Welcome to Travel Update’s second weekly Makeover Monday, the weekly column where you’ll learn all about hotels that are updating themselves to meet with the modern traveler. The first in the series looked at a beachfront hotel in Florida, but this week’s Makeover Monday highlights updates at a Manhattan historic hotel, a chain hotel in Tampa and more.
HISTORIC HOTEL IN NEW YORK CITY
The historic, 934-room Park Central Hotel New York on 7th Avenue between 55th and 56th streets, has just completed renovations that divided it into two hotels, according to the New York Real Estate Journal’s report.
The larger of the two – the Park Central Hotel – has 761 rooms and stylish look. The smaller of the two – the WestHouse Hotel – has a separate entrance on 55th Street and the vibe of an urban townhouse. The WestHouse joined Small Luxury Hotels of the World network.
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ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT IN NASSAU, BAHAMAS
The former Sheraton on Cable Beach is being transformed into the Melia Nassau Beach hotel in a $19 million renovation, Travel Weekly reports. The first phase of the work is slated to be completed in November. It will be an all-inclusive resort within the massive Baha Mar complex, which is now slated to open in spring 2015 instead of December, the story says. The hotel will have a signature service called The Level, with a private pool and beach area, exclusive check-in area and reservations preference for restaurants, the story says.
BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN EAU CLAIRE, WISC.
The Green Tree Inn is in the process of being gutted and transformed into a 30-room boutique hotel that emphasizes the arts, the local Leader-Telegram reports.
RENOVATED HYATT IN TAMPA, FLA.
The 442-room Grand Hyatt Tampa recently completed a $20 million renovation that had started in late 2012 with a complete room makeover, the hotel told Travel Update. The biggest changes that return visitors will see now: a new lobby, a tech lounge within the lobby and the all-new dining concept, 1823 Kitchen and Bar, which has a breakfast buffet. The new dining option’s in addition to two well-known restaurants Oystercatchers and Armani’s. The tech lounge is aimed squarely at the mobile traveler who like to work or hold impromptu meetings in a casual setting, and may want to order a snack or cocktail. Expect comfortable seating, a large community table for laptops and plenty of outlets to power up.
Readers: Have you seen any renovations recently that are worth highlighting in Travel Update’s Makeover Monday series? If so, let me know in the comments section!
The lobby tech lounge at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay.
The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Photos courtesy of the hotel.
