The new year will bring an eclectic array of new properties throughout the United States. Lodging Econometrics, the hotel data firm, forecasts that 1,056 new hotels will debut in 2017, adding a total of 118,638 guest rooms to the market. That's a substantial jump from the 841 hotels/95,346 rooms projected to open by the end of 2016.
Following is a sneak peek at some of the new and noteworthy properties slated to begin welcoming guests -- and groups -- in 2017.
Arizona
Mountain Shadows, Paradise Valley
February 2017
This hip new boutique property, built on the site of the old Marriott Mountain Shadows Resort, is the ambitious project of Woodbine Development and Westroc Hospitality, which manages Hotel Valley Ho and Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort. The 183-room hotel, nestled between Camelback and Mummy mountains, will have a lounge, restaurants, a 5,000-square-foot fitness center, 12,500 square feet of indoor and 25,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space. The project also includes the redesign of neighboring Mountain Shadows Golf Club and a new 18-hole, all-par-3 golf course.
California
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
April 2017
This elegant 170-room property has a pedigreed address: the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards. The 12-story, Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed hotel's offerings are equally luxe: A grand lobby rising three stories will greets guests in style, while chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will oversee the on-site restaurant. In addition, a 5,000-square-foot spa will pamper guests, and a rooftop lounge deck will feature panoramic views, VIP cabanas and a swimming pool, making it a prime after-hours gathering spot. Guest rooms will include furnished entry foyers and floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto large balconies. For meetings and events, the Waldorf will offer 6,500 square feet.
Pendry San Diego
January 2017
A new brand from Montage Hotels & Resorts will debut in Southern California this month with the opening of the 317-room Pendry San Diego. The hotel has been designed with both modern and traditional touches and is imbued with a more laid-back vibe than its luxury sister brand.
In the trendy Gaslamp District, the property is conveniently located just three blocks from the San Diego Convention Center; two blocks from Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres; and just four miles from San Diego International Airport. The Pendry has 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space; other features include a rooftop pool, a 24-hour fitness center and a spa. With six dining and beverage outlets, guests can choose among modern coastal cuisine at Lionfish; Southern California-inspired seasonal fare at Provisional; light bites and poolside drinks at the Pool House; cocktails at Fifth & Rose; local craft beers at Nason's Beer Hall, and a bar with associated nightlife at the Oxford Social Club.
Florida
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
January 2017
This destination resort is designed with groups in mind: Flexible function space includes seven meeting rooms divisible into 12 breakout rooms, plus what the hotel bills as the largest ballroom (spanning 10,632 square feet) on Clearwater Beach. The resort has 343 guest rooms a full-service spa, a pool and a prime spot on a sugar-white beach. Dining takes place in a coffee bar and an Asian Fusion restaurant, while Clearwater Beach's restaurants, bars and clubs are in close proximity.
Hawaii
Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach, Oahu
January 2017
Hawaii's first property sporting the Millennial-minded Hyatt Centric brand will debut in Honolulu this month. In the former Waikiki Trade Center, the hotel has 230 guest rooms; a lounge pool; outdoor seating with circular fire pits; a 24/7 fitness facility; a bar and restaurant; and several retail outlets, including a Nordstrom Rack, a Starbucks serving beer and wine, and a Jamba Juice. The property calls its meeting space "nontraditional" in open-air lobby settings, and geared for small to midsize gatherings.
New York
Hotel 50 Bowery, New York City
March 2017
New York City's bustling Chinatown is where Joie de Vivre Hotels will unveil of its first property in the Big Apple. Guests at the 229-room Hotel 50 will be able to appreciate Chinatown's culture through three different dining concepts by chef Dale Talde and his partners at Three Kings Restaurant Group. The hotel also will be home to a permanent exhibit by the Museum of Chinese in America, complete with an on-site curator.
The pet-friendly guest rooms have Jonathan Adler designer amenities, Lefroy Brooks rain shower heads and luxe linens. For meetings, the property will offer three spaces, the largest of which will hold 65 delegates.
South Carolina
Hotel Bennett, Charleston
Fall 2017
A so-called "ladies bar" featuring an etched-mirrored ceiling and reclaimed pink marble will be one of the unique offerings of the forthcoming Hotel Bennett. This upscale property, on the site the original west wing of The Citadel and later the Charleston Library, will have 179 guest rooms, a signature two-tiered restaurant with terraces overlooking historic Marion Square, several bars and lounges, a rooftop pool with cabanas and a bar, a luxury spa and a French patisserie. Meeting-space specifics had not been determined as of press time. The Bennett will be operated by Salamander Hotels & Resorts.
Tennessee
Renditions of the Kimpton
Aertson Hotel, NashvilleKimpton Aertson Hotel, Nashville
Spring 2017
In Music City's trendy midtown district near Vanderbilt University, the 180-room "industrial chic" Kimpton Aertson Hotel will aim to give groups an authentic Nashville experience when it opens this spring. The property is the centerpiece of the Aertson Midtown mixed-use project and will feature an eatery serving American brasserie fare, an eighth-floor pool deck and a spa. Planners will find more than 6,500 square feet of meeting and event space, including a ballroom with a private balcony opening onto unobstructed views of downtown.
Texas
Fairmont Austin Hotel
August 2017
Everything's bigger in Texas, including the largest meeting hotel to debut in the United States this year: the 1,048-room Fairmont Austin. The gargantuan, 37-story property will be connected to the Austin Convention Center via skyway and will have 150,000 square feet of its own meeting and event space. With six restaurants planned, attendees will have plenty of dining options, while meeting-weary delegates can get rejuvenated in a spa that promises nine treatment rooms.
Virginia
Hilton Norfolk The Main
May 2017
This 300-room property on the downtown Norfolk waterfront is being built with meetings top of mind: It will include The Exchange, a group of 39 IACC-certified meeting rooms. Dining outlets will include Saltine, serving fresh seafood and locally inspired cuisine; Grain, a rooftop beer garden overlooking the Elizabeth River; and Varia, a modern Italian trattoria and wine studio with a piano bar.
Washington State
Seattle's new Hyatt Regency
Lake WashingtonHyatt Regency Lake Washington
at Seattle's Southport
June 2017
Stunning views of Lake Washington, the Seattle Skyline, Mount Rainier and the Cascade Mountain Range create a gorgeous backdrop for this 347-room property. Part of a mixed-use complex, the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington will have 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 23,000 square feet of outdoor space, the Lake Washington Ballroom (spanning 14,122 square feet), the Olympic Ballroom (4,972 square feet) and nine flexible meeting spaces.
Other highlights include a gym and three dining outlets -- a waterfront restaurant offering Pacific Northwest Cuisine; a coffee/snack bar; and the Peyrassol Café at Southport, serving French-Italian rustic fare. In close proximity are several public golf courses and Lake Washington, with miles of paved walking trails, swimming and fishing.