Hotel Online  Special Report
..
advertisement


..
The Fort Lauderdale Grande, Formerly the Fort Lauderdale
Marina Marriott, Receiving $50 million Renovation
.

March 22, 2006 - After finalizing its acquisition of the Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott, LXR Luxury Resorts today announced a $50 million capital investment program to enhance the ideally located waterfront property as the new Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club.

"We intend to create one of the country's leading marina resorts - one that embodies the unique Fort Lauderdale style and sets a new standard for contemporary luxury," said John Tolbert, LXR president of sales and marketing. "With a spectacular new interior by internationally renowned designer Robert Barry and an exciting new signature restaurant as elements of the hotel's revitalization plan, the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club will become one of South Florida's pre-eminent destinations for group and leisure travel."

Situated on Florida's majestic Intracoastal Waterway, the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club offers 579 guest rooms, 33 slips for boating vessels up to 300 feet, and 20,000 square feet of meeting space. It is the 24th property in LXR's fast-growing collection of luxury resorts and hotels.

"We are excited to have the opportunity to bring the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club to its full potential and we intend to expedite enhancements, starting with repairs needed from last year's hurricane damage," said John Carns, hotel manager. Carns is one of Florida's leading hotel executives with more than 20 years of experience in the hotel industry. Most recently, he was interim general manager at Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada, and director of operations at The Ritz Carlton Resort in Naples.

"The concept of luxury today begins with the finest quality and most exquisite surroundings, and encompasses the true pleasures of personalized yet unobtrusive service, absolute comfort and unforgettable moments," added Tolbert. "Each property in our LXR Luxury Resorts collection has a talented and experienced management team, supported by the creative and culinary talents to reinvigorate, re-imagine, and reposition each property, evoking its own unique personality and locale."

With the addition of the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club, LXR Luxury Resorts represents one of the largest collections of hotels and resorts in Florida. The collection's 15 Florida properties now include the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton; Naples Grande Resort & Club (formerly The Registry) and Edgewater Beach Hotel & Club, both in Naples; Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center and Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Resort & Spa, both in Fort Lauderdale; Buena Vista Palace in Orlando; the Sundial Beach Resort, Best Western Sanibel Island Beach Resort, Sanibel Inn, Seaside Inn and Song of the Sea, all on Sanibel Island; the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island; the Miami Beach Resort on Miami's South Beach; and The Reach Resort and Casa Marina Resort, both in Key West.

The three Fort Lauderdale properties offer leisure and business travelers an impressive 1,238 guestrooms and 410 marina slips on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Tolbert said LXR's aggressive capital investments are designed to realize the true potential of each property and convey its innate personality, including a strong sense of place. The investments include an across-the-board upgrade in services and amenities, and, in many cases, a return to the particular property's original "DNA," albeit reinterpreted for the 21st century traveler. "We aim to respect the integrity and unique offerings that each of these trophy assets has to offer," he added, "and will strive to heighten the distinct personality of each while offering our guests an unfailing commitment to excellence and a consistent, highly personalized standard of service throughout each property."

About Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club
Renew body and spirit at the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club, formerly the Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott, poised at the edge of Florida's majestic Intracoastal Waterway. Melding contemporary luxury with easygoing style, the timeless waterfront hotel offers refined elegance, attentive staff and a soothing, unhurried atmosphere in one of America's most colorful locales. Featuring 579 guestrooms and designer suites, the hotel is home to a 33-slip marina, 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, as well as a variety of dining, recreational and entertainment options. Set within South Florida's tropical backdrop, amenities include an outdoor heated swimming pool with adjacent whirlpool and Jacuzzi, state-of-the-art fitness facility, water activities such as scuba diving, deep sea fishing and boat rentals, and access to some of the best golf in South Florida with nearby championship golf courses. In addition, the city's celebrated water taxi service is available to transport guests to the exciting Las Olas Boulevard for boutique shopping and cultural entertainment. The Fort Lauderdale Grande is convenient to the downtown business district, convention center and just minutes from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport.

About LXR Luxury Resorts
LXR Luxury Resorts, a portfolio of independent properties distinguished by a style and spirit that captures the unique qualities of their setting, are located throughout the United States and the Caribbean. The LXR collection also includes the renowned Golden Door Spa brand.

.
Contact:

LXR Luxury Resorts
Catie Woods
+1-305-535-2035
[email protected]
http://www.luxuryresorts.com

.
Also See: Host Marriott Selling the Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott and the Swissotel The Drake, New York for Approximately $586 million / February 2006
The Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott Hotel Cancels Room Blocks Amid Sale Speculation / January 2006

.


To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.Online Search

Home | Welcome! | Hospitality News | Classifieds | Catalogs & Pricing | Viewpoint Forum | Ideas/Trends
Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.