East to west, hotels are renovating
Makeovers aim to draw holiday-season travelers
Fall is here, and hotels are gearing up for the holidays.
Business is about to pick up again after a shoulder season in which families stayed put for the start of the school year. With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, hotels are unveiling their latest renovations to attract the holiday crowds. Willard InterContinental, Wash
ington, D.C.: The Willard InterContinental is celebrating its 200th anniversary with an $18 million renovation. All
335 guest rooms and suites were revamped over six months. Because the Willard is a historic property, ParkerTorres Design had to blend traditional and contemporary elements.
“Our most important objective was to respect the history of this Grand Dame hotel,” says Miriam Torres, principal at Parker-Torres Design.
Nicknamed the “Residence of Presidents,” the hotel has some of the largest guest rooms in the city, ranging from
375 square feet to 3,000 square feet. Rooms have a color scheme of blue, ivory and gray accented with gold. The
41 suites have a neutral palette of cream, beige, tan, silver, and gold accented with red. Bathrooms have been modernized with walk-in marble showers.
In-room technology has improved with a new electronic lock system, complimentary Wi-Fi, and furniture with power outlets and USB charging ports.
The Willard has an extensive collection of vintage furniture in its guest rooms, and 115 of those pieces have been reupholstered.
Common areas such as Round Robin Bar and Café du Parc have been spruced up. Café du Parc also opened a new private dining area, Pershing Room. The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte, North Carolina:
To celebrate its 17th anniversary, The Ballantyne has unveiled a multimilliondollar makeover with redesigned guest rooms and public spaces. The renovation is a nod to Charlotte’s Ballantyne enclave, which once was hunting land.
When they arrive, guests will be greeted by two bronze Dalmatian statues that pay tribute to the pets who roamed the original hunting land.
The lobby is decorated in a palette of white, gold and gray, with hand-painted gold accents. From 1803 to 1828, North Carolina was the only state in the nation to produce gold. The Ryal bar, named after a unit of currency during James VI of Scotland’s reign, offers plush pocket seating and a glass balcony with views of the grounds and golf course.
Featuring emerald, gold and gray accents, the Great Room has been redesigned to evoke the look of the “Carolina Emperor,” the largest-cut emerald ever found in North America. Guest rooms were redesigned with a mixture of antiques and new pieces. The Spa at Bal- lantyne also has a new color palette of warm neutrals and powder blues.
The Lodge at Ballantyne, a 35-room private retreat on The Ballantyne’s grounds that often is used for groups, has a renovated lobby and guest rooms.
Hotel Figueroa, Los Angeles: This historic downtown Los Angeles hotel was founded in 1926 by the Young Women’s Christian Association as a hostel for traveling businesswomen.
To celebrate its 92nd birthday, the hotel’s Spanish Colonial architecture has been restored with the addition of energy efficiencies.
In addition to the refreshed look, the hotel has a collection of original artworks by women to honor the founders of the property. It has a new culinary program with five distinctive concepts created by James Beard Award nominee chef Casey Lane and mixologist Dushan Zaric. Each of the hotel’s Writer Series Suites has a collection of books by L.A.based authors curated by downtown
L.A. favorite The Last Bookstore.
Hotel Dylan, Woodstock, New
York: Located on Route 28, Hotel Dylan gives guests access to Woodstock, a haven for artists, musicians, fishermen, hikers and skiers.
The hotel’s look and amenities are as eclectic as the town. It features works from renowned British painter Ann Carrington and pop artist Trey Speegle, plus presidential portraits by Asheville, North Carolina, artist Spencer Herr.
The property has a new lobby, library, bar and fireplace. Guest rooms are each named after one of the rock ’n’ roll legends associated with the Woodstock Nation. The rooms are equipped with retro Smeg refrigerators, Tempaper wall coverings and a turntable with classic vinyl.
The redesign was headed up by The Novogratz firm. Robert and Cortney Novogratz are best known for their TV shows, Bravo’s “9 by Design” and HGTV’s “Home by Novogratz.“The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain,
Arizona: This resort in Marana, Arizona, just made Forbes Travel Guide’s 2018 verified list of the world’s most luxurious hotels and world’s luxurious spa.
The Tucson-area resort has tried to up its game even more by unveiling a floor-to-ceiling makeover of its 253 guest rooms and 44,000 square feet of meeting space. Fourteen ground-level Fireside Mountain View guest rooms were introduced, each with its own outdoor fire pit and lava rocks. Guests there will get s’mores as a nightly turndown amenity. Guest rooms now have larger TVs. Beds, bedding, furniture, accessories and artwork have been replaced. Rooms have new floor-to-ceiling paint and neutral carpeting. Bathrooms have new max-flow shower fixtures.
Meeting rooms and wedding spaces got upgraded furnishings and carpeting. They also have sound-deadening and soundproofing in the walls.
The property has a new Roadrunner Arcade featuring theater chairs, TVs, foosball, and other video and board games. The restaurant, pool and fitness center also got a refresh.