Meeting News - January 7, 2008 - (Page 12)

Hotels/Resorts continued from page 11 ried hotels. The latest upgrade, during which the hotel will be closed, will include all 200 guest accommodations—including the hotel’s 11 apartment-like suites, each with a terrace, and its 41 standard suites. It is slated for completion in early 2009. The renovation’s first phase involved improvements to the hotel’s meeting space, which spans 18,000 sf. The function areas of the property will remain open during the renovation’s second phase; it will be accessible via a private entrance. “As stewards of this hospitality icon, our goal is to retain the classic ambiance of The Pierre while adding a fresh look of 21st-century elegance and technology that will appropriately transform the property,” said Heiko Kuenstle, general manager. guest-room plug-in technology, and wired and wireless Internet access on the same network. The DS-3 line provides guests with the ability to stream video, host videoconferences, and run their largest Internet-based presentations simultaneously, regardless of bandwidth requirements, without anyone having to sacrifice speed. Wireless and wired web access is available on the same secure network throughout the hotel’s public spaces (meaning that guests can work throughout the hotel and be recognized on the system), as well as in meeting spaces, upon request. In addition to wireless Internet access, guest rooms have a plug-in technology panel that allows travelers to connect their laptops to the 37-inch high-definition, flat panel television. The TV screen can be split between TV and laptop, allowing guests to watch TV and check e-mail at the same time. In addition, guests can plug an MP3 player into the panel, use the panel for playing back a camcorder or digital camera, and dock next to the stylish and plush beds. “This technology package is a key differentiator for our hotel,” said David Keamy, director of sales and marketing. “Planners are ecstatic that a property has finally responded to their feedback concerning technology. Several groups have chosen our hotel solely based on our technology,” he said. “They are really excited about the endless possibilities this technology can provide for successful meetings.” ting each room with a 42-inch flatscreen television that has a spot to plug in digital devices, such as iPods, PDAs, and laptop computers, allowing the television to double as a computer screen. Guest rooms were also outfitted with an improved workspace, highspeed Internet access, and oversized bathrooms. The hotel’s lobby, which now includes Wi-Fi hotspots, as do other public areas in the building, was redecorated to create a Zen-inspired garden atmosphere. “We selected many of the design elements to soothe guests who might have traveled long distances and are ready to relax,” said General Manager Craig Parker. The hotel has 10,000 sf of meeting space. Florida’s Sea Turtle Inn Joins One Ocean Brand Atlantic Beach, FL—A groupfriendly beach resort near Jacksonville, the Sea Turtle Inn, will reopen its doors next month as One Ocean Resort after a $27-million renovation (The renovation budget was erroneously reported earlier to be $1 million, in the Oct. 8 issue of MeetingNews.) During the spruce-up, all of the northern Florida property’s 193 oceanfront rooms and suites were refurbished, along with its 9,500-sf conference center. The resort is close to championship golf, in Ponte Vedra and Sawgrass, and shopping in nearby St. Augustine and Amelia Island. The upgraded JW Marriott Buckhead stands tall in one of Atlanta’s most posh communities. work began in 2005. The space, part of the property’s 18,710 sf of function rooms, now includes a built-in registration desk, an electronic door locking system, electronic reader boards, one-touch room control panels, new soundproof air walls, and a ceiling equipped for professional rigging. The 371-room property sits in Atlanta’s tony Buckhead district, adjacent to the very upscale Lenox Square mall. West Point’s Salute to Health: Thayer Hotel Fully Smoke-Free West Point, NY—It’s the end of an era at the Thayer Hotel here, but, in this case, it’s a healthy transition. The property has gone 100 percent smoke-free this year, ending the lighting up that has been allowed in the property’s cocktail lounge and some guest rooms in recent years. Remaining spots on site had been smoke-free for some time, in keeping with New York’s four-year-old ban on smoking indoors. However, because the 149-room hotel sits on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which is federal land, it has been exempt from the statewide ban. “Our decision to go totally smoke-free was health-related,” said Bob Wilson, general manager. “We had to consider the impact of smoking on all of our guests, and the fact is that second-hand smoke can be just as much of a health risk as smoking. We realize that some guests may not be happy about this, but, overall, we believe this is the best decision.” The Thayer has 10 meeting rooms that can host 10 to 300 people. H www.meetingnews.com SF Sheraton Adds Many Creature Comforts to Its Rooms and Lobby San Francisco—The Sheraton Gateway Hotel SFO is making one small change during its $17-million renovation now under way that promises to greatly enhance guests’ in-room experience. The 404-room hotel has put in-room televisions atop a swivel—allowing guests to view programs from any spot in their accommodation—as part of its upgrade, set for completion in the next few months. The upgrade also included outfit- Renaissance Waterfront Boasts Tech in Boston Boston—The Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel debuts this month with a host of technological amenities. The property, which features 471 guest rooms and suites, and 20,000 sf of meeting space, will have a DS-3 line (which operates 28 times faster than the speed of a T-1), 12 MeetingNews January 7, 2008 The Order of the Phoenix: Atlanta’s Buckhead Area Gets Upgraded JW Marriott Atlanta—Like the cherry on a sundae, the JW Marriott Buckhead Atlanta has just capped off its $4.5million renovation by renovating a key feature of its property, the 9,000sf Phoenix ballroom. The upgrade http://www.meetingnews.com

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