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eSuites Hotel Brand Out of His Own Frustration of Not Finding a Hotel that Met His Needs . On Track to Break Ground in Tampa, Jacksonville, Raleigh-Durham and Phoenix TAMPA, Fla., June 11, 2007 - Officials today offered the first look
at a new hotel brand that fuses lifestyle design and amenities with high-tech
infrastructure and services, one designed specifically to address the unique
lodging preferences of the next generation of travelers. Called eSuites
Hotels(TM), the upscale boutique concept was created by Jerry Ellenburg,
an outsider to the hotel industry who conceived the brand out of his own
frustration of not finding a hotel that met his needs.
"eSuites Hotels began as a hobby, something to do while wiling away my time waiting in airports," he said. "I would work up a wish list on the back of a cocktail napkin. After a while, I had a whole book of napkins, and then it hit me. If I felt this way about hotels, what about the next generation of hotel guests, who are more tech-savvy and tired of the same hotel offerings? Working out the specifics soon became a passion. It took seven years to fine-tune the final vision, but it was worth every minute." The final step toward achieving the vision occurred in May when the company completed a $127 million financing to build the first four hotels. To carry out the vision, Ellenburg sought out industry veteran Sam Winterbottom, former senior executive with Starwood and with Carlson Hotels, to be president and chief executive officer, and Bryan Langton, former chairman, president and CEO of Holiday Inns, Inc. Worldwide, as vice-chairman. "After 30 years of business travel, I believe I know what the public wants in a hotel, but I'm smart enough to realize that I don't have the expertise to run one," Ellenburg added. "I sought out the best in the industry and was fortunate to attract two of its most respected leaders." Every aspect of the hotel has been designed with a fresh, outside-the-industry view that was backed by solid market research. "We tested our ideas extensively before we committed this kind of capital," Ellenburg noted. All four of the properties will be eight-story, 224-suite prototype configurations made from tunnel-form concrete construction, resulting in all-concrete walls and floors, which in turn will provide maximum sound-proofing. Each eSuites Hotel will contain 11 high-tech conference rooms and a state-of-the-art business center featuring both PC's and Mac's, along with scanner-copiers, printers and faxes, enabling the guests to conduct business as if they were in their own offices. Three types of suites will be offered, with a typical 468-square-foot guest space that features two rooms, nine-foot ceilings, a chiropractic-quality bed, and a second bed in the living room/office area for multiple occupancy. A large custom-built workstation with built-in network ports, analog modem jacks and multiple power outlets will comfortably accommodate computers and peripherals. Additionally, the workstation will include a desktop computer which will synch up to Blackberrys, iPods and other portable equipment. The spacious bathroom will feature a three- by six-foot walk-in shower, a glass-top vanity with abundant storage, and extensive lighting. The sportSuite will offer a professional quality exercise cycle or elliptical trainer. The spaSuite features a whirlpool-style tub/spa inside the master bathroom. All rooms will have an Inn-room(TM) theater with two high definition televisions and a surround-sound system with full iPod integration. Based in Tampa, Fla., eSuites Hotels is on a mission to re-invent the hotel experience with a new and stimulating combination of technology, decor, dining, and guest service. |
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eSuites Hotels LLC
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The
first four hotels are expected to break ground in Tampa and Jacksonville,
Fla., Raleigh-Durham, N.C. and Phoenix, Ariz. The company will target markets
that have no fewer than 5,000 rooms within the immediate area, with the
new hotel accounting for approximately 4 percent of the room count.