Illinois
The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Chicago debuted downtown with 300 guest rooms and almost 3,400 square feet of meeting space. This is the first Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ The Luxury Collection brand property in Chicago. The hotel is in the City’s Historic McGraw-Hill Building and the design is inspired by Gwen Lux, a Chicago-born sculptor whose work influenced the early twentieth century.
The 114-room Hyatt Place Bloomington/Normal opened in late August. The property is located in Uptown Normal near public transportation and Illinois State University. The Hyatt Place brand is designed for the business traveler, offering 24/7 food options and complimentary Wi-Fi. With 2,400 square feet of meeting space, the hotel can accommodate up to 150.
Iowa
Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf revealed its newest 251 hotel rooms in the South Tower. After the $60 million renovation is complete in 2016, with over 500 guest rooms in two towers and 40,000 square feet of convention space, the property will be the largest land-based casino resort with on-site convention space in Iowa. The 35,000-square-foot gaming floor will be in the existing courtyard between the two hotel towers.
Homewood Suites West Des Moines opened with 100 extended-stay suites. The hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi, breakfast and an evening social reception, as well as pet friendly suites. Part of a dual-Hilton complex, located adjacent to the Hampton Inn & Suites, the property has 650 square feet of meeting space.
Missouri
The Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel reopened after completing a $30 million renovation and brand change. The renovations include a new great room lobby, technology upgrades, additional meeting space and concierge lounge, and the opening of a new restaurant. The Crystal and Statler ballrooms, which were part of the original 1917 Statler Hotel, remain and three new meeting spaces have been added, totaling 65,000 square feet with 36 meeting rooms. The hotel is near St. Louis’ convention center, America’s Center; Busch Stadium; and the Gateway Arch.
Wisconsin
The DoubleTree by Hilton Madison completed a renovation of all 163 of its guest rooms. The rooms feature modern furnishings, new bedding and new TVs, and all feature complimentary Wi-Fi, refrigerators and microwaves. The hotel has 5,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, including seven meeting rooms, and offers free parking and shuttle service to and from the Dane County Regional Airport and the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.