Now, the 78-year-old Gothic-style hotel is spending another $2.5 million to upgrade its annex building comprising two conference rooms and 21 suites. When this latest renovation is completed by the end of spring 2005, the hotel�s management expects the investment will further boost the landmark hotel�s upward trend. 

Earlier this summer, the conference rooms in the annex were renovated with new carpets, new window treatments, tables and chairs. In the fall, work will begin to outfit the 21 guest rooms with new carpets, bathrooms and furnishings.

�When we complete this round of renovations, we will be in an excellent position to further strengthen The Thayer Hotel�s position as the preferred destination for business meetings, weddings and other banquet events, � noted Robert Wilson, General Manager of The Thayer Hotel. �Business has been especially strong over the past few years with a significant increase in room bookings and attendance at our many entertainment events and for our weekend packages.�

Wilson also noted that in spite of the renovations, it�s been business as usual for The Thayer Hotel. �Usually, a renovation project of this magnitude can cause disruptions in operations or inconvenience. Fortunately, we worked out the logistics well in advance so that there would be no interruptions whatsoever or any obstruction of the breathtaking views of the Hudson River from either the rooms or the grounds.�

The increase in business group meetings and private functions continue to provide The Thayer Hotel with a diversified balanced revenue stream.  Each year, the Thayer hosts thousands of guests who attend major traditional events at West Point from cadet graduation in May to Army football games in the fall.  In addition, the Military Academy attracts visitors from across the U.S. and international destinations.

Although Wilson believes that renovation has helped a key role in driving The Thayer Hotel�s resurgence in business, he also cites two other factors: location and reputation. 

In terms of location, The Thayer stands alone as the only full-service hotel on the Hudson River from the Tappan Zee Bridge to Albany, offering dramatic views of the river and the Hudson Highlands.  �Our setting alone makes us a unique destination for business and pleasure,� declares Wilson. 

As for reputation, Wilson relates, �We boast one of the most breathtaking backdrops offered by any hotel in the region,� says Wilson, �and that by itself is a big draw. We�ve also built a program that offers year-round popular entertainment, romantic and other themed weekends, fine dining, state-of the-art facilities and cost-effective packages. And, our conference and meeting packages are personalized to fit the needs and theme of each group. There�s no doubt that our reputation for quality and old world charm appeals to both meeting planners and guests.  It�s paying off for us, and will continue to do so next spring when we put the finishing touches to our ambitious, multi-year restoration program.�

The Thayer Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Over the years, it has hosted a wide range of dignitaries and celebrities including General Tommy Franks, General Douglas MacArthur, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President John F. Kennedy, Her Royal Highness Princess Alsha Bint-Huessen of Jordan, singer Luciano Pavarotti, actors George C. Scott and Gregory Peck, the Philadelphia Flyers, the cast of  �The Sopranos� and many others.

Originally constructed to accommodate U.S. Military Academy personnel and their guests, the Thayer Hotel is a successor of the original West Point Hotel.  The hotel is named for Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, Superintendent of the Military Academy from 1817 to 1833.