Gaithersburg, Md. — Marshall Hotels & Resorts, a hotel management and services company that operates properties nationwide, recently announced the completion of a multi-million-dollar renovation of the 298-room DoubleTree by Hilton Washington, D.C. North/Gaithersburg. Marshall also announced that Lesly Connolly has been named director of sales and marketing. In her new role, she will be responsible for reintroducing the hotel to travelers and area residents alike.
“With the completion of this top-to-bottom renovation, the DoubleTree by Hilton Washington, D.C. North/Gaithersburg immediately becomes the ‘newest’ hotel with the latest amenities and safety protocols available,” said Mike Marshall, president and CEO, Marshall Hotels & Resorts. “While the property has been an active and proud member of the community for years, this complete refurbishment has taken this from ‘your grandfather’s hotel’ to the freshest upscale hotel product in the market. The hotel underwent a complete transformation, focusing on public spaces, guestrooms, amenities, meeting space, and exterior improvements. We look forward to serving the community for years more to come as we provide superior guest service and the world-famous DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie to discerning business and leisure travelers to the D.C.-Metro area.”
Situated at 620 Perry Parkway, the 12-story hotel is four miles from the Shady Grove METRO Station and a short drive or train ride from Washington, D.C. The hotel is proximate to the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), NOVAVAX, AstraZeneca, and Hughes. Shuttle service is provided to additional, nearby dining and entertainment options, including TopGolf, iFLY, and the Rio Entertainment district.
“Our beautifully renovated hotel has reinspired our entire DoubleTree team as we continually strive to provide superior levels of guest services and commitment,” said Peter Donnelly, general manager. “Construction during the pandemic was exceptionally hard to accomplish, slowing and complicating the refurbishment process. Our fantastic team, however, worked through seemingly impossible odds to truly recreate the hotel from its most basic shell. We look forward to sharing this exciting, ‘like-new’ space with repeat and returning guests, from existing Hilton Honors members to first-time travelers to the greater D.C.-Metro area.”
As part of the full renovation, the lobby was completely reconfigured and the hotel installed a Made Market, a new Hilton grab-and-go concept that serves 24/7 brewed Starbucks brand coffee and a variety of breakfast items, beverages, sandwiches/salads, and quick bites. The lobby lounge was made over and now offers small plate menu options, craft beers, and specialty cocktails. Executive Chef Thomas Hughbanks has been hired to lead the new Knife & Fork, a farm-to-table restaurant serving approachable, eclectic American fare. Twelve newly installed large-screen televisions are situated throughout the lobby, lounge, and restaurant. In addition, the renovated public space now includes a new Hertz car rental office located steps from the front desk, and the hotel’s parking area was updated and reconfigured to remove certain, previous parking restrictions.
The hotel’s 16,356 square feet of event space, including 14 meeting rooms and the 4,859-square-foot Majestic Ballroom, was completely refreshed with new vinyl, carpeting, lighting, banquet chairs, and seating. Additional improvements to the space—which can host 298-people banquets or 450-people meetings—include new tableware, as well as the addition of complimentary WiFi, on-site self-parking, and access to the hotel loading docks.
The renovation enhanced the hotel’s technological capabilities as well, including upgrading to 1GB of fiber WiFi and doubling the number of WiFi access points. The hotel’s meeting space received its own private, separate hard-wired internet line. In preparation for future meetings, the A/V upgrades were implemented with a focus on Zoom meeting capabilities.
The newly renovated hotel now has a 24/7, fully upgraded fitness center, a new indoor/outdoor pool with sundeck, on-site guest laundry, same-day dry-cleaning facilities, and local shuttle service to the nearby METRO station and surrounding areas.
The 298 rooms, including five suites, all received new bedding packages comprised of the exclusive DoubleTree Serta Perfect Sleeper and 400-thread-count, executive-stripe linens. Select rooms have upgraded bathrooms with a walk-in shower or a shower/bathtub combo, while all guest baths received new granite countertops and backlit, magnifying mirrors. Certain rooms added private, outdoor balconies. Additional guestroom improvements include complimentary WiFi, new refrigerators, laptop-sized safes, and 55” HD flatscreen televisions.
To improve and expand the hotel’s recognizability, Lesly Connolly has been named director of sales and marketing for the DoubleTree by Hilton Washington, D.C. North/Gaithersburg. With nearly 25 years of experience, she brings with her a multi-layered approach across various brands and segments augmented with a strong, local background. Prior to joining the DoubleTree, Connolly was the senior sales manager for The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Va. She previously held such positions as sales and marketing director for the Holiday Inn Dulles and senior sales manager of the Hilton Washington Dulles. Connolly received her associate degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Bay Path University. She also is a longtime member of the Potomac Chapter of Meeting Professionals International, having served as president as recently as 2018.
“Neither returning guests nor visiting locals will recognize the ‘new’ DoubleTree by Hilton Washington, D.C. North/Gaithersburg,” Connolly said. “I eagerly await the opportunity to reintroduce this hotel to both the community and new and returning travelers seeking the finest upscale accommodations available in the area. Not only have we transformed the space from top to bottom to provide the latest and greatest amenities in a warm and welcoming atmosphere with superior guest service touches, but we also have taken meaningful steps to address pandemic-related health safety concerns. We are confident these end results will impress everyone who steps across our new threshold.”
