Originally Posted by
purplenightskylovertv
I know the HGI Detroit Southfield started as a Compri hotel. What was the broad history of Compri?
Hasn't that already been discussed quite extensively in
post number 47? Or do you need some more info for research purposes? After all, this is ancient HGI | DoubleTree | Hilton history. In any case, this post will be updated a couple of times in the next few days (to prevent moderators from blending succesive posts into a pernicious substance).
Launched in 1984
The Compri brand was announced in 1984, here's the newspaper story:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...s-c/160783122/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...s-c/160783405/
if you read the article above, you will understand why "DoubleTree Club" was chosen as the new name when the Compri brand was abandoned about ten years later. At that time certain hotels went to other chains. The management of the hotel in Southfield, pictured below, went to Hilton Inns. They made it their first Hilton Garden Inn.
The world's first Hilton Garden Inn opened in June 1991 when Hilton took over the management of the Southfield (Compri) Hotel. Soon after, the initial Cresthil by Hilton locations were reflagged, thus creating 'the original four' Hilton Garden Inns. The fifth HGI would not open until 1997.
The picture above was taken on a visit in June 2024. You can even notice that Hilton attached the official HGI logo to the building fairly recently. The green false roof was added sometime between 2005 and 2010, to make it look more HGI-esque. You'll find that same feature on the Google aerial view of
Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport North, which dates back to the same period. That Phoenix location once used to be the
flagship hotel of Ramada Inn. (In Google StreetView, you can go back to 2007, and then you'll notice the building being transformed from what it was into a HGI.)
Peter Bidstrup, president of both Doubletree and Compri
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...mpri/77401430/
A newspaper page detailing the development of Compri Hotels. In it, we recognize some of the "all-inclusive" aspects of Compri that were also part of Hilton Garden Inn's early years, when it had a nightly rate that included parking, free internet access, free use of the business center with print and fax facilities included, a free newspaper for Hilton Honors members, and a free breakfast for their loyalty VIPs. The article has a picture of Peter Bidstrup, sitting in a chair at the Orange County Compri. In 1991 it was renamed to Doubletree Club, and according to Google, it is now closed (doesn't appear on Hilton anymore either). By the way, in the above story, the very first Compri in Lakewood, CO (West Denver) is mentioned. That one is now a Hampton Inn.
No tipping policy
California's
first Compri was built in Pleasanton, in Alameda County, in the East Bay area. It's now part of AC Hotels by Marriott. Before that, it was a Sheraton until 2000.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/o...ton/160881829/
Oakland Tribune, Wednesday, February 5, 1986.
Women travelers
While the early stories emphasized that the hotel was catering to corporate clients, a new selling point was found in women travelers. One-third of the customer base consisted of women.
The Atlanta Constitution, Tuesday, July 14, 1987, the article below has a picture of the hotel and the Compri Club lounge.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...nta/161031172/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...nta/161030959/
The () around Compri was meant to lure walk-ins to the hotel. The idea was that people would Q: 'Why?' The front desk would then explain that 'compris' was French for 'included'. Then they could explain the many complementary extras that came with the modest nightly room rate. Finally, the guest was supposed to A: Well that sounds like a fine deal, let's try it!)
The address of 3000 Hargrove Road doesn't exist anymore, it has changed to 3000 Cumberland Blvd SE. In 1989
Courtyard by Marriott Cumberland Center took over. In 2020. it became a
Sonesta Select. The structure appears to have some (faux?) balconies and looks like a later or local implementation of the original building concept.
***
The section below is still being edited, so please pardon our dust... Planning to update it in early 2025.
About the one in Boise, Idaho, which was also one of the early Compris. Now a Holiday Inn Express:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...ida/160785298/
A full page discussing the founder of Doubletree and Compri - and others in the management - appeared on the occasion of the opening of the 371-bedroom
Tulsa Doubletree Warren Place in 1985.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...lsa/160843846/
(Compri) Hotel by Doubletree timeline- 1969 First ever Doubletree Inn opens on Scottsdale Fashion Square, a two level patio resort style property.
Owner had developed a number of Rodeway Inns before.
- 1984 Compri brand announced.
- 198x First Compri opens in Lakewood (West Denver), now a Hampton Inn.
- 198x First California Compri in Pleasanton.
- 1986 (January) Compri Boise, ID
- 1986 (Thurs, May 29) Compri Santa Ana/Newport Beach, CA
- 1986 (Thurs, June 26) Compri Ontario Airport, CA
- ...
- 1988? Rancho Bernardo/San Diego
- 1990 (Mon, Dec 10) Canadian Pacific Hotels aquires an 80% stake in Methotels Inc, owner of 55 DoubleTree and Compri hotels.
- 1991 Management of the Detroit Southfield Compri hotel passed over to Hilton; the Hilton Garden Inn brand is born.
- 1991 California Compri hotels rename to Doubletree Club.
- 1993 Compri Windsor, Ontario is still being advertised. Rest appears to have reflaged.
- 1993 Compri Charlotte, NC becomes Doubletree Club Hotel Charlotte. Amenities stay the same as Compri's, but now includes chocolate chip cookie as well.
Compri McAllen, TX becomes Doubletree Club Hotel Casa de Palma
Compri Harrisburg, PA reflags as Best Western Hotel Crown Park
USA Today 1991 ad - has picture of Compri Lounge, lists all Compri locations
https://www.newspapers.com/article/u...day/161033814/
I may shorten the timeline above and replace it with a table listing the Compri hotels from the ad above and their current status. Maybe better still to post it in the 'DoubleTree Brand(ing)" thread. And use Google to create a nice map, because the forum doesn't support tables.
CALIFORNIA . Del Mar (Opening Spring 1991), Los Angeles Airport, Los Angeles Harbor, Ontario, Pleasanton, Rancho Bernardo/San Diego, Santa Ana . CANADA . Ontario, Windsor
COLORADO . Denver . FLORIDA . Jacksonville, Orlando . IDAHO . Boise . ILLINOIS. Schaumburg . MICHIGAN . Southfield . MINNESOTA . Minneapolis-St. Paul ·
MISSOURI . St. Louis . NEW JERSEY . Princeton . NORTH CAROLINA . Charlotte (2), Raleigh/Durham . PENNSYLVANIA . Harrisburg/Hershey, Philadelphia, N.E.
TEXAS . McAllen . Or stay with Doubletree Hotels. Call 1-800-528-0444.
By the way: the Del Mar Compri would be renamed "DoubleTree Club" before its opening in June 1991. It still is a DoubleTree.
Still need to post a review of the Hilton Garden Inn in Southfield. Maybe I'll do that in this other thread
Hilton Garden Inn Detroit-Southfield, MI. {US-MI} (FYI the Hilton Garden Inn was a
Hilton Inn for a while, but this has also been already discussed extensively in this very thread.) Or maybe I'll post those pics here...