If you discount the row over the length of immigration
queues, there’s probably never been a better time to visit
the US.
With the exchange rate continuing to offer UK travellers excellent
value and the price of air fares remaining competitive, it’s
receiving its largest number of Brits since September 11. Hoteliers
are only too aware of this and are continuing to improve and expand
their product by renovating or adding properties to their
portfolio. Here’s a round-up of what’s new and
what’s around the corner across the US.
New York/New Jersey
Multi-brand operator Starwood Hotels has opened its first mid-price
property in New York City with the newly-built 158-room Four Points
by Sheraton Chelsea. In nearby New Jersey, another of
Starwood’s brands, Westin, reopened last month as the Westin
Governor Morris following a multi-million dollar renovation. The
224-room property now boasts additional meeting space, a new
signature restaurant and lounge, an espresso bar and fitness
centre.
Further expanding its geographical spread in the US is Kimpton,
which made its first venture into the Big Apple with the opening of
70 Park Avenue. The San Francisco-based chain has been looking to
expand into New York for “many years” according to
chairman and chief executive Tom LaTour, and finally invested in
the Doral Park Hotel in the centre of Manhattan. It has given the
property a $19 million facelift to create a 205-room contemporary
hotel. All rooms have flat screen TVs, surround sound speakers, DVD
players and high-speed Internet access.
New England
The refurbishment and rebranding of the Four Points by Sheraton in
Hyannis in Massachusetts was completed at the end of last year.
The focus is on relaxation and wellbeing with an indoor and outdoor
pool, fitness centre, whirlpool bath and full service spa. The
resort also has an 18-hole golf course and meeting facilities with
web access and a business centre.
Shortly before making its debut in New York, Kimpton made its
presence felt for the first time in another of the US’s key
gateway cities – Boston. Onxy Hotel is located in
Boston’s North End near the historic Freedom Trail and
comprises 112 rooms over 12 floors. Described as a ‘two-tone
red brick and aluminium sanctuary’ it falls in line with
Kimpton’s urban boutique image. Business travellers are
catered for with a 500ft conference room and high-speed Internet
access.
Further down the line Starwood has unveiled plans to build a
790-room Westin hotel in south Boston, with a scheduled opening
date of July 2006. The Westin Boston Waterfront will position
itself as the premier meeting and conference facility in New
England and feature 22 meeting rooms and two ballrooms. It will
also be connected to the newly opened Boston Convention and
Exhibition Centre.
Florida
Hyatt is to manage the boutique ‘lifestyle’ property
Hotel Victor, located on Miami’s South Beach. The 91-room
hotel, which opened last month, will be the first in its portfolio
not to be branded with the traditional Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt
or Park Hyatt name but will instead operate as a stand-alone
product.
Meanwhile, Fairmont has taken over the management of the
Mediterranean-style Turnberry Isle Resort and Club, as the group
targets growth in the US. The property, in the exclusive enclave of
Aventura 30 minutes from Miami Airport, features a 25,000sq ft spa,
45,000sq ft of conference and banquet facilities and two 18-hole
golf courses – designed by famous course architect Robert
Trent Jones.
Daytona Beach has a new addition – the 742-room Hilton
Daytona Beach. The property, which opened in January, is on the
oceanfront at the heart of the entertainment and tourism centre.
With 32 meeting rooms, business travellers are also being
targeted.
Hilton’s aggressive expansion in the US also saw the group
open the boutique 83-room St Augustine hotel.
Future plans for Kimpton include making its debut in South Florida
with the full opening in April of the Mayfair Hotel and Spa in
Coconut Grove, 15 minutes from downtown Miami. Although already
welcoming guests, renovations are still taking place.
Further expansion of the St Regis brand is expected this December
with the opening of the 166-room St Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale.
It will include a European-style spa, a ballroom with meeting space
for up to 600 people and a five-star diamond restaurant overlooking
the Atlantic Ocean.
Las Vegas
April 28 sees the opening of the gambling capital’s newest
spectacular property – Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country
Club. In keeping with Steve Wynn’s larger-than-life visions
– this was the man who built The Mirage, Treasure Island and
the Bellagio – the 50-storey, 2,700-room hotel, located on
the site of the former Desert Inn, will sprawl across 217 acres and
include an 18-hole golf course (reputedly the first on the Strip).
Add to this 18 restaurants, boutique shops, dedicated meeting
space, two boardrooms and the obligatory multi-million dollar
concert venue and it’s no wonder it’s the talk of the
town. Every room features floor to ceiling windows, two flat screen
TVs and high-speed Internet access.
Another hotel is on the way one block north of the Wynn. Luxury
brand Conrad Hotels, part of the Hilton family, has revealed plans
to open a 378 all-suite property along with 286 deluxe residences.
In a break with the norm for Vegas, the hotel will not feature a
casino – a reminder that half of the desert resort’s
income now comes from non-gambling interests. Work is due to begin
in May and will take around 18 months to complete.
California
Business and leisure travellers are being targeted by Hilton
following the opening in December of the Hilton Los Angeles-San
Gabriel Hotel. The 222-room property has meeting and function room
space for up to 1,500 people.
In addition, a new-build Kimpton hotel is set to open in San Diego
in April as part of the group’s aggressive expansion. The
four-star Hotel Solamar will feature a pool, restaurant and fitness
centre – all on the roof. The property has 235 rooms,
including seven king suites, with a 175-seat restaurant and
bar.
This summer marks the planned opening of Starwood’s St Regis
Hotel San Francisco and the St Regis Residences. The development
will be a hotel and apartment complex with 260-rooms and 102
residences.
Meanwhile, Marriott has already begun work on a $60 million
overhaul of its Newport Beach property. The 532-room hotel will see
the construction of a 16-room spa, expanded meeting space, 20
luxury suites and a restaurant. Work is expected to be completed by
November, when property will be renamed the Newport Beach Marriott
Hotel and Spa.
The rest of the US
Marriott has opened the 575-room Starr Pass Resort in Tuscon taking
the number of hotel and resort properties to 34. Aimed at business
and leisure travellers, it has 35 suites, a spa, seven restaurants
and a 27-hole Arnold Palmer signature golf course.
The new Four Points by Sheraton Denver Southeast opened late last
year with the business traveller as its core market. There are 20
meeting rooms with many of the rooms in the 11-storey, 595-bed
property featuring high-speed Internet access.
Sheraton has also expanded in Minnesota with the conversion of the
407-room Bloomington Hotel in Minneopolis. A $10.5 million
renovation saw many of the hotel’s facilities upgraded.
InterContinental has opened the $115 million InterContinental
Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia. The hotel’s 21 storeys comprise
401 rooms and 21 suites. The Buckhead is InterContinental’s
first US property to feature the Parisian brassiere, Au Pied de
Cochon, which specialises in seafood. Art lovers are catered for
with a 25-picture collection by 15 regional, national and
international artists.
