Georgia
- The St. Regis Atlanta debuted in April in the city’s Buckhead community. The hotel features 151 guest rooms and suites, 51 branded St. Regis residences, a spa, a 40,000-square-foot pool piazza, more than 16,800 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space and a fitness center. Each room includes a 37-inch LCD television with a DVD player and MP3 docking station. Guests can also sample international wine selections in the Wine Room or live piano entertainment in the Long Gallery. The hotel’s pool area offers private cabanas, a waterfall and a poolside bar and cafe. The event space includes the Astor Ballroom with over 9,000 square feet of function space and 19-foot ceilings, up to four private spaces and an outdoor balcony. For more information, call 404.563.7900 or visit www.stregis.com/atlanta.
North Carolina
- The Charlotte Marriott City Center in March completed a $10 million renovation project highlighted by a complete renovation of its 438 guest rooms and guest room hallways. Each room features a 37-inch flat-screen television and wired and wireless high-speed Internet access. The hotel features 20,000 square feet of meeting space and a Grand Ballroom that can seat up to 1,200 guests. For more information, call 704.333.9000 or visit www.marriottcitycenter.com.
Oklahoma
- Following a more than $125 million expansion and construction project, Tulsa’s Cherokee Casino Resort is now the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The new 19-story hotel tower provides more than 200 rooms and suites, bringing the resort’s total room count to more than 350 rooms. The resort also offers more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a new 18,000-square-foot ground floor convention center and a ballroom that seats up to 1,000 guests banquet style or 1,200 classroom style. The flexible convention space also offers breakout rooms and prefunction areas. For small meetings or receptions, the resort features 5,000 square feet of meeting space on the hotel’s 18th floor. The resort also offers an 18-hole championship golf course on-property. Future plans include a 2,500-seat, multi-use entertainment theater coming in 2010, available for large events and trade shows. For more information, call 800.760.6700 or visit www.cherokeecasino.com.
Texas
- Hyatt Regency Houston recently completed a $40 million transformation, including the renovation of all 947 guest rooms, a redesigned LobbiBar and 64,000 square feet of upgraded meeting space. At the center of the transformation are new guest rooms featuring 32-inch high-definition, flat-panel televisions. The hotel offers more than 64,000 square feet of refurbished meeting space. For more information, call 713.654.1234 or visit http://houstonregency.hyatt.com.
Virginia
- The Sheraton Roanoke Hotel & Conference Center reopened earlier this year following an $18 million renovation. The hotel offers 320 guest rooms and 17,000 square feet of meeting space. One highlight is the lobby redesign into a lobby lounge that features free Wi-Fi and Internet-enabled computer stations. Other amenities include an indoor and outdoor pool, fitness facility and a VIP floor. The hotel offers 17,000 square feet of banquet and conference space, including a grand ballroom for gatherings of up to 700 people. For more information, call 540.563.9300 or visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
- The downtown Richmond Marriott is undergoing a $14 million overhaul, complete with a comprehensive refurbishing of the hotel’s 400-plus rooms, the transformation of its lobby into a business-friendly Great Room and the makeover of its restaurant into an upscale sports bar with sidewalk seating along Broad Street. The multiphase renovation is expected to be completed in September. Extensive room renovations were completed and include new LCD flat-screen televisions. Each room also is outfitted with high-speed Internet capabilities. The new Great Room is expected to be completed in July and the restaurant is expected to open in September. For more information, call 804.643.3400 or visit www.marriott.com.
- The 62-room Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Doswell recently debuted. The hotel features an indoor heated pool, whirlpool and fitness center. Other amenities include a complimentary business center. The hotel offers standard rooms, studio suites and one-bedroom suites. All rooms feature complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access and a 32-inch LCD television. For more information, call 804.612.8450 or visit www.countryinns.com/doswellva.