Indiana
The DoubleTree by Hilton Lafayette East began construction to remodel the six-story, 128-room hotel and conference center on the site of the former Best Western Lafayette Executive Plaza & Conference Center. The property will feature a full-service restaurant, indoor pool and nearly 4,300 square feet of meeting space. The meeting space includes a ballroom with three breakout rooms, prefunction space and a boardroom. The hotel’s exterior design will complement the surrounding area with the interior’s overall color palette and materials paying homage to Lafayette’s Purdue University with hints of black and gold. Dora Hotel Company will operate the hotel, which is expected to open in late 2017.
White Lodging Services Corporation and REI Investments purchased the 622-room Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. An extensive renovation of the hotel is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2017 and will include 10 additional guest rooms, two new restaurants with open air seating and a new lobby bar. All guest rooms, meeting space and existing food and beverage options will be renovated. The property is connected to the Indiana Convention Center and currently offers more than 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space with two restaurants and a Starbucks. The hotel was named a Certified Green Hotel by environmental nonprofit Green Seal, making it the first in Indianapolis and one of five Marriott hotels to earn the certification.
Kansas
The Hilton Garden Inn Wichita completed renovations, which included improvements to its guest rooms, banquet areas, lobby, public restrooms and the building’s exterior. All double-bed rooms were upgraded to queen beds and the tile and furniture was replaced in all 103 guest rooms. The property has a full-service restaurant, Garden Grille & Bar, and 1,560 square feet of meeting space, including three meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 104 guests and access to an outdoor patio. The hotel is located in the city’s upscale Bradley Fair shopping and dining district, with over 50 stores and restaurants and an open-air plaza within walking distance.
Nebraska
Courtyard Omaha South–Bellevue at Event Center opened and offers guests easy access to downtown Omaha and Offutt Air Force Base. The hotel features the brand’s new Refreshing Business lobby and guest room design. The 121-room hotel offers The Bistro with casual and flexible seating for breakfast, light evening bites, snacks and drinks, and a business library with several computer stations. The attached event center offers more than 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space with a 9,400-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate 740 guests, a breakout room with banquet seating for 60 and a boardroom for 12.
Oklahoma
The Hilton Garden Inn Ardmore opened with 122 guest rooms. The hotel offers nearly 4,200 square feet of meeting space, including four meeting rooms and a 3,500-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate 250 people. There is the brand’s Garden Grille and Bar on-site as well as the Pavilion Pantry, which is open 24 hours. The property is located near Lake Murray State Park and business offices including Michelin North America and Mercy Memorial Health Center.
The Skirvin Hilton has embarked on a renovation project. The Oklahoma City property will transform all 225 guest rooms and public space, including rotunda suites and the presidential suite, guest room corridors and the lobby area. The redesign will upgrade the hotel while keeping the historic significance, including new marble and granite flooring and wall coverings that reflect the style of the hotel when it opened in 1911. The Red Piano Lounge completed renovations and all improvements are scheduled to be complete in September. Park Avenue Grill, the more formal on-site eatery, features the building’s original Art Deco tilings and hand-carved entryways The property features 18,500 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms, three boardrooms, three separate event rooms and a prefunction lounge room.