Hotel Indigo at the Historic Aristocrat

[BigD5349]

In the current issue of the DBJ, there is a story about a $5M re-do of the Aristocrat Hotel in DTD, which will become Hotel Indigo. This is located at Main & Harwood.

Can anyone who has access post the article?

It sounds like they are going after the Hotel ZaZa clientele. Supposed to be a swanky, "lifestyle" hotel. The location is good. It's right across the street from what-will-be a new downtown park and catty-corner from old City Hall (UNT).

[Tnekster]

^This is near the Merc right? So maybe they are capitalizing on the increase in development in that area. 5 million seems kind of light. It must not be a major redo.

[BigD5349]

^Yes, the Merc development is one block down Main St...

[Kelley USA]

Is this currently a Holiday Inn?

[BigD5349]

Is this currently a Holiday Inn?

Yes, that's right.

[John T Roberts]

The same group is currently converting the Clarion Hotel in downtown Fort Worth to a Hotel Indigo.

[BigD5349]

When you look at that part of DTD, across Elm, Main and Commerce, there's still 4 buildings I can think of to re-do. Those would be the Tower Petroleum Bldg, Statler Hilton, Old City Hall, and the Old Dallas Library. The corner has been turned. Can't wait to see the others reclaimed.

[gc]

The same group is currently converting the Clarion Hotel in downtown Fort Worth to a Hotel Indigo.


Thanks John. What do you know about them?

[edirp]

www.hotelindigo.com

[gc]

thanks

[edirp]

Aging Dallas hotel gets re-energized
Aristocrat gets $5M redo and rebranding
Sandra Zaragoza
Staff Writer
Downtown Dallas' revival fever has spread to one of its historic hotels.

The Aristocrat Hotel -- on the corner of Main Street at Harwood Avenue -- will become Hotel Indigo, a boutique hotel chain franchised by InterContinental Hotels Group.

Hotel Indigo bills itself as a "lifestyle" hotel aimed at both the upwardly mobile crowd and the upscale lodger who values the experience as much as the hotel basics, according to Jim Anhut, senior vice president of brand development for Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Under the Hotel Indigo flag, hotel rooms will cost $130 to $140 a night -- at the higher end of the downtown hotel market.

Renovations began soon after the 14-story Aristocrat was acquired by Richmond, Va.-based Bijoy L.L.C. in August. Bijoy is spending $5 million on the hotel conversion, which will be complete by spring 2006.

"The hotel has great potential but it was neglected. We plan to reposition it in the market," said Subil Bhattal, general manager at the Aristocrat, which currently is operating as a Holiday Inn.

Texas is set to have several Hotel Indigos, including one in downtown Fort Worth, where the Clarion Hotel is being converted to a Hotel Indigo by Lubbock-based Pearl Investments.

To date, the only other cities with Hotel Indigos are Atlanta, with one, and Chicago, with two.

The Aristocrat is an ideal match for the hotel chain, which targets existing hotels, Anhut said.

"We love what is happening in the in-town city centers across the country -- the general activity and the regentrification of wonderful old buildings," Anhut said.

The hotel was built in 1925 by Conrad Hilton and was the first high-rise hotel in Texas and the first to be branded a Hilton. It is a designated city landmark.

Challenging market
Downtown continues to be a difficult market for all hotel operators, regardless of the type of property, said Greg Crown, of PKF Consulting in Dallas, a hospitality research and consulting firm.

Occupancy in the downtown market year-to-date is in the upper 50% range, in part due to hurricane evacuees, up from the past four years' low 50% range.

Downtown's main challenge is its soft office market coupled with a lack of convention business, Crown said.

Bhattal sees an upside.

"Given the location and everything happening downtown, we felt it was a good time to restore the hotel," Bhattal said.

Renovations include cosmetic changes such as new furniture and fixtures and a reconfiguration of the guest lobby, restaurant and guest rooms. This will be the hotel's first renovation since 1995. The number of guest rooms will be pared down from 172 to 169.

The property's interior will boast hardwood floors, spa-like guest bathrooms, a business center and an upgraded fitness area. The hotel's 3,000 square feet of meeting space will also be redone.

With the exception of new awnings and a cleaning, the exterior of the hotel will stay the same.

The hotel's full-service restaurant will become The Golden Bean, and will serve Starbucks coffee.

The hotel is expected to stay open during the renovations, Bhattal said.

[shawndb]

I think this is awesome that this hotel is being redone. However, I feel like if they are really going to be known as a "lifestyle" hotel they need to do more to appeal to that "upwardly mobile" crowd. I think they need a high-end restaurant or a bar that appeals to that hip downtown crowd, not just out-of-towners. I don't think The Golden Bean is going to cut it as restaurant.

[clipper]

You don't get all that for $5 million. That's just paint, paper, carpet, signs, furniture, landscaping and some other "Trading Spaces" type things.

[elmstreetdallas]

The article above states that the Aristocrat was the "first high-rise hotel in Texas." Am I missing something? The Adolphus was built in 1912 and has 19 stories....

[clipper]

Yes, that's wrong. It was the first hotel in the world built by Conrad Hilton. The ones he had before he got second hand. He designed this one from the ground up. Likewise, the Statler-Hilton was the first newbuilt of that brand. In 1912 the Adolphus was 20 stories tall and billed as the tallest hotel in the South.

[noelamador]

has this re-branding happened?

[Razorback]

has this re-branding happened?

I stayed there with my parents end of March. The signs were in the lobby for the conversion but not much had taken place.

[FoUTASportscaster]

I live on the same block as this, and there are signs of progress. You can see areas where the sheet rock is gone and areas where new sheet rock is up.

[BigD5349]

From yesterday...

The rebranding has become evident.

[gc]

Automatically looks better imo. Thanks for the photoupdate

[hamiltonpl]

The Texas flag is upside down.

Those carpetbaggers.

[John T Roberts]

It sure is. I always look for upside down Texas flags!

[cbr3]

According to the DBJ, this is now open.

Hotel Indigo Dallas opens
Dallas Business Journal - 5:18 PM CDT Monday

Hotel Indigo Dallas opened this past weekend.

The hotel, owned by Bijoy L.L.C. and managed by Sandhu Management & Investments L.L.C., is under a license agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (NYSE: IHG).

It is the second of three Indigo Hotels planned for Texas -- the first opened in Houston earlier this summer, and another is under development in San Antonio.

The Dallas hotel, which opened Friday, was converted from a Holiday Inn hotel. The building, at 1933 Main St. in downtown Dallas, is a nationally registered landmark.

The hotel has 170 guestrooms. Its public spaces will be redecorated seasonally with new artwork, music, murals and signage.

The hotel also houses a bistro-style restaurant, the Golden Bean.

Web sites: www.ichotelgroup.com and www.hotelindigo.com

http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2006/09/11/daily8.html?surround=lfn

[X Factor]

A nationally registered landmark, the Hotel Indigo Dallas Downtown is located in the heart of exciting Downtown Dallas. Experience true "Texas Hospitality" with an innovative and refreshing blend of historic charm and fresh sensibility. Hotel Indigo proves to be an alternative to the traditional hotel. From cafe dining to high style decor and high-speed Internet access, our guests experience a fun and unique convergence of fast paced city life with tranquil serenity.

Hotel Indigo is your urban oasis, just steps from the city's business district, shopping, dining and entertainment. A great destination to relax at the end of a busy day.

from hotel indigo
web site
Located less than one mile from the Dallas convention center. 1.5 miles from the Dallas American Airlines and Reunion arena. Approximately 18 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

[FoUTASportscaster]

Looks like it is just about done, though the dumpster is still on Main Street.


Boutique hotels offer rooms with a trendy view

Dallas lodgings make bold changes to grab younger travelers


10:58 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 11, 2006

By SUZANNE MARTA / The Dallas Morning News

At downtown Dallas' newly opened Hotel Indigo, forget about beige walls and rooms that all look the same.

Instead, think bright yellow and blue walls, changeable photo murals and a seasonal signature scent greeting guests in the lobby. (For fall, it's clove.)


MONA REEDER/DMN
David Contreras and Renee Barron of Austin relax in the Hotel Indigo lobby. The lobby and bar area offers cozy nooks for sipping a cocktail or latte – or for people watching. And, of course, there's Wi-Fi for your laptop.

The Hotel Indigo signals a new era for the lodging industry, in which hoteliers put more emphasis on snazzy design and personalized service, all aimed at appealing to a younger generation of travelers.

"We're bringing a little sass to an industrialized nation that already has everything else it wants," said Jim Anhut, senior vice president of brand development for InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, which launched the Indigo brand.

Research by YPB&R and Yankelovich Inc. showed that one in three travelers want to stay in a boutique hotel and 58 percent want a hotel with a distinctive theme or atmosphere.

"The younger audience wants to stay in and try new products that have a different standard than the tried-and-true, established brands," said Gary Sain, a partner with research firm YPB&R.

Younger, affluent consumers have already influenced the lodging industry, helping to fuel the popularity of stylish boutique-style hotels by Ian Schrager, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants LLC and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.'s W.


MONA REEDER/DMN
Hotel Indigo emphasizes design that allows guests to socialize. In some ways, the trend toward making affordably priced products chic is the hotel industry's equivalent of retailer Target Corp. selling affordable designer products by Michael Graves and Isaac Mizrahi.

"We're trying to give the mainstream traveler an opportunity to experience something different without breaking the bank," Mr. Anhut said.

This new slate of brands is creating its own price niche – one that is cheaper than the upscale boutique properties but a premium over brands such as Hilton Garden Inn or Courtyard by Marriott.

At Dallas' Hotel Indigo, rooms start around $130, a significant increase from the typical $80 to $100 rates that the property got as the Holiday Inn Aristocrat Hotel.

The up-and-coming brands have different takes on their niche but share some similarities.

Public areas are designed to work as social centers where guests can work but also relax instead of staying in their rooms. Technology-friendly rooms come with upgraded amenities and boast a departure from brands whose rooms look similar from one location to the next.

Rooms at the Hotel Indigo in Dallas feature furniture with slipcovers and area rugs that can be changed more often than traditional furnishings. Drink coasters feature hotel logos but also seasonal designs and haikus.

The rounded check-in desk is shaped like a shell – part of the hotel's motif – with the idea that staff members can come around to interact with guests.

[Dr. Thunder]

It looks nice inside, def upgrade. Has anyone eaten there yet?

[Justin Terveen]

I think it looks absolutely hideous.. who ever picked out the colors should be punched in the kidneys..

[CityLove]

To each his own, I guess. While the blue on the exterior is a bit loud, I think the interior is nice - reminds me of a sunny day on the beach, which is a nice retreat from the "bustling" city outside.

[freewaytincan]

I think it's for the best. America is afraid of colors.

[palchik]

The Texas flag was flying upside-down at this hotel too (I cant stand that!). I e-mailed them, and got a quick response that they would fix it. Havent checked if thay have or not.

[vman]

Anyone know how buisnesss has been at this hotel? With the Aloft now open and the CCH coming, it makes me wonder about his place. I was really happy to see this bldg renovated, and although I have seen guests there often, the hotel is usually so quiet, it's easy to forget it's even there. Seems like that lobby should have been opened up more and if the restuarant and/or bar is still there it should have been visable from the street. That place looks earily quiet most of the time..seems wasteful on a prime corner.

[DallasMan]

Well, maybe it will get a boost with the new park?

[tamtagon]

How's this place doing now?

[Dallaz]

This hotel was built as the Dallas Hilton Hotel. It was the first Hilton Hotel ever built.

[Mena]

I checked out their website and noticed the cheerful decor! Quite pricey in comparison to Magnolia and Adolphus though!

[vman]

How's this place doing now?

I often wonder that too. The place always seems much more quiet, or dare I say dead, in comparison to other downtown hotels.