Master thread for new hotels and disposales!
 

The Castle Hotel in Orlando (International Drive) is currently closed for renovations and is reopening on Oct 1st as an Autograph Collection property. As far as I know it belongs to Kessler Hotels, which already have a few Autographs but IMHO don't treat elites particularily well

Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown?
 

In Minneapolis, the former Holiday Inn Metrodome (located at 1500 Washington Avenue, adjacent to the University of Minnesota West Bank campus and within walking distance of downtown) was sold. It was announced that this property would be reflagged under the new owners as a Courtyard (presumably the Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown, although it's not located downtown), but it had been operating independently as the Hotel Minneapolis Metrodome while renovation work was being done.

Today it looks totally closed with no hotel signs at all, current or future. The attached parking garage has a sign that it's parking for a new apartment building (targeted apparently to students, which is being built where Grandma's used to be for those who know the Seven Corners neighborhood). There's a piece of heavy construction equipment blocking the main entrance. It really doesn't look to me like this will be a Courtyard anytime soon.

ADDED. They're selling rooms on line now as Hotel Minneapolis Metrodome (at $159 or $189 for a city view tonight) and as Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown from September 5 (starting at about $161 per night for random dates, more for a view). However, there have been reports this summer of reservations being cancelled or rebooked in mediocre hotels in undesirable locations.

Strange,

From the 35W freeway a few weeks ago, I saw the Courtyard signs on the building. I made special not of it as I didn't know it was in the process of re-flagging. Are those signs now down or covered?

I will say the name of "downtown" is a bit more honest than a few hotels in Minneapolis. At least it is walking distance to downtown. The one I remember most blatantly misusing Downtown was the Sheraton (later reflagged Holiday in and than Ramada and than ..) off of 35W and Industrial Blvd.

Several months ago, from the front the Minneapolis Metrodome sign was obvious. I also noticed it painted on their van. I mention this because there was a similar van with no signage parked where they used to keep it when not in use, on the sort of sidewalk area next to their carriage entrance little circular roadway. Yesterday I drove slowly in front of it, but could not stop due to cars around me, and saw no signs and no indication that a hotel of any name was in operation in that building. This was late afternoon, so I didn't see whether there were lights on in the lobby or in some of the rooms.

I was shocked by the sight, just as I was shocked when it deflaggged as a Holiday Inn. It always gave the impression of being well run for what it was. They did a lot of business from university guests, sports teams, sporting event spectators, and conferences. It and the new aloft are the closest hotels to the Metrodome (Vikings pro football and other stuff stadium that's currently being rebuild). Other campus hotels are the former Radisson on East Bank that was deflagged and became an independent hotel a few years ago, a rather nice Days Inn, a couple small independent motels (yes, I said motels) and a B&B in a big old house that caters to longer term university visitors. From this pool, the aloft and then the former Holiday Inn Metrodome would be the farthest from the new university football stadium, which the Vikings are also using this year, but it's certainly walkable.

Residence Inn/Courtyard coming to downtown Kansas City. There will now be 3 Residence Inn's in a 4 mile stretch of KC

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/26...first-new.html

Master thread for new hotels and disposales!
 

The Eilan Hotel Resort in San Antonio has joined the Autograph Collection.

Fairfield Inn Hershey: Opened in April 2013
 

https://hotelexecutive.com/newswire/...n-pennsylvania

This hotel just opened earlier this year, on Thursday 4/4/2013.

Initially, the open date was scheduled for one week later, and I was bummed b/c the family was going to Hershey for Springtime in the Park on 4/6 & 4/7, and this hotel would not be available. As the dates of our trip got closer, I kept checking, and found that the hotel would be open just before we arrived, but the rates were way too high to justify staying there. I kept checking, but the price did not go down. Finally, in desperation, I called in the hotel directly in the morning before leaving NJ. I explained how we really wanted to stay, could they offer a lower price? When they offered the government rate, I took it! It was only a few dollars more than the room we had booked (which further from Hershey Park), which I promptly canceled.

This was the closest we ever stayed to Hershey Park, as we have typically ventured as far west as the New Cumberland FFI to book a low rate.

Master thread for new hotels and disposales!
 

The Wayside Carriage House Inn in Sudbury/Boston has been reflagged and is now a Fairfield Inn.

Master thread for new hotels and disposales!
 

Marriott has just announced a new Renaissance New York Midtown South Garment District, on West 34th Street. Finally a neww full service hotel in the works. They really need to step up their game in this segment where it seems they loose ground to Hyatt/Doubletree/Sheraton every day!

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycsg-renaissance-new-york-midtown-south-garment-district/

Opens March 2015.

Cheers.

Saw on Marriott's website:

Edition Times Square (NYC) opening in 2017 & Edition West Hollywood (LA) opening in 2018.

"Currently in Istanbul and London, and soon to open in Miami Beach, other EDITION hotels are planned for New York (the New York EDITION and Times Square EDITION); Abu Dhabi, UAE; Sanya and Wuhan, China; Gurgaon, India; and Bangkok, Thailand, with advanced ongoing discussions for other exciting locations."

"As we finalize construction of the new EDITION Times Square hotel in New York, which we expect to open in 2017, it’s incredibly gratifying to embark on a new project that will bring an exceptional EDITION hotel and truly spectacular EDITION residences to the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles. Expected to open in 2018, the West Hollywood EDITION will be a world-class, luxury lifestyle hotel and EDITION’s flagship location on the West Coast."

http://news.marriott.com/2014/10/edi...hollywood.html

Cheers.

Master thread for new hotels and disposales!
 

Just read on the Hilton board that starting February 1 the Hilton in Lyon, France is going to become a Marriott. Didn't see what brand they were going for.

As of Dec 1, 2014, the Fairfield Inn in Syosett, NY is now a Comfort Inn.

Reading the article (free translation), supposedly it's a large property so my guess is it will be a Marriott. We can start a property specific thread re: it once it makes the changeover Feb 1. The article did say it was going to undergo a large renovation in 2015.

Cheers.

Durham, NC is getting a new Residence Inn. This one will be on Main Street a couple blocks from Downtown Durham and Duke University. I believe it will open later this year.