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Bringing "the New Look and Feel of Marriott" |
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A roofing crew started replacing the roof, building by building, in early April. Some of the staircases have been rebuilt. But that is just the start of this approximately $2.5 million remodel project. "All Marriotts are looking at this for their older properties," Ms. Sartain said. "It's called 'the new look and feel of Marriott.' Of course, we're calling it our 'extreme renovation.'" Completion is anticipated for Aug. 1. Before that, crews will replace the wood siding on the buildings, remodel the rooms with new carpet, wall covering and furniture, paint the exteriors and rehabilitate the parking lot. When the project is finished, the room interiors will include work stations and Marriott's new bedding initiative. This includes 11-inch Renaissance Plus mattresses, triple-sheeting with 250-thread count linen and new comforters and pillows. Each room will also have a chair and matching ottoman combination. The hotel will also build onto its kitchen space as it expands its "Home Touch" breakfast, a build-your-own hot breakfast. And it will add "The Market," where guests can buy prepared foods, which will include salads, sandwiches and heat-and-eat items. Ms. Sartain said The Market comes in handy for guests who return to the hotel late at night and need something to eat before going to bed. When the renovation is completed, the hotel will invite Tyler dignitaries for a grand re-opening party, which Ms. Sartain anticipates will be in September. All of Residence Inn's rooms are suites with kitchen equipment and utensils, and the hotel is built for extended stays. Ms. Sartain said some of the residents have stayed there for years. The longer the stay, the better the price break. "About 50 percent of our house is extended stay, Ms. Sartain said. She said many people who work in Tyler and maintain a residence elsewhere will stay at Residence Inn. Also, people who move to Tyler and are looking for a house will stay there until they find one. Now, Ms. Sartain said, the hotel is finding ways to maintain its traditionally high occupancy as crews work on the buildings. She said the hotel consistently runs the highest occupancy numbers in Tyler. During the renovation, long-term guests will have to be moved to different rooms to allow for construction on their buildings or rooms. "We're full, so they (the construction crew) are taking two buildings at a time," she said. Ms. Sartain's history with Residence Inn goes back nearly 20 years. She started as a desk clerk in the Tyler hotel in 1986. She worked for Marriott in Dallas from 1990-1998, and returned to the Residence Inn in Tyler as general manager in 1998. Many members of her 40-person staff are longtime employees at the Tyler Residence Inn, Ms. Sartain said. ----- To see more of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tylerpaper.com. Copyright (c) 2005, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Texas Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected]. |