Florida
- The 159-room Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel is working on an addition to its meeting and event spaces with the goal of completion in December. With a total of 10 separate meeting spaces measuring more than 6,000 square feet, the property has a variety of options for groups, including the Buchman Ballroom, which will be capable of hosting 400-person conferences. The ballroom will open to a 1,900-square-foot prefunction area with 20-foot ceilings suitable for receptions. The 828-square-foot Jaguar Rooms and the 1160-square-foot Matthews and Hart Rooms will serve as prefunction space as well. The restaurant's patio is capable of hosting cocktail receptions and evening functions for up to 200 people. For more information, call 904.564.4772.
- The 598-room Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa recently launched a $6.5 million renovation project, to be finished this spring. The hotel-wide renovation will include new deck areas, a new beachside restaurant and bar and remodeled meeting spaces. Once the renovation project is complete, the hotel will offer meeting planners 17,000 square feet of flexible outdoor deck areas with unobstructed gulf views. The property includes 32,000 square feet of meeting space. The property also features an 11,000-square-foot spa. For more information, call 850.267.9500.
- Hotel Breakwater, a Miami Beach-based oceanfront boutique resort, is set to reopen late spring following multimillion-dollar renovations by new parent company Jordache Jeans. The property offers 100 guest rooms and suites, each with a flat-screen television and high-speed Internet access. Some penthouse terraces feature private plunge pools. Amenities also include a rooftop lounge, wellness garden replete with lap pool and a butler-serviced Internet lounge. For more information, call 305.532.2362.
Georgia
- Thayer Lodging Group is under contract to acquire the 304-room Hotel Palomar Atlanta-Midtown, which will be rebranded as The Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel. The hotel was previously managed by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. With the conversion to a Renaissance, the names of the restaurant and lounge will also be changed. The hotel features 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and a 1,000-square-foot fitness center. For more information, call 678.412.2400 or visit www.marriott.com.
Mississippi
- Marriott International recently opened the Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus with 69 guest rooms and 16 suites. Hotel amenities include an outdoor saltwater pool, fitness center, free high-speed Internet and a business center. The hotel also offers 920 square feet of meeting space for up to 130 people and a boardroom for up to 25 people. For more information, call 662.241.1990.
Texas
- The Westin Houston Memorial City opened in March in Houston's Memorial City District, including sky bridge access to Memorial City Memorial Hermann Medical Center and Memorial City Mall. The property features 267 guest rooms, including 25 suites; over 30,000 square feet of unconstrained meeting and banquet space; an 18th-floor infinity pool with panoramic views of Houston's skyline; and the 024 Lounge. A second-floor terrace offers a view of Houston's skyline. For more information, call 281.501.4300.
- The Houston Marriott West Loop by the Galleria is undergoing an $18 million renovation. The first stage of a three-part renovation process includes a makeover of the hotel's 301 guest rooms, concierge lounge and fitness center. The entire renovation is projected to be completed in 2013. The next two phases will include renovations in the lobby area and the hotel's 17,000 square feet of meeting space. For more information, call 713.960.0111.
Virginia
- Two Arlington properties recently debuted, the 300-room Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel and the 325 all-suite Residence Inn Arlington Capital View, both designed to be LEED Silver certified. The Renaissance offers 17,354 square feet of event space, including a 10,000-square-foot unobstructed ballroom. Other amenities include high-speed Internet via cable or Wi-Fi. At the Residence Inn, amenities include an expanded lobby with a library and fireplace and an outdoor fire pit. The hotel also offers complimentary Wi-Fi as well as 3,628 square feet of unobstructed meeting space, including a 2,700-square-foot meeting room. Both hotels share a swimming pool and fitness facility. For more information, call 703.413.1300.