Baltimore
- A new Four Seasons (410.230.0039; www.fourseasons.com) is slated for a November opening in Baltimore. The $200 million property will feature 56 guest rooms, including 45 spacious luxury suites. It will include a pair of upscale restaurants that will receive expert consultation from celebrity chef Michael Mina. There will also be a pool bar, lounge and ample meeting space that will include a 5,380-square-foot ballroom.
- The Tremont Plaza Hotel (410.727.2222; www.tremontplazahotel.com) in Baltimore recently underwent a $6 million renovation. All 303 suites received improvements such as new paint and wall coverings, new carpet, in-room safes, new flat-panel HD TVs with DirectTV and Wi-Fi.
- A new visitor center opened earlier this year at Fort McHenry (410.962.4290; www.nps.gov/fomc), showcasing touch-screen monitors, state-of-the-art animation and interactive displays that allow visitors to participate in activities such as analyzing the words of the Star-Spangled Banner, among other highlights. Items on display range from a 10,000-pound cannon from 1808 to an authentic officer's uniform worn in battle.
Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
- The recently renovated Holiday Inn-BWI Airport Conference Center in Linthicum switched flags in April to become a Doubletree by Hilton (410.859.8400; www.doubltree1.hilton.com). The property now offers 260 completely renovated rooms and features more than 10,000 square feet of new meeting space, a newly revamped fitness facility and a business center with new equipment.
- The Hotel at Arundel Preserve (610.641.7170; www.hotelarundel.com) is set to launch this summer adjacent to the Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover. The property will have 9,200 square feet of meeting space, a grand ballroom for up to 300 guests, an outdoor terrace and additional breakout rooms and boardrooms.
- The Residence Inn by Marriott Annapolis (410.573.0300; www.marriott.com) completed a $3.5 million renovation in March that included enhancements to its suites, lobby and meeting space.
- The Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa (410-257-5596; www.chesapeakebeachresortspa.com), located in Chesapeake Beach, celebrated its 65th anniversary in June. The Chesapeake Beach standby offers 72 rooms overlooking the shoreline, three dining establishments and ample meeting space that includes a ballroom witha capacity for 375 guests.