CA, South Lake Tahoe
Hotel: Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Resort.
Renovations completed: spring and winter 2006.
Rooms: 400. Meeting space: 10,000
square feet. Key changes: a project to upgrade the
two main atria will be unveiled by Christmas; upgraded meeting
space, including the addition of 2,500 square feet of space;
redecorated guest rooms; remodeled skylight roof, pool lining and
deck area in spring 2006.
FL, Fort
Lauderdale
Hotel: St. Regis
Resort, Fort Lauderdale. Opening: Dec. 15.
Price tag: $240 million. Rooms:
166. Meeting space: approximately 24,000 square
feet. Features: a spa, two oceanfront ballrooms, a
lobby bar, a poolside cafe and bar, leather banquet chairs and Vera
Wang china.
FL, Palm Beach
Hotel: Ritz-Carlton,
Palm Beach. Reopening: Dec. 21. Price
tag: $45 million. Rooms: 310.
Meeting space: approximately 90,000 square feet.
Key changes: a new 28,000-square-foot Grand Spa
and new oceanfront suites (debuting summer 2007); an additional
swimming pool; three new restaurants, and a 3,000-square-foot
oceanfront terrace.
GA, Augusta
Hotel: Doubletree
Hotel Au-gusta (formerly a Sheraton property). When
converting: January 2007. Price tag: $6
million. Rooms: 179. Meeting
space: approximately 12,000 square feet.
Features: a complete slate of renovated guest
rooms; a new lounge and Starbucks Coffee Shop, plus newly renovated
restaurant, fitness center and business center.
LA, Lafayette
Hotel: The Hilton
Lafayette. Renovations completed: September.
Price tag: $9 million. Rooms:
327. Meeting space: 22,000 square feet.
Features: makeover of all of the hotel’s guest
rooms, meeting space, lobby and lounge.
OK, Oklahoma City
Hotel: Colcord Hotel.
Opened: Oct. 13. Price tag: $16
million. Rooms: 108. Meeting
space: 1,550 square feet. Features: Wi-Fi
and iPod docking stations in guest rooms; a French restaurant; a
fitness center; an XO Club, and a “rock star” suite.
PA, Hershey
Hotel: Sheraton
Harrisburg-Hershey (formerly a Wyndham).
Reflagged: Oct. 1. Price tag: $11
million. Rooms: 348. Meeting
space: 15,000 square feet. Features: a
completely renovated lobby, meeting space and restaurant, with
changes still scheduled for the hotel’s guest rooms and front
desk.
PA, Philadelphia
Hotel: The Hilton Inn
at Penn. Renovations completed: Sept. 15.
Rooms: 238. Meeting space:
approximately 10,000 square feet. Key
changes: The fruits of an ambitious renovation include
newly decorated guest rooms and revamped main-floor meeting and
banquet facilities.