Alabama
The Island House Hotel Orange Beach–a DoubleTree by Hilton debuted after a multimillion-dollar renovation. The hotel is set on the Gulf Shores and boasts one of the largest private beaches of any hotel in the area. Each of the 161 guest rooms features a private balcony with water views. On-site, Beachside Bistro & Bar serves local seafood and specializes in Southern cooking with Cajun and Creole twists. The hotel offers an outdoor pool, beach cabanas and tee times at nine of the area’s golf courses as well as boogie boards, kayaks, surfboards and stand-up paddleboards available for rental. The property has nearly 6,000 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities, including the 3,865-square-foot Island Ballroom.
Florida
The AC Hotel Miami Aventura opened with 233 guest rooms. Amenities include a rooftop pool, a fitness center, meeting space, co-working space and a lounge. The rooftop poolside patio area can be used for private events in addition to its 2,871 square feet of meeting space for 100 attendees.
Margaritaville Resort Orlando broke ground and is expected to open in late 2018. The hotel will feature 187 guest rooms, 30,000 square feet of function space, retail outlets, a dining and entertainment district, a 12-acre waterpark, a wellness center, wooded fitness trails, a water taxi system and a three-acre swimming area. The development will also boast 1,000 accommodation offerings, including a mix of resort vacation homes, cottages, villas and timeshare units.
Georgia
Hilton Atlanta unveiled its multimillion-dollar redesign featuring updated guest rooms, meeting spaces and public areas. The refresh is the first of a three-phase renovation program slated to be completed by 2018. The 1,249-room hotel boasts 129,000 square feet of meeting space with increased Internet bandwidth. The hotel’s second floor now houses two ballrooms and 23 breakout rooms. The reconfigured and expanded Grand Salon features 22 feet of additional ceiling height and a pillarless design. A private check-in desk was added as well as a 24-hour Marketplace Cafe. Tiki lounge Trader Vic’s and Nikolai’s Roof, an upscale French-Russian-inspired restaurant on the hotel’s top floor, offer new private event programming such as Mai Tai mixology classes and vodka tastings.
Texas
The Omni Frisco Hotel debuted at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ World Headquarters campus. The hotel features 300 guest rooms, a rooftop pool as well as dining and retail outlets. In partnership with restaurant entrepreneur Nick Badovinus, the hotel opened Neighborhood Services as the featured dining experience. There is also Edge Bar at the hotel’s rooftop pool and the Lobby Bar will offer select wines curated by a master sommelier and a selection of cheeses by artisanal cheesemongers from Dallas-based specialty store Molto Formaggio. The property offers 24,000 square feet of meeting and event space for up to 1,400 guests, including an outdoor pool deck overlooking the plaza.
Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel opened within the Legacy West urban mixed-use project. The 304-room hotel includes 30,000 square feet of conference and meeting space, a fitness center, three restaurant options and a club level with a lounge. There is also an amenity deck with a heated pool, cabanas, an outdoor bar, a grill and event space. A curated art collection is featured throughout the property and includes sculpture, ceramics, paintings, prints, textiles, mobiles and digital installations.
The Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel was sold to the Buccini/Pollin Group for $46 million. PM Hotel Group, a national hotel management company based in Washington, D.C., will operate the hotel. The 302-room property is located within minutes of DFW Airport and was recently renovated. The refresh included the lobby, including a new lobby lounge, guest rooms, an expanded and redesigned Club Lounge and all function rooms. The property offers 25,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom with a capacity for 1,300 guests.