Philadelphia
- With a projected 2011 completion, the ongoing expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center (215.418.4700; www.paconvention.com) will add 60 percent more space to the facility, resulting in 1 million square feet of saleable space.
- The 204-room Le Meridien Philadelphia (215.575.6905; www.starwoodhotels.com) is slated to open in late summer or early fall just steps from the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Housed in a 10-story Georgian revival-style structure, the property’s amenities will include a 90-seat restaurant, high-tech conference rooms and a grand ballroom.
- Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group (415.955.5492; www.kimptonhotels.com) is debuting in Philadelphia later this year with its Palomar boutique brand. The $92 million project, located near Rittenhouse Square, is a conversion of the historic Architects Building, a 24-story Art Deco gem from 1929.
- The 92-room Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia City Center (215.496.2700; www.starwoodhotels.com) recently opened one block from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
- The 135-room aloft Philadelphia Airport (267.298.1700; www.starwoodhotels.com) opened last August and includes high-tech features like wireless Internet access and “one-stop connectivity” for PDAs, cell phones, MP3 players and laptops.
- The 1,401-room Philadelphia Marriott Downtown (215.625.2900; www.marriott.com) converted its exhibit hall into a space that can be divided into 13 separate breakout rooms. It also spent over $6 million in modern renovations and technology upgrades to its lobby and restaurant. The hotel will complete a guest room and suite renovation in 2009.
- Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia (215.893.1600; www.philadelphia.doubletree.com) opened Assembly of Five, a meeting center offering six conference rooms that all include state-of-the art technology. Renovations of all 432 guest rooms and public spaces, including the lobby, have also been completed.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia (215.523.8000; www.ritzcarlton.com) recently finished a $15 million guest room renovation that also includes an update of the hotel’s 6,100-square-foot grand ballroom and the opening of 10 Arts, a restaurant and lounge from famed chef Eric Ripert. The renovation project continues on the hotel’s meeting areas.
Valley Forge
- The 327-room Dolce Valley Forge (610.337.1200; www.dolce-valley-forge-hotel.com) completed a $20 million renovation that included upgrades to guest rooms, the pool area and the facade; a new restaurant, lobby, lounge, business center and fitness center; and the addition of 6,500 square feet of meeting space, giving the hotel a total of 26,000 square feet of function space. A spa is also in the works.