broadmoor West Building, which reopened in late May 2014, was framed by the owner’s desire to imbue the building with rich finishes and Old World craftsmanship found in the original Broadmoor building, constructed in 1918, and throughout many luxury hotels at the time. In addition to a complete redesign of the building’s public spaces, the renovation included a three-floor addition and 31 new guestrooms, four penthouse suites, each complete with a personal terrace, and three hospitality suites. The renovation enlarged all the Broadmoor West guestrooms by 100 square feet to accommodate five-piece luxury marble baths. The project also included new, original designs for Natural Epicurean restaurant and The Fish House, a lodge and fly-fishing school.
The Cromwell Las Vegas: After a $185 million renovation, the former Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall on the Las Vegas Strip reopened as a sleek luxury boutique hotel over Memorial Day weekend. The Cromwell, which is part of Caesars Entertainment’s portfolio, offers 188 rooms and suites in a Parisian-inspired atmosphere, as well as a 35,000-square-foot casino. Architect Leo A. Daly and Las Vegas-based design studio Tandem Las Vegas designed The Cromwell to blend vintage with modern. The exterior of the hotel was inspired by the Coste Hotel in Paris, with its limestone window surrounds and awning-covered balconies. Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis opened her first restaurant, Giada, on the second floor of the hotel. Rising 11 stories above Las Vegas Boulevard, the rooftop features Drai’s Beach Club/Nightclub. Just up the street, Caesars Entertainment invested $223 million to overhaul The Quad, a 2,256-room hotel, which debuted as the LINQ Hotel & Casino in the fall. (See also: The Cromwell Hits Jackpot with All-Female Exec Team.)
Delano Las Vegas: When it came time to refresh Mandalay Bay’s all-suite tower, THEhotel, owner MGM Resorts International wanted to make a big splash. That’s why the company partnered with Morgans Hotel Group to bring its iconic South Beach brand, Delano, to the Las Vegas Strip. The $74 million remodel and rebranding of THEhotel into Delano Las Vegas was an important piece of Mandalay Bay’s property-wide renovation, which began in early 2013. The design draws on natural elements of the hotel’s desert surroundings and weaves in elements of water and beaches to stay true to the original South Beach location. Construction on the 1,100-room luxury lifestyle hotel began in April 2014 and wrapped in September. The property stayed open throughout the project. (Read more about the overhaul in the January issue of Lodging.)
The Edgewater: When The Edgewater first opened in the 1940s, it became an integral part of the Madison, Wis., community and a hotspot for such celebrities as Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, and Elton John. A two-year, $100 million restoration and expansion project has preserved the property’s original Art Deco architecture while creating a more contemporary feel, thanks to design firm Elkus Manfredi Architects. Modern tech amenities include a 90-food interactive media wall and touch-screen tables. In addition to updating the hotel’s two existing buildings, the project added a new hotel tower to the property. The hotel now offers 202 guestrooms, two presidential suites, and 10 studios with kitchenettes.
Arizona Biltmore: The Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort in Phoenix, completed a multimillion dollar renovation in November that has created modern, refined accommodations and public spaces while preserving the historic architecture and design. Guestrooms and suites, the spa and salon, and meeting spaces—including ballrooms, pre-function rooms, and the Mystery Room, a Prohibition-era “speakeasy” that is used for themed events—have been re-mastered with a new look that recalls the seductive style of the resort’s early years. The redesign, directed by luxury hospitality interior design firm Smith & Firestone Associates, continues the original Frank Lloyd Wright style of organically incorporating the natural environment. (Read more about the new look in the guestrooms in the February issue of Lodging.)
Hilton Nashville Downtown: Following phase one enhancements completed in July, which included a renovation of all 330 guest suites and a new executive lounge, Hilton Nashville Downtown and Turnberry Hospitality recently unveiled a new lobby experience as part of its $32 million reinvention. The hotel introduces a completely transformed grand atrium lobby and Parkview Cafe & Lounge, reimagined MarketStreet restaurant, and an open-design business center, among other upgrades. The project will conclude in early 2015 when Trattoria Il Mulino restaurant debuts.
Le Méridien New Orleans: When Chesapeake Lodging Trust purchased a W-branded hotel in New Orleans for $65 million in 2013, it embarked on a $29 million conversion project and reintroduced the property as Le Méridien New Orleans this month. The newly renovated hotel features 410 fully redesigned guestrooms, including 22 suites; three new food and beverage outlets, including a new destination restaurant; and the addition of 1,600 square feet of meeting and event space. Throughout the hotel, the design incorporates lines and grids inspired by the cartography and geography of New Orleans as seen from an aerial perspective. The design also features patterns and textures influenced by cultural and architectural elements. And there’s more to come. The final phase of the hotel transformation will include a redesigned front desk and porte-cochere valet entrance, the enhancement of existing meeting space, and a landscaped palm garden that incorporates an art component and outdoor seating for guests and private events. Over the summer, Chesapeake also unveiled an impressive $38 million renovation of the 520-room W Chicago Lakeshore, a collaboration between New York-based interior design and architecture firm Meyer Davis Design and Starwood’s design team.
