April 28–Hotel Sorella Country Club Plaza, a 132-room boutique hotel in the Plaza Vista development, has been sold.
An affiliate of locally owned VanTrust Real Estate sold the hotel, at 901 W. 48th Place, to a joint venture between Davidson Hotels & Resorts in Atlanta and Artemis Real Estate Partners in Chevy Chase, Md.
Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
It will now be known as The Fontaine — a Kansas City Hotel. The rooftop restaurant will temporarily be known as 901 and its lounge as 901 West. But Davidson plans to rebrand the restaurant and lounge under a new concept in two or three months. The hotel remains open.
"This is sort of an edgy boutique hotel with a very unique rooftop restaurant with indoor/outdoor pieces and spectacular views," said Bernie Murphy, senior vice president of business development at Davidson. "We are very excited about being in the Kansas City community."
Davidson has a division, Pivot Hotels & Resorts, that specializes in lifestyle luxury hotels and will manage the Fontaine.
Jeff Dillon, executive vice president, acquisitions, for VanTrust Real Estate, said the company wanted to diversify its portfolio.
He issued this statement: "This sale represents the conclusion of VanTrust's involvement in this significant project. … Our operator, the Valencia Group, strategically positioned the hotel to compete at the top of the rapidly improving Kansas City hotel market. VanTrust is grateful for the contributions of each of these stakeholders."
Hotel Sorella opened in November 2013, with a brilliant blue-hued Murano chandelier in the lobby and the 4,000-square-foot Rosso restaurant and bar, as well as an outdoor pool, on the rooftop.
The hotel is in the Plaza Vista, an office-hotel-retail project in the West Plaza that also includes the Polsinelli law firm, Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar and JJ's Restaurant. The Monarch Cocktail Bar & Lounge is scheduled to open on the ground level this summer.
The VanTrust affiliate previously sold the 253,000-square-foot Plaza Vista office tower building. The Plaza Vista also has a 940-space parking garage
Joyce Smith: 816-234-4692, @JoyceKC
