HILTON HEAD, S.C.
Courtesy of The Island Packet
Another Hilton Head Island resort plans a major overhaul.
Sonesta Resort, the former Crowne Plaza at Shipyard Plantation, announced Friday it would undergo a $30-million renovation of its 340 guest rooms and its public spaces. It also plans to add a spa.
The renovation will begin in December and be completed in the spring, according to the company.
The announcement follows word last week from the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa that it will spend $30 million on renovations. The town's other three beachfront hotels -- Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa, The Beach House (formerly Holiday Inn Oceanfront) and Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort (formerly Hilton Oceanfront Resort) -- have recently either undergone or announced major renovations.
Local tourism officials say the announcements herald a new era for the island's main economic driver.
"All of this is good for property values and investment on Hilton Head Island and guest satisfaction, making the island more appealing to repeat visitors and meeting planners," Bill Miles, CEO of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, said last week.
Sonesta, which took over and renamed the Crowne Plaza in April, has promised an extensive renovation of the hotel but had declined to release details. The hotel was built in 1984 as a Marriott.
According to a news release Friday the hotel's modernization will include:
- Two revamped swimming pools -- one a lagoon-style pool and the other an indoor-outdoor pool. The sun deck and terrace surrounding the pools will have private cabanas, lounges, outdoor beds, oversized umbrellas and innovative lighting.
- A new full-service spa that will feature three private treatment rooms, a manicure/ pedicure room and a post-treatment relaxation room.
- An updated lobby atrium, which will feature new sculptures and furnishings. The lobby also will have a contemporary tech lounge and coffee bar.
"Our team is excited to be part of this tradition as we embark on the transformation to a true destination resort that embraces all that Hilton Head Island has to offer." resort general manager Jay Wiendl said in the release.
