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July 10, 2008
Hilton Austin reaches a milestone
After opening 4 and a half years ago, the Hilton Austin at 500 E. Fourth St. welcomes its one-millionth room night guest today at 6 p.m. Willa Palmer, a real estate agent from Colleyville, plans to take her first vacation in two years at the Hilton. Palmer wants to “just have fun and relax” during her visit to one of her favorite cities.
Austin’s largest hotel, containing 800 rooms, isn’t letting Palmer just get by with a sturdy pat on the back either. The Hilton plans to award Palmer with a complimentary stay in a Capitol Suite, a dinner at Finn & Porter and several other amenities. Besides all this celebrity treatment, Palmer will also receive a completely edible sugar and chocolate sculpture that reads “One in a Million” (pictured right). It’s not this big, but it’s quite a sight.
Austin Mayor Will Wynn also deemed today “Hilton Austin Day” in honor of this celebration.
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February 18, 2008
Westin Hotel planned for downtown Warehouse District
A 300-room Westin Hotel is planned for downtown Austin’s Warehouse District, as a San Antonio development firm goes ahead with long-delayed plans.
The 18-story hotel will replace the former Bitter End Restaurant and parking lot at West Third and Colorado streets, said John Beauchamp, vice president of acquisitions and development for Hixon Properties of San Antonio.
Hixon, which bought the land several years ago, is teaming up with Hines, a Houston-based developer, on the project. Hines also is the developer of another new downtown project, a 30-story office tower to be built at West Fourth and Guadalupe streets. That project will include the new home of the Austin Museum of Arts.
The developers hired Lake/Flato Architects, a renowned San Antonio firm, to design the Westin Austin Hotel. It will include a restaurant on the street level and a pool deck and bar on the third floor overlooking Third Street.
The firm’s Austin work includes the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas and the Hotel San Jose on South Congress.
Lake/Flato won a national competition to design the hotel.
The competition sought designs that would be “uniquely Austin,” Beauchamp said.
Additionally, the developers will seek national green building certification for the project.
Demolition will start soon on the Bitter End, a longtime popular restaurant that closed after a 2005 fire.
Beauchamp said the developers tried to incorporate the Bitter End building into their plans, but it was not feasible. He said the restaurant’s brick will be salvaged and reused inside the hotel.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts will manage the hotel. It’s one of at least four planned for downtown, including a 1,000-room Marriott Hotel at Congress and second street; a W Hotel at Second and Lavaca that will include condominiums and entertainment venues; and a Kimpton Hotel near the Rainey Street neighborhood on downtown’s eastern edge.
Westin also plans a hotel at the Domain development in North Austin.
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January 26, 2007
Marriott at the Capitol becomes a Sheraton hotel
A news release from HEI Hotels & Resorts
The new Sheraton Austin Hotel opened its doors to a series of firsts today as it celebrated the complete transition of the hotel to the Sheraton brand name. Formerly the Marriott Austin Capitol, the Sheraton welcomed the first guests to the first Starwood hotel in Austin to wide acclaim.
Bill and Judy Scanlon were welcomed by General Manager Bob LaCasse and Director of Sales Lou Ann Jordan with open arms as they checked in for their first night at the hotel. Members of Starwood’s lucrative Starwood Preferred Guest Program, the guests were given a free two-night stay to any of the twenty-five HEI Hotels & Resorts properties.
“We are ecstatic to be in Austin and look forward to creating comfortable stays in the Capitol city,” LaCasse said. “The hotel is dedicated to making our guests belong and our team is devoted to getting involved throughout the Austin community.”
Purchased by HEI Hotels and Resorts, the landmark hotel features sleek modern architecture including a four-story glass atrium with stunning views of downtown and the Capitol building. With 361 guestrooms and 17,000 square feet of meeting space the property is uniquely suited to meet the needs of individual guest or groups of 200 or more.
“We are dedicated to becoming partners in this extraordinary community and are excited to enhance the strong reputation this hotel already maintains,” Jordan noted. “We’ve really inherited a beautiful landmark, so close to the Capitol and right in the middle of this incredibly vibrant community.”
Just one half mile from Convention Center and ten miles from Austin Bergstrom International Airport, the Sheraton Austin Hotel is scheduled to undergo an extensive renovation this summer, including upgrades to all guestrooms and the addition of all of Sheraton’s comforting signature amenities and services.
The hotel features Welcoming Warmth, Sheraton’s new signature scent, infusing the lobby with a delightful combination of Jasmine Fig and Freesia, helping guests unwind from a day of stressful travel or meetings. In their rooms, guests will delight in Sheraton’s array of signature amenities including the Sheraton’s Sweet Sleeper Bed®, a ten-layer custom-designed ensemble, comfortable ergonomic chairs and spacious desks.
The hotel also houses an indoor-outdoor connecting pool, a children’s pool, whirlpool, and a fitness center. Guests can dine at the hotel’s restaurant Rojo Red, which serves Southwestern entrees for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or stroll to one of several nearby restaurants where they can enjoy a range of cuisine including Chinese, Tex-Mex and Cajun. Those in need of a caffeine infusion can order their favorites at the Starbucks kiosk in the lobby.
Sheraton, the largest brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) has more than 394 hotels in 65 countries. Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ELEMENT HotelsSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., HEI Hotels & Resorts is a leading hospitality investment firm that acquires, develops, owns and operates first-class, full-service and focused-service hotels throughout the United States under such well-known brand names as Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, Embassy Suites, and Hilton. Get more information at www.heihospitality.com.
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January 22, 2007
Houston hotel company moving headquarters to Austin
A news release from Select One Hospitality
Houston based Select One Hospitality Management, LLC, a unique owner operator of multiple Texas hotel properties, announced today that it is moving its headquarters from Houston to Austin. The Company makes the move as it plans to expand its base to approximately 300 hotel properties.
“We felt moving our operations to Austin made the most sense due to its central location for expansion across the state” stated, Vijay Nair, Director of Operations. “Logistically speaking, it’s simply a smart move as we look into the future of our expansion into various Texas markets.”
Select One is addressing an ever growing demand from hotel guests for expanded access to Internet, communications, entertainment and informational services. “We have been evaluating the state of the industry and the overwhelming demand from the guests for advanced services from mid‐market hotels” states Nair. “If we are to extend these advanced amenities, the timing could not be better since the market is definitely poised for a change and we prefer to lead rather than follow” Nair concluded.
The Company’s goal is to provide the utmost in efficiency and value to the business and leisure traveler by providing the advanced amenities. The lap top user no longer needs to bring their equipment as each property plans to have in‐room computers and unlimited domestic long distance and deeply discounted international calling plans among other value added amenities.
The Company has also announced that it has reached an agreement with DCH, Inc. a California based international hospitality consulting firm to assist in the design and implementation of a new state‐of‐the‐art mid‐market hotel product. The newly designed properties will provide amenities such as the in‐room computers and other value added services generally found in full service hotel properties. The initiative is intended to produce the most advanced mid‐market product available in the state while keeping its cost to the consumer within a mid‐market price range.
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November 20, 2006
Renaissance Austin hotel sold to Maryland company
A news releas from DiamondRock Hospitality Co.
BETHESDA, Md.,— DiamondRock Hospitality Company (“DiamondRock”) (NYSE:DRH) today announced that it has entered into a definitive binding agreement to acquire the 521-room Renaissance Waverly Atlanta Hotel and the 492-room Renaissance Austin Hotel. The hotels will be acquired for a combined purchase price of $237.5 million, and the transaction is expected to close before the end of the year. The combined purchase price represents 10.8 times our projected 2007 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (or “EBITDA”) generated by the two hotels.
“These two acquisitions are right-on-strategy for our company. We were able to acquire very high-quality hotels in strong markets at reasonable prices. We also believe that Renaissance is a brand on the rise,” commented William W. McCarten, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DiamondRock.
The Renaissance Austin Hotel is the most prominent hotel in Austin’s Arboretum submarket along Research Boulevard, the technology corridor of Austin. The area is the world headquarters to Dell Computers as well as home to major offices for other technology companies such as IBM, Motorola, Advanced Micro Devices, Applied Materials, National Instruments, and Samsung. Austin is also home to the state government of Texas and the University of Texas. The hotel has been dominant in its submarket because of its location, brand, and generous 60,000 square feet of meeting space.
“These hotels are poised for excellent growth, which will be enhanced by $12 million in renovations during 2006. The renovations include revenue enhancing projects such as adding 14 new keys at the Austin hotel and repositioning the Waverly hotel’s food & beverage offerings. Additionally, the exceptionally large and high quality meeting and public spaces at the hotels make them the hotels-of-choice for meeting planners and irreplaceable assets,” added John Williams, President and Chief Operating Officer of DiamondRock.
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October 10, 2006
City of Kyle to get second hotel
A news release from the city of Kyle
City Manager Tom Mattis announced today that plans are underway to bring a La Quinta Inn and Suites to the City of Kyle. This will be Kyle’s second hotel, joining the Best Western, as overnight rest stops for visitors and weary travelers.
The 70 room hotel will also feature several meeting rooms, lending the facility to be able to host meetings and conferences.
“The addition of another high quality hotel in Kyle strengthens the City’s lure for out of town visitors and business people,? said Mattis. “In turn, this also makes the hotel an economic generator that will spur continued growth in our area.?
Hotels also add to the city’s bed tax base. Revenues from the bed tax are earmarked to be used to promote the City to tourist and businesses. This year alone, the Kyle City Council has approved $40,000 from bed tax revenues to bring Thunderpalooza, a live music event benefiting cancer awareness, to Kyle. Another $70,000 has also been approved to assist the Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce promote the city.
“I am excited about being able to bring another quality hotel to the City of Kyle,? said Mike Patel, owner of the existing Best Western and the new La Quinta.
The hotel, to be off of North IH35 at Windy Hill Road, is scheduled to begin construction by the end of the year and should be open for business by August 2007.
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Barton Creek Resort owner is sold
A news release from ClubCorp Inc.
ClubCorp Inc., the world leader in delivering premier golf, private club, and resort experiences, announces that it has entered into purchase agreements with KSL Capital Partners, LLC for its portfolio of nearly 170 clubs and three resorts and with the Robert Dedman family for Pinehurst, the historic North Carolina resort.
ClubCorp owns the Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin.
These two transactions, which are subject to customary closing conditions, have an aggregate transaction value of approximately $1.8 billion and are expected to close by the end of 2006.
KSL Capital Partners, LLC is a private equity firm with in excess of $1 billion in committed capital that invests in travel and leisure businesses.
“This sale provides the desired liquidity for ClubCorp shareholders,” said John Beckert, ClubCorp CEO. “More importantly, KSL Capital Partners brings expertise and capital that will enable ClubCorp to expand the enterprise and create new business opportunities to build on our past success. We will continue to lead the private club industry — it is what we have always done and no one does it better.”
KSL Capital Partners’ independent management company, KSL Resorts, currently manages three of the premier resort destinations in California, including the historic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, renowned La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad near San Diego, and Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage.
Founded in 1957, Dallas-based ClubCorp and its affiliates own or operate nearly 170 golf courses, country clubs, private business and sports clubs, and resorts. ClubCorp’s annual gross revenue for 2005 was $1.04 billion. Among the company’s nationally recognized resort and golf properties are Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas (site of two Canadian Tour events); The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia (America’s first resort founded in 1766); Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio (site of the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational); Vista Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (site of the 2006 Champions Tour Puerto Vallarta Blue Agave Golf Classic); and Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California (home of the Kraft Nabisco Championship).
