“Recharged and ready to inspire” is the message displayed on the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront to promote the complete renovation of the Downtown hotel along the Northbank.
Scheduled for completion in October, all 963 guest rooms will be new, including carpet, furniture, fixtures, wall coverings and window treatments.
Owners of the Hyatt aren’t the only major players in the hospitality industry who are convinced Jacksonville is a growth market. That’s confirmed by the top-to-bottom renovations completed, almost complete or underway at the four Downtown full-service hotels.
When the projects are finished, nearly 2,000 guest rooms and suites at the Hyatt, Crowne Plaza Jacksonville-Riverfront, Omni Jacksonville and the Lexington Hotel & Conference Center (formerly the Wyndham) will be new from floor to ceiling.
Paul Astleford, president of Visit Jacksonville, the convention and visitors bureau for Jacksonville and the Beaches, said in his more than 40 years of experience in the business, he has never seen so many hotels in a single market being simultaneously renovated.
“Millions of dollars are being invested because the owners believe in these properties,” he said. “There is a great deal of confidence in Jacksonville across the hospitality market.”
Jacksonville’s lodging providers, including suburban limited-service properties, have for the past two years shown increases in occupancy and the average rate charged per room per day (see chart).
Katie Mitura, Visit Jacksonville director of marketing and communications, said the U.S. travel market and overall economy is improving.
Of Jacksonville specifically, the visitors bureau has fine-tuned its marketing, using more social media to create an interactive relationship with prospective business, group and leisure travelers, she said.
Work at the 323-room Lexington began several weeks ago and is expected to be complete in 18 months.
In addition to new guest room décor, the lobby will be reconfigured, meeting rooms redecorated and new landscaping installed.
Some of the most extensive changes are nearly complete at the Crowne Plaza along the Southbank.
“We gutted the rooms to the wall studs,” said General Manager Shawn Frisbee.
In addition to renovating the 293 guest rooms, the lobby, lounge, restaurant, fitness center, business center and meeting rooms have been entirely remodeled.
One reason for the renovation at the Crowne Plaza is its age. It opened in 1967 and it’s the first time the property has been completely redone. Another reason is that beginning Sept. 2, the DoubleTree by Hilton flag will be raised each day in front of the hotel.
The new brand and the remodeling came after two years of steady improvement in Jacksonville’s hotel occupancy and revenue, said Frisbee.
“Where owners see positive share growth, it’s easy for them to make the decision to invest,” he said.
Gino Caliendo, general manager of the Hyatt, also cited steadily improving occupancy and revenue as motivators for the remodeling of the 963-room hotel.
“Jacksonville continues to grow as a destination, especially for business travelers and groups. This was an opportunity to give them something new to see, feel and experience,” he said in March when the project was announced.
The Hyatt’s Regency Club amenity for Gold Passport members and the rooftop fitness center also are being renovated.
There will be new décor around the swimming pool and six new meeting rooms in the Terrace Building when the work is complete.
At the Omni, renovation of 354 guest rooms and suites is complete, the final phase of a project that began more than three years ago.
The ballrooms and meeting rooms on the second floor were redecorated in 2012 to celebrate the hotel’s 25th anniversary Downtown. Soon after, the lobby, lounge and restaurant were reconfigured.
“Having fresh rooms improves the guest experience even for guests who have been staying here for years,” said Mike Islava, director of sales and marketing.
Having what is essentially a new hotel helps the marketing department attract more guests to the property. The Monday-Friday business travel market is coming back after the recession and the Omni’s weekend guests, many of whom are locals seeking a getaway at a top-tier hotel, is improving.
“It’s always fun to sell a new hotel,” Islava said.
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