July 13–Construction is moving quickly on a new hotel on Spartanburg's west side behind WestGate Mall.
The new 105-room Residence Inn by Marriott is a project by Spartanburg-based Pinnacle Hospitality and Marriott International.
Palmetto Design Associates out of West Columbia is handling the construction of the nearly 75,000-square-foot hotel at 109 Residence Drive.
Patti Wetherford, area manager with Pinnacle Hospitality, said the Residence Inn will be an all-suite property, meaning every guest room will have a full kitchen in addition to living and sleeping areas. The hotel will have studio and one-bedroom suites, she said.
"These suites are 30 percent larger than traditional hotel rooms," Wetherford said. "For those guests that are going to be staying for extended periods of time, that's what the Residence Inn is all about."
The hotel, which is slated to be finished in November, will include an outdoor pool, patio and sport court. Inside, the lobby will include a business library and work area, food and beverage pantry and complimentary full breakfast for guests.
The hotel also will have full-service laundry facilities, a fitness center and free high-speed internet access, and it will be a pet-friendly property, Wetherford said.
"Spartanburg has not had a new extended-stay hotel in quite a few years, and we wanted to bring a good quality product to the market," she said.
Other guest amenities at will include complimentary grocery shopping and delivery, along with a program three nights a week called Residence Inn Mix.
"(The program) offers a fun and relaxing area to unwind so our guests can connect with Spartanburg itself," Wetherford said. "We may bring in food trucks or ask local restaurants to come do tastings."
Chris Jennings, executive vice president of the Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, said it's exciting to have a new hotel in the community. He said the Marriott brand "carries a great deal of consumer confidence and worldwide awareness."
"We thank our partners at Pinnacle Hospitality for investing again in Spartanburg County. They are tremendous supporters of the Convention & Visitors Bureau and our efforts in making Spartanburg a leading group destination for meetings, conventions and sports tourism," Jennings said. "This only helps us in promoting Spartanburg as a rising destination."
Pinnacle Hospitality also has finalized plans for a nearby 116-room Hilton Garden Inn at 805 Spartan Blvd. That six-story hotel development will include part of the Summit Pointe Conference & Events Center, which Pinnacle Hospitality owns. One of Summit Pointe's ballrooms will become the lobby for the new Hilton Garden Inn, and the six-story tower will be attached to that.
The Garden Inn's amenities will include 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a fitness center, an outdoor pool and a full-service restaurant and bar. Wetherford said construction of the Hilton Garden Inn will begin later this year.
The Residence Inn and Hilton Garden Inn join Pinnacle Hospitality's growing portfolio, which includes three hotels in Greenville and a restaurant in Duncan.
The company's other Spartanburg properties include Summit Pointe, Hampton Inn & Suites and Holiday Inn Express & Suites at Westgate Center, along with a Holiday Inn Express & Suites off of Interstate 85 near Chesnee Highway.
"The west side of Spartanburg we have found has become the most popular area for guests to stay," Wetherford said. "A lot of that has to do with the shopping, restaurants and entertainment in the area."
