| COVER STORY, JANUARY 2006
TEXAS-SIZE HOSPITALITY
A new crop of hotel resorts will make visitors feel at home in the Lone Star State.
Lara Fuller
Traditionally, hotels were simply a place people could stay when they were away on business, vacationing, or visiting family and friends. The newest hotels, however, are more like a destination unto themselves, offering everything from multiple amenities to outstanding service. Texas Real Estate Business recently took a closer look at the new direction the hospitality industry is taking.
Granduca
Houston
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The designer of Granduca, Brand + Allen Architects, took inspiration from Italy to create the 132-unit luxury hotel in Houston.
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Though the Granduca hotel is located in Houston, guests will feel as though they are staying in an upscale Italian villa. “The building and the grounds have been designed to make you feel as if you've been transported to Italy,” says Helaine Abramson, director of marketing and public relations for Granduca. The designers, Brand + Allen Architects, took inspiration from the life and times of the Grand Duke. The six-story building has both an old world and modern feel, created through the use of Venetian plaster and the trompe l'oeïl technique, a style of painting that gives an illusion of reality. Other Italian-inspired touches include a familial coat of arms and stone balustrades, a stone entryway, and a stone fireplace and suits of armor in the lobby. The 132 Italian-inspired units are also more than just typical hotel rooms. Each was designed more like a residence, with a dining room, living room, bedroom(s), bath and a walk-in closet. “They are luxurious,” says Abramson. “Each unit is also equipped with the latest in audio and video equipment.”
And if guests like the feel of staying in “Italy,” they can extend their stay for however long they want. “Guests can stay with us for a day, a week, a month, a year,” says Abramson. “There in no minimum stay. Granduca fills an unmet need for residential-style accommodations in an exclusive environment with flexible stays.”
The 3.56-acre property, located on Uptown Park Boulevard, also features meeting facilities, an exercise room and a pool. Construction began on the project in May 2005, with completion scheduled for September of this year. Granduca Territorial Houston is the developer, and Pepper-Lawson Construction is the general contractor. The Interfin Companies are in charge of planning, construction supervision, property management and overseeing for the project. “There is nothing else like Granduca in this region,” says Abramson. “Interfin's reputation for innovation, quality construction, and personal attention to detail and service will ensure Granduca's success.”
Embassy Suites Hotel
San Marcos, Texas
Located at the entrance of Texas Hill Country, visitors often stopover in San Marcos when shopping at the area's two outlet centers, visiting Texas State University or making their way into the Hill Country. Now, the new Embassy Suites hotel and conference center at Interstate 35 and McCarty Lane in San Marcos will give visitors an upscale lodging facility to stay in when visiting the area. In addition to the hotel, the development will also include a conference center. When completed, the Embassy Suites development will be the largest hotel and conference center development between Austin and San Antonio.
“It is located between two rapidly merging metropolitan areas which will meet in San Marcos,” says Scott Tarwater, senior vice president with Springfield, Missouri-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, developer of the project. “It is also home of Texas University and the largest outlet mall in state of Texas. This rapidly developing area needs a four-star, first-class, upscale facility like the one Mr. Hammons is building.”
The 10-story Embassy Suites development will feature 300 rooms and 80,000 square feet of conference center space on 15 acres.
Construction on the approximately $40 million to $50 million hotel and $21 million conference center will begin this spring. Steve Minton, senior vice president of architecture for John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, will handle architectural design.
The Ritz-Carlton
Dallas
For many, the Ritz-Carlton name is synonymous with luxury. And soon, residents of and visitors to Dallas will be able to experience the luxury hotel chain. Crescent Real Estate Equities Company and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company are developing a 21-story hotel on McKinney Avenue in the Uptown area of
Dallas. The hotel will be the first of The Ritz-Carlton chain to be located in the state of Texas.
The hotel will feature 216 rooms; 14,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom; a 12,000-square-foot spa and fitness center with indoor pool; and a restaurant. In addition to the hotel rooms, The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, will feature 70 luxury residences, ranging in price from $800,000 to $6 million. The hotel rooms will occupy the first eight floors, with the condominiums located on the remaining floors.
The project's location will be advantageous to both visitors and residents. The hotel is close to fine restaurants, clubs, galleries and shops. In addition, the central business district, arts district and American Airlines Center are a 5-minute walk from The Ritz-Carlton.
Architect Robert A.M. Stern is designing the hotel/condominium tower. Other architects involved in the project include HKS of Dallas, Hayslip Design Associates of Dallas, KM+P Architects of Houston and interior designer Frank Nicholson. Completion is scheduled for 2007.
Hotel Contessa
San Antonio
The Riverwalk area of San Antonio has long been a draw for residents and visitors alike. Now Hotel Contessa, located along the Riverfront, gives people a new reason to visit. “The design of Hotel Contessa truly embraces its waterfront setting with river-level interior and exterior public spaces that serve as the heart of the building, plus numerous terraces on the second and third floors which further enhance what are arguably the city's premier meeting and event spaces,” says Dave Lagarce, general manager of Hotel Contessa.
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Located along the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Hotel Contessa embraces its waterfront setting with river-level interior and exterior public spaces, such as its dramatic atrium.
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Designed by Dallas-based Three Architecture Incorporated, the river is integrated into many aspects of the development. “A landscaped outdoor plaza welcomes visitors from the rear of the hotel into a dramatic atrium, which serves as the Cork Bar and opens to Las Ramblas restaurant, while guests entering from the street level at the front of the hotel enjoy river views through the atrium's wall of windows,” says Lagarce.
Inside the 12-story hotel, there are 265 guest rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, a spa and dining facilities. “There is a strong focus on the meeting and events sector at Hotel Contessa,” says John Dodson, director of sales and marketing for Hotel Contessa. “With 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, the property is already becoming a preferred option for groups looking for spaces and venues that go far beyond the standard boardrooms and ballrooms.”
Development of Hotel Contessa, handled by Houston-based Hines, was completed in November 2005. Hixon Properties of San Antonio represented the ownership group and The Woodlands, Texas-based Benchmark Hospitality is the property's management company.
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