CITY BEAT
Palm Springs, Calif.
A Boom in Resorts
More than $1 billion of investment in new hotel product is in the works. The 249-room Holiday Inn Palm Springs City Center opened in January with 8,000 square feet of meeting space. Scheduled to open this month is the $500 million, 244-room Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, offering 20,000 square feet of meeting space, and the 344-room Aqua Caliente Casino & Hotel, with a 2,000-seat auditorium. On track to debut in 2010 is the 499-room Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs, which will offer 35,000 square feet of meeting space.
Savannah, Ga.
Big Project Under Way
The city broke ground earlier this year on a 2,150-foot extension of its Riverwalk, which is part of the $800 million, 54-acre River Landing mixed-use development project. In other news, the 127-room Four Points by Sheraton Historic Savannah opened in 2007. In February, the 63-room TownePlaza Suites opened near the airport.
CA, Los Angeles
Hotel: Hotel Palomar
Los Angeles-Westwood (formerly a Doubletree Hotel).
Reopening: April. Rooms: 264.
Meeting space: 5,000 square feet. Key
changes: upgrades to guest rooms, and the addition of a
destination spa, a fitness center and a high-end restaurant.
CO, Vail
Hotel: The Arrabelle
at Vail Square, a RockResort. Opened: January.
Rooms: 36 rooms, 66 condo units. Meeting
space: 4,200 square feet. Key features:
the French-style brasserie Centre V and the Arrabelle Ski Valet. A
10,000-square-foot RockResorts Spa, a fitness center, a pool and
hot tubs are scheduled to debut this month.
FL, Duck Key
Hotel: Hawks Cay
Resort. Reopened: February. Price
tag: $35 million. Rooms: 177 rooms, 225
villas. Meeting space: 25,000 square feet.
Key features: an 85-slip marina, six bars and
restaurants, the 7,000-square-foot Calm Waters Spa, five pools,
tennis courts and a natural saltwater lagoon.
Bayfront beauty.San Diego’s 430-room Hyatt
Regency Mission Bay Spa & Marina, formerly known as the Hyatt
Islandia, emerged from a $65 million renovation last month.
Highlights include the new Blue Marble Spa, a new pool deck and
lounge (adjacent to three pools and several waterslides), the Red
Marlin signature restaurant and 30,000 square feet of function
space. (619) 224-1234; www.missionbay.hyatt.com
MO, Billings
Hotel: Hilton Garden
Inn Billings. Opened: January.
Rooms: 128. Meeting space: 4,000
square feet. Key features: the Great American
Grill restaurant, the Pavilion Lounge, a fitness center, a 24-hour
business center, and complimentary wired and wireless Internet
throughout the property.
MO, St. Charles
Hotel: Ameristar
Casino Resort Spa in St. Charles. Opened: first
100 suites, February; remainder of suites and spa,
this spring. Rooms: 400 suites. Meeting
space: a 55,000-square-foot conference center offering
approximately 19,000 square feet of meeting space. Key
features: a 7,000-square-foot spa, a 17,500-square-foot
nightclub and a new circle bar, as well as a 130,000-square-foot
gaming floor at the casino.
NM, Albuquerque
Hotel: Hyatt Regency
Albuquerque. Renovations to be completed: this
spring. Price tag: $5 million.
Rooms: 395. Meeting space: 30,000
square feet. Key changes: All guest rooms will be
completely refurbished, and a restaurant renovation will finish up
this summer.
OH, Cleveland
Hotel: Crowne Plaza
Cleveland Airport. Reopened: January.
Rooms: 238. Meeting space:
approximately 16,000 square feet. Key features: a
ballroom accommodating up to 800 people, an indoor pool, a fitness
center, a Buccis steakhouse and complimentary high-speed Internet
access, both wired and wireless.