NATIONAL REPORT—Five properties around the country have received the renovation treatment, including historic properties in Maryland, Oregon and Florida. Here’s a look:
Hyatt Regency Bethesda
Hyatt Regency Bethesda, which has been in existence for more than 30 years, has completed a $37-million renovation.
The Maryland hotel’s 390 guestrooms, facade, lobby, meeting and event spaces underwent an extensive transformation, along with the addition of The Rooftop Downtown Bethesda, a rooftop event space. In late spring, the hotel will host an official celebration of the reinvigorated property and introduce new retail offerings, including one of the tristate area’s largest Starbucks at 2,600 sq. ft., opening on April 1.
Hyatt Regency Bethesda collaborated with Gensler, an architecture, design and planning firm, to transform the hotel. Gensler used contemporary designs with wood accents and a neutral palette of warm grays throughout the hotel.
Supplementing the newly renovated guestrooms are 21 new Pure Rooms. Each “allergy friendly” guestroom is enhanced with the brand’s seven-step purification process, which treats every surface, removing up to 99% of pollutants and irritants. Pure’s air-purification system filters out airborne irritants and eliminates odors at the source, creating a safe and sterile zone, according to the company.
The hotel now offers more than 20,000 sq. ft. of new meeting and event space. The 2,400-sq.-ft. Rooftop Downtown Bethesda has floor-to-ceiling windows. The complete event space overhaul also includes 19 newly designed meeting rooms and two executive boardrooms.
Hyatt Regency Bethesda is owned by The Meridian Group, a real estate investment and development firm, and managed by Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company.
Heathman Hotel
The Heathman Hotel in Portland, OR, first opened in 1927, is undergoing a renovation that will involve all 151 guestrooms and public spaces.
Lighter, brighter and more contemporary, the new design is rooted in the building’s distinctive history and pays homage to the hotel’s role as muse to generations of guests, according to management.
With this renovation, the lobby is being transformed into a curated, living room with sculptural features. Behind the front desk will hang a locally crafted three-dimensional map, named “200 X 200,” highlighting the City of Roses’ 200-ft. long city blocks, a human-scale feature of the city’s geographical layout admired amongst city planners for making Portland one of America’s most walkable cities.
The heart of the hotel, the two-story Tea Court, is being redesigned in a style that offers a modern twist on the social salons of Europe. A new grand bookcase the full height of the room will showcase the hotel’s library of autographed tomes and make it more accessible to guests. A fireplace clad in white handcrafted artisan tile will go from floor to ceiling and create a second strong focal point amid the room’s wood paneling, which will be stained a modern gray to complement intricately patterned William Morris wallpaper, a new herringbone wood floor and seating in leather and fabrics.
The guestrooms will include natural materials and reclaimed elements. A soft, neutral palette will run throughout the space from the whitewashed wood paneled walls to the warm wood flooring. A blue area rug, caramel lounge chair, gray wood bedside tables, hand-blown glass credenza and eclectic artwork from artists will be included.
Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club
Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club in Miami Beach, FL, will open this spring after a multimillion-dollar renovation.
Originally designed by Art Deco architect Roy France in 1940, Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club joins Marriott International’s Autograph Collection Hotels.
The hotel has 357 guestrooms, as well as two dining outlets, two pools—adults-only and family pool—and beachside service. Drawing inspiration from the glamour and sophistication of the 1940s European Riviera, interior design firm Bill Rooney Studio is creating a reimagined modern resort with a preserved Art Deco aesthetic.
The lobby has kept its classic signatures with original terrazzo floors, lush greenery and a wraparound mezzanine balcony overlooking the check-in and lounge area. Just beyond the hotel lobby, guests will find The Lobby Bar and Riviera, a flexible use public and meeting space, leading to a grand terrace overlooking the pool deck.
The Fontaine
The 132-room boutique hotel The Fontaine in Kansas City, MO, recently received upgrades to its lobby, breakfast lounge and rooftop pool deck. It also debuted Parker, a new rooftop restaurant & bar led by Executive Chef Kevin Nicholls.
Reimagined by Studio 11 Design, the new lobby draws inspiration from the hotel’s oversized painting of a noble Renaissance woman. Modern furnishings are grounded by a hand-tufted rug, while antique brass lighting fixtures balance the coolness of the lobby’s Carrara marble. Adding depth, texture and a heightened sense of drama are floor-to-ceiling dark velvet drapery panels paired with glittering crystal chandeliers.
Solarium, the hotel’s breakfast lounge located adjacent to the hotel lobby, has also undergone its own transformation. With abundant windows that bring in natural light, a mix of natural materials complemented by industrial metal finishes, and its proximity to the hotel’s exterior courtyard, the space takes on the personality of an authentic interior garden room.
Parker is a rooftop social dining experience offering plates for sharing. The rooftop pool deck has been updated with new furnishings in neutral colors such as cream and taupe, and a living green wall is a focal point of the space.
Fullerton Marriott at California State University
Fullerton Marriott at California State University recently redesigned its guestrooms as part of the ongoing reinvention of Marriott hotels.
The renovated rooms offer locally inspired accents that offer a sense of place, closets are open and the work surface provides flexibility to freely move and use technology wherever the guest desires. Deluxe walk-in showers and spa-like lighting provide an upgraded bath experience.
The hotel has partnered with World Cinema to provide new casting capabilities, access to apps like Netflix, Hulu, Pandora and more. Guests will now be able to view their portfolio from the TV and check out directly from the room. Additional features like weather and flight data are also available.
The hotel also features the Marriott Hotels Greatroom lobby, a hub of the hotel that serves as a social gathering place. The refreshed concierge lounge, an exclusive area reserved for Elite and Club members, includes perks such as complimentary food and beverage options throughout the day.
Also renovated is the Next Gen Meeting Space. All meeting spaces include a flexible set up that adapts to a variety of formats and group sizes with pivotable walls, moveable partitions, soft seating and modular furniture.
