Saint Louis
Hotel News
October, 2007
St. Louis Hotels Guide
www.hotels-stl.com
St. Louis Hotels Guide is a complete resource of hotels listed by area for your convenience. Please call ahead to confirm information or for reservations.
St. Louis Hotel News spotlight on development and events at area hotels.
"If it's happening in St. Louis, it's on St. Louis Front Page."
How To Reach Us:
St. Louis Front Page
P.O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188
Voice: 314-771-0200
Fax: 314-771-0300
To submit hotel news, contact:
editor@slfp.com
To advertise, contact:
advertising@slfp.com
|
|
St. Louis Westin to Undergo $7 Million Upgrade
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 28, 2007 - HEI Hotels & Resorts has announced that it has acquired the 255-room Westin St. Louis in Missouri, for an undisclosed amount from Cupples Station Hotel, L.P., a joint venture comprised of McCormack Baron Salazar and AIG/SunAmerica. The AAA Four-Diamond Award hotel will be managed by HEI.
This marks the 13th property acquired under the HEI Hospitality Fund II, L.P. The hotel, which opened in 2001, will undergo a $7 million enhancement program in stages over the next three years to ensure minimal guest disruption, while enhancing the overall guest experience. Key elements of the upgrade will include a complete lobby renovation, full soft goods replacement, installation of flat screen televisions in all of the guestrooms, and refurbishment of the meeting space.
"Voted 'the number one Westin in the world' in a 2005 Starwood guest survey, The Westin St. Louis enjoys an excellent location next to the new Busch Stadium," said Steve Mendell, HEI's executive vice president of acquisitions and development. "Following the completion of the Ballpark Village in 2009 and the hotel's on-going refurbishment program, the property will be the preeminent destination for guests seeking luxury accommodations."
Located in the heart of St. Louis' historic Cupples Station area, The Westin St. Louis is within walking distance of the city's famed Gateway Arch, Edward Jones Dome, the Mississippi River, America's Center convention complex, GenAmerica Financial Corporation and Bank of America offices. The property houses the Solera Spa and Health Club, a full-service spa, featuring a wide selection of signature treatments including massage, body treatments, and facials. The hotel also features the contemporary Clark Street Grill with a menu of American cuisine with French and Asian influence.
"St. Louis is in the midst of a downtown renaissance and is one of the premier cities in the country," said Jin Lee, HEI's senior vice president of acquisitions and development. "This gateway market is home to a number of Fortune 500 companies, as well as thriving hockey, baseball and football franchises. The property is a unique adaptive reuse of historic warehouse buildings and features oversized rooms and large bathrooms with a soaking tub and a separate shower. While the AAA Four Diamond hotel already is in very good condition, it will benefit further from an on-going enhancement program that will maintain its position as a market leader."
The hotel provides approximately 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting/function space; a full-service business center; and Unwind(TM), an evening get-together featuring complimentary food and beverages. All guestrooms feature the famed Westin Heavenly Bed(R) and Heavenly Bath(R), minibars, wireless and wired Internet, oversized working desk with ergonomic chair, a chaise lounge for relaxation, and large, four-fixture bathrooms.
"The Westin St Louis attracted a number of investors due to the asset's strong performance and position in the marketplace," said Howard Heitner, chief operating officer of SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners. "The hotel is an excellent example of a historic conversion that blends modern amenities with historic charm."
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Adds New Amenities
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 16, 2007 - Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, near the new Busch Stadium, is undergoing $50 million in renovations that will add to its pre-eminent status in the Metro area hospitality industry.
Lodging Hospitality Management has committed $50 million to the property, with total renewal and ongoing enhancement with the Ballpark Conference Center and Archview Ballroom. The project, now underway and scheduled for completion in March, 2008, will alter the cityscape of St. Louis.
The Conference Center on the main floor and the Arch View Ballroom on the Mezzanine will have glass walls along Market Street, extending out to and wrapping around Broadway. The Ballroom will over look the Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse. The interior design will be particularly stunning.
Of major importance is that the undertaking, cleverly master planned, will not compromise or interrupt the stellar service to which guests have been accustomed. Nor will there be any unsightly construction marring the exquisite new lobby area, with all fabrication being done from the outside in.
With the addition of the Ballpark Conference Center, Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark will be the only downtown hotel to provide a state-of-the-art meeting space within the venue. The 4,530 square foot Center will be divisible into three rooms, the largest of which will be 1840 square feet.
Every cutting edge technology will be provided, including LCD projectors and screens; VCRs and monitors; T3 Broadband High Speed Internet Access; free WI-FI; and complete Audio-Visual services.
According to Erich Smith, general manager of the Hilton, "With the conference center, we want to specialize in the small corporate meeting market and have the capability of separating that client from larger meetings taking place on the Ballroom upper level." Bob O'Loughlin, President and CEO of Lodging Hospitality Management revealed that more than $5 million in new business has already been booked for the Conference Center.
The exquisite 6327 square foot Arch View Ballroom, upon completion, will be the most opulent and magnificent setting for social events, special occasions, plus corporate and charity galas. Extending from Market Street to Broadway, the glass floor to ceiling panels provide spectacular views of the Arch and downtown St. Louis. In addition, a pre-function area adds 1653 square feet to the environs.
A former restaurant is being converted to more meeting space and a new bar and lounge. A renovated three-service restaurant, near Market Street, will be used to cater many group meals. For more information or reservations, visit the web site for Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark.
Hotel Indigo Launches Seasonal Wine Program
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 8, 2007 - Hotel Indigo has announced the official launch of its seasonal wine program, which commenced with the unveiling of Paso Creek, a new fine wine under the Icon Estates portfolio.
Simultaneous wine tasting events were held at Hotel Indigo properties nationwide, where guests enjoyed the unprecedented opportunity to taste the inaugural vintages of the Paso Creek Merlot and Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - bold, rugged wines from California's Paso Robles appellation.
"Icon Estates was chosen as our partner for the Hotel Indigo seasonal wine program because it represents a portfolio of wineries, vineyards and estates that includes icons of the fine wine world," said Jim Anhut, senior vice president, Brand Management, IHG.
"From the renowned Robert Mondavi winery to Simi's 100-year old stone cellars to the boutique vineyard of Paso Creek, each winery has its own reason for being. We found the essence of this wine portfolio to be similar to our brand, in that each Hotel Indigo property has its own personality and style, while offering high quality experiential hotel stays."
The seasonal wine program, a partnership between Icon Estates and Hotel Indigo, is the latest offering by the brand designed to enhance its seasonal renewal program which provides an experiential boutique environment for guests that is in stark contrast to typical business hotels. Seasonal renewal, a hallmark of the brand's distinctive design concept is implemented at all Hotel Indigo properties. The program hinges on thoughtful décor changes made throughout the year that are designed to refresh the hotel environment and provide even the most frequent guest a unique experience with every stay.
"Our guests have come to expect more from a stay at Hotel Indigo," said Anhut. "So we have designed this program to not only entertain our guests but also provide them with an experience or perhaps even new knowledge to share with others. This is very much in line with the sense of community that we provide at our branded boutique hotels," he added.
The Hotel Indigo wine program will feature new wine choices each season that have been specially selected to complement the seasonal menu offering. Components of the wine program will include: wine menus featuring the two new wines, wine tasting mats and point-of-sale materials offering food pairing suggestions. Additionally, as part of the seasonal wine launch program, Hotel Indigo will also roll-out an employee education program, developed by Constellation Wines US. Constellation On-Premise Resource and Knowledge (CORK) training program will be used to enhance the wine proficiency of Hotel Indigo staff.
Quality Inn Airport Undergoes Renovation
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 8, 2007 - The St. Louis Quailty Inn Airport, located just 3 minutes drive from Lambert International Airport, is now under new management. Extensive renovations to the rooms and the amenities began 6 months ago.
Guests can enjoy great 3 star accommodations at 2 star prices. The property is conventiently located 1/2 mile from Lambert Airport and features free 24 hour airport shuttle. Quality Inn features free high speed Internet, park and fly rates, seasonal outdoor pool, business amenities and a meeting room. A Golden Pancake Restaurant is attached to the Hotel.
Quality Inn is also a pet-friendly hotel. Visit the web site St. Louis Quality Inn to make reservations online or for more informationon special packages.
Archived Hotel News:
• New Study Reports Higher Injury Rates for Hotel Workers
• Drury Hotels Exclusive Hotel Sponsor of Tour of Missouri
• Travelers Clear Air on Smoking
• J.D. Power and Associates Rank Drury Hotels #1 Again
• Blackstone Group to Acquire Hilton Hotels in $26 Billion All-Cash Deal
• Seven Gables Inn Listed on National Register of Historic Places
• Ameristar Casino St. Charles 'Tops Off' New Hotel, Spa and Pool Facility With a Las Vegas Style Party
• Drury Hotels Offers Free Gas to Hotel Guests
• Former Embassy Suites Hotel to Reopen As
Suites at Lumiere Place
• Starwood Hotels & Resorts to Debut Microsoft Surface
• Hotel Web Sites Score Higher in Customer Satisfaction
• Fuel Prices Won't Dampen Vacation Season
• Holiday Inn Express Partners With Reading Is Fundamental to Promote a Smart Start in Education
• Seminole Tribe Finalizes Acquisition of Hard Rock International
• Hilton St. Louis Downtown Recognized for Best Overall Performance
• Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis to Undergo Multi-Million Dollar Renovation
• Marriott Makes Sweeping Move To Eliminate Trans Fats from Food At Over 2,300 Hotels in North America
• Loews Hotels Bans Artificial Trans-Fats at
Its 18 Hotels and Resorts
• Adults Miss the Luxuries of a Hotel Stay When Traveling Home for the Holidays
|
The St. Louis Hotels Guide is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide
© 1997 - 2007 Moore Design Group.
|
|
For people on the go, point your PDA to www.hotels-stl.com/mobile
For advertising rates in St. Louis Hotels Guide, click here for
Media Kit
Dining St. Louis,
a Fine Restaurant Guide
Kansas City Hotels Guide
|
