Hotels and resorts across the country are investing in upgrades to their guest rooms, meeting spaces, restaurants and more. From the Sunshine State to the Golden State, these are some of the properties making improvements this year.
Domestic
L’Auberge de Sedona (above), a boutique hotel with 88 rooms, has completed a redesign of its largest event space, the Garden Ballroom. The 2,400-square-foot room features expansive glass doors, floor-to-ceiling windows and a wood-burning fireplace. It holds up to 150 guests.
The Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia announced a multimillion-dollar renovation in June. Completed in September, the project enhanced the 293 rooms, including 38 luxury suites and two presidential suites, and more than 100,000 square feet of event space. Guest rooms received new lighting, furniture and drapery, while the meeting space got new carpeting, wall coverings and furnishings, and was redesigned to include a prefunction space.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Scottsdale recently finished up a $1.4 million renovation of its ballrooms. The 119-room property has more than 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Photo Credit: Kevin Brost PhotographyIn February, the W Scottsdale debuted five new penthouse suites, bringing the property’s total to 241 rooms, including 17 suites. The new spaces range from 1,000 to 2,700 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, full kitchens and in-unit laundry facilities. The hotel provides nearly 12,000 square feet of event space.
The Wigwam in Phoenix is scheduled to debut a $20 million upgrade this fall, completely refreshing the interior, including the 331 suites and casitas. The resort will also undergo extensive renovations to its grounds, which span more than 440 acres.
The Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach has restored its 30,000 square feet of event space. Several venues at the 159-room property have views of the water and neighboring Balboa Bay Club, the destination's oldest yacht club.
%20-%20MD%20EDIT.jpg?tr=w-920%2Cfo-auto "estancia-la-jolla-hotel")
The Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa recently unveiled a $13.9 million renovation of its 210 rooms and suites, along with enhancements to the property's multiple lawn spaces, and a new apiary and chef's garden. The hotel offers 47,000 square feet of event space.
The Hyatt Regency Irvine is in the midst of a $50 million redesign. While the entire project won't be finished until spring 2024, the first grouping of upgraded rooms is available as of Aug. 15. Formerly 546 rooms, the hotel will downsize to 516 rooms to create a more spacious layout. Other additions to come next year include a new dining option, a Regency Club with firepits, lounge chairs and a bar, and a reimagined pool with waterslides and fire features.
The 128-room La Jolla Shores Hotel in San Diego unveiled new oceanfront event spaces earlier this year. The indoor and outdoor venues include the 2,000-square-foot Shores Lawn and the 1,320-square-foot rooftop Acapulco Deck, both of which provide views of the Pacific Ocean and can accommodate up to 200 people.
Following a $31 million revitalization, the Lafayette Hotel and Club in San Diego reopened in July. The transformation of the 139-room property features seven new food-and-beverage outlets, such as a Oaxacan-inspired mezcaleria, and a revamped pool.
Between the Seaport and Gaslamp Quarter, the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina remodeled its 1,360 guest rooms and M Club Lounge, and added a Topgolf Swing Suite overlooking the San Diego Bay. Other amenities include six dining options, two outdoor pools, a 446-slip marina and 280,000 square feet of meeting space.
The 162-room Viceroy Santa Monica has wrapped up a $21 million renovation. Guest rooms, suites and public spaces all have been redesigned, an expansive outdoor space has been added, and the Sugar Palm restaurant and bar has debuted. A new art collection of commissioned pieces and interactive augmented reality works now are on display, as well.
The 165-room Art Hotel Denver, a Curio Collection by Hilton property, finished a $3 million propertywide refresh in April. The property’s 7,500 square feet of meeting space received new furniture, carpet, lighting and wall coverings, plus A/V upgrades. Peloton bikes now are available in the revamped fitness center and queen beds have been added to some of the rooms.
.jpg?tr=w-920%2Cfo-auto "1-hotel-south-beach-miami")
1 Hotel South Beach in Miami debuted a new rooftop space in September. The restaurant Watr features an updated Japanese-inspired lunch and dinner menu, and transforms into a lively scene at night with a DJ and live performances. The rooftop pool also was updated with new furnishings and sky cabanas. In October, the 425-room property will transform the venue formerly known as 1 Beach Club into Tala, a 50,000-square-foot space with daybeds, a restaurant, bar and VIP lounge.
Casa Marina, Curio Collection property by Hilton in Key West, will reveal a refresh this fall. The guest rooms, lobby, dining outlets and piers used for watersports will all be enhanced. The 311-room hotel also will add a 5,000-square-foot oceanfront event lawn to the existing 11,000 square feet of meeting space.
Cheeca Lodge and Spa in the Florida Keys opened the Islamorada Ballroom at the beginning of the year. At more than 10,000 square feet, it's the largest event space in the Upper Keys. The 214-room resort also recently added 43 oceanfront suites.
The refurbished Trésor Tower at the 1,504-room Fontainebleau in Miami Beach was revealed at the beginning of this year. The 37-floor, all-suite tower received new carpeting and artwork in the hallways; the rooms were upgraded with new appliances, better minibars, and refreshed bathrooms with low-flow shower heads and sinks to conserve water.
Part of a hotel-wide transformation, the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay added four new event spaces named after Florida’s native birds: the Skylark, Starling, Sandpiper and Osprey rooms. The 443-room property now features more than 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay also updated the bay view, city view, suites, and villa-style casita king and casita double room categories. In addition to pickleball courts, the hotel will soon reveal an upgraded pool and pool bar.
At the northern tip of Palm Beach County, the Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa upgraded its 175 rooms and 12,000 square feet of event space, and opened a new seafood restaurant. The property additionally offers an oceanfront pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and an outdoor lounge area with firepits.
Comprised of the 582-room Ritz-Carlton Orlando and the 1,010-room JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes Orlando unveiled its expanded waterpark attraction in January. Both properties also were renovated recently. The Ritz-Carlton offers more than 147,000 square feet of meeting space; the JW Marriott, more than 152,000.
Connected to the Palm Beach County Convention Center, the Hilton West Palm Beach is undergoing a $25 million transformation. Slated for completion in the fall, the 12-story hotel is refurbishing its 400 rooms, lobby, pool deck and three food-and-beverage outlets, as well as adding a new lobby bar and six private cabanas to the pool area. The outdoor lawn will also be expanded to more than 5,000 square feet, giving the property more than 29,000 square feet of event space.
The Orlando World Center Marriott unveiled the North Tower’s refreshed meeting space in January. The 14,000-square-foot area received new décor, flooring and more. Last year, the 2,010-room resort, which is the largest Marriott in the world, added the 36,000-square-foot Magnolia room, bringing the total event space to more than 500,000 square feet.
The 239-room Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort and Spa is renovating its meeting space, restaurant, lobby, marketplace, bar and lounge. The project began in August and is anticipated to be completed by mid-December.
As part of a $6 million meeting space makeover, the W South Beach in Miami has become the first hotel in North America to implement 360-degree immersive mapping technology. The 4,300-square-foot ballroom uses a built-in projection system to transform the venue into various settings, from an underwater experience to the backdrop of any city. The project follows the recent revitalization of the property's spa and 357 rooms.
Photo Credit: Waldorf Astoria OrlandoThe Waldorf Astoria Orlando currently is undergoing a multiphase renovation of its 502 rooms, lobby, restaurants, spa and golf course. The project began in April and is expected to finish up in December. After adding the Central Park Ballroom in 2022, the property now has nearly 60,000 square feet of meeting space.
The Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead completed a propertywide transformation in March. The 127-room hotel added a new signature restaurant, revamped the spa and enhanced all guest rooms, including a redesign of the presidential suite, and the addition of two new Astoria suites.
At Hawaii’s Ritz-Carlton, Maui, Kapalua, the indoor/outdoor Aloha Garden Pavilion was redesigned. The 19,200-square-foot venue now features state-of-the-art A/V equipment, glass doors that open onto a garden, two firepits and a trellis with glass canopies. The 466-room resort offers 33,455 square feet of event space.
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago recently underwent a $100 million transformation, giving a facelift to all 434 rooms, the lobby, the spa, the Torali restaurant and the 25,000 square feet of event space. The largest of the venues, the Ritz-Carlton Ballroom holds up to 1,200 people.
Photo Credit: Cris Molina for Kimpton Hotels & RestaurantsFollowing an extensive renovation, the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot in New Orleans opened to the public at the end of March. The project added 12,000 square feet of meeting space, 33 guest rooms for a total of 235, and a French brasserie.
The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans renovated its Gallery event space with new lighting, doors, windows and technology. The 316-room property also upgraded the fitness center.
The Four Seasons Hotel Boston reopened at the beginning of May, unveiling an updated lobby and new signature restaurant, Coterie, where several cocktails use a botanical gin made exclusively for the hotel mixed with honey from the property’s rooftop hives.
The Collective Governors Island in New York City unveiled three new accommodations in July. Outlook Villa features an indoor-outdoor furnished terrace with a fireplace, Outlook Liberty Suite is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open onto covered patios, and Outlook Shelter offers views of the Statue of Liberty.
The Westin Philadelphia unveiled a propertywide renovation in July. The multimillion-dollar project revamped the 294 rooms, 15,000 square feet of meeting space, fitness center and signature dining establishment, Lea Restaurant and Bar.
The second phase of renovations at the Marriott Hilton Head Resort and Spa has been completed, transforming all 513 guest rooms and suites with new tiles, vanities, showers and carpeting. Phase one of the project updated the resort’s public spaces, dining outlets and event venues.
A 2,300-square-foot venue called the Rock & Soul room opened at the Central Station Hotel in Memphis. The music-themed, 123-room boutique hotel now has more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space.
A $50 million renovation has been completed at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in Texas Hill Country. The 500 rooms received new wood flooring, rugs and artwork, as well as updated bathrooms and technology. The 54,000 square feet of meeting space now has new carpeting, wall coverings, light fixtures and sound systems.
A multimillion-dollar renovation of the 516 guest rooms at the JW Marriott Houston by the Galleria was completed in April. New carpet, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, furnishings and local art were added to the rooms, as well as 55-inch TVs and upgraded bedding options.
The 255-room Le Méridien Houston Downtown recently transformed its fitness center on the 23rd floor into an indoor event venue. The 1,800-square-foot space can host up to 75 people and offers views of the downtown skyline.
Across the street from the Forth Worth Convention Center, the 403-room Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown is undergoing an extensive transformation project. To be completed this fall, the $45 million renovation will feature a redesigned entryway, new suites, several new workspace studios and two new eateries. The nearly 30,000 square feet of conference space will receive new carpeting, lighting and furniture, as well as updated A/V.
In June, the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio unveiled the renovation of the guest rooms, hallways, business and fitness centers, and restaurant and bar. The 473-room hotel offers more than 26,000 square feet of meeting space.
In the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Virginia, the Omni Homestead Resort is adding a new venue. The Old Course Pavilion will open in October, with 4,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. The 483-room property also refreshed its existing 72,000 square feet of meeting space.
Skamania Lodge, a 254-room resort inn Stevenson, Wash., opened an outdoor event space in the spring. Surrounded by the Cascade Mountain Range, the 2,100-square-foot Moonlight Pavilion can accommodate up to 180 people. The meeting space has firepits, heat lamps, and an open-air grill. The property also will be adding three new treehouses to its current six-treehouse village.
The 335-room Willard InterContinental Hotel completed a makeover of the Crystal Room and Willard's Peacock Alley in May. In the 2,560-square-foot Crystal Room, new carpeting was installed and crystal chandeliers were repaired.
After a six-month renovation, the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in Lake Geneva revealed its redesigned guest rooms in May. This project was the third major investment over the last few years. The 358-room property refreshed all guest bathrooms last summer, and the lobby, lobby lounge and outdoor dining venue in 2021. A series of improvements to the event space is planned for the coming months.
International
Baha Mar's Marcus Up Top rooftop venue.The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau recently expanded three meeting spaces: the Providence Lawn, the rooftop venue Marcus Up Top, and the Baha Mar Convention, Arts and Entertainment Center. The 1,800-room resort offers more than 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge reopened for the season in May with new guest experiences, including a cold-water plunge and dining at the top of Ursus Mountain; a refined farm-to-table menu featuring local prawns and bison tartare; and a reimagined bar with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the Clayoquot Sound. The luxury eco-safari property on Vancouver Island has 25 canvas tents spread along the banks of the sound and throughout the forest.
The Corazón Cabo Resort and Spa has added 45,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. New venues include six meeting rooms and the highest rooftop in Cabo. The 310-room property also plans to fully refurbish their beach club and signature restaurant by next summer.
The JW Marriott Mexico City completed a renovation of its 314 guest rooms and 47 suites, the first phase of an ongoing propertywide transformation. Phase two of the project, which will wrap up in the fall, will update the lobby and hotel entrances, add four new culinary concepts, and revamp the 2,800 square feet of meeting space.
Switzerland's Grand Hotel Kronenhof has revamped 29 of its 112 rooms. Furthermore, the 175-year-old property refreshed the reception area, bar and lobby lounge, which has panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. The hotel offers 11,600 square feet of event space.