Doubletree Philadelphia Unveils Renovation Program

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. August 20, 2009

AUGUST 20, 2009 - The Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia, located on the Avenue of the Arts at Broad and Locust streets in Center City, Philadelphia, has recently completed renovations of its 432 guest rooms, including eight deluxe suites. The room upgrades, unveiled on June 15, 2009, are the second phase in a three-phase, $13.1 million project, which began with the completion of the property's 4,200-square-foot Assembly on Five full-service meeting center in April 2007, and concludes with the renovation of the hotel lobby and pool later this year.

The modern redesign of the guest rooms -- the bulk of the renovation program with a budget of $11.5 million -- began in November 2008 and took place over seven months. Assembly on Five was a $1.3 million project over four months in 2007. The Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia last underwent a renovation in 1998.

"We are delighted to unveil renovations to our 432 guest rooms," said Bill Fitzgerald, general manager, Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia. "Not only is this a significant investment in our property, but also in Philadelphia's hospitality industry, which is a leading source of economic impact for the region and a generator of jobs. I know our guests will be excited to see what's new at the Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia, and to experience for themselves the contemporary and bright design of our new rooms and suites."

"Philadelphia is known the world over as 'The City of Brotherly Love,' and it is through our warm welcome to visitors and our outstanding amenities that we uphold that reputation," said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. "I congratulate the Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia on their renovations and applaud them for this significant investment in the city's hospitality industry. With the Doubletree's location on the Avenue of the Arts, directly across from the Academy of Music, visitors have an inviting place to stay in the center of the city's cultural district. "

"With the Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion slated for completion in spring 2011, and Philadelphia's international business at an all-time high, the Doubletree, with its recent upgrades, is well positioned to benefit from these tourism industry segments," said Tom Muldoon, president of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. "It's critical for hotels to continue to stay fresh and provide wonderful services to visitors. That's what keeps them coming back."

"This is a welcome addition to the Philadelphia hospitality scene in time for the launch of our summer tourism season," said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. "There is a lot to love about the new room design."

John Borne, of Berywn, Pa.-based Borne Design Group, is the designer for the project. His resume includes numerous hotel properties, such the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort, three resorts at Walt Disney World, and the The Sagamore Hotel Resort on Lake George in New York. In addition, he was on a team responsible for renovations to The White House during the Nixon Administration, and has designed numerous private residences.

"In updating the rooms, we wanted to transform from a traditional design to one that is more contemporary," Borne said. "We sought a design that was clean, slick and bright, and that fit the modern style of the building's architecture."

The neutral design palette for the room renovations includes warm gray, soft yellow, silver and white, pewter, gold and celery. Design elements, from the carpeting and upholstery, to the bathroom tile and bed skirts, feature a balance of these neutral colors with contemporary patterns and textures.

"Visitors will find the rooms have an open, airy feel, with the neutral tones and blonde woods, along with the large windows overlooking the Avenue of the Arts," Borne said. "By limiting furniture and featuring a one-piece desk bureau, we have created an uncluttered look, and have taken advantage of the large size of the rooms."

Corridors were designed to be welcoming and part of the overall experience. The three concierge-level floors feature glass white tile in the corridors; the remaining floors showcase darker tones. Wall coverings complement those in the rooms, utilizing the same pattern but on a different scale. Modern wall sconces add to the welcoming feel.

The top floor of the hotel, the 26th floor, is the location of one of the design highlights, a 10' X 10' pebble wall near the elevators. Another point of interest throughout is artwork by graphic designer Toby Schmidt, which showcases 10 images of Philadelphia, each with a contemporary look. "The art depicts prominent Philadelphia buildings and scenes, such as the Academy of Music and Philadelphia City Hall, shown in a new way," Borne said.

The property renovation also included several green components, such as the installation of new computerized heating and air conditioning units. In addition, existing furniture, valued at $50,000, including desks, chairs, headboards, television sets, tables, sofas and artwork, was reused by donating it in March 2009 to Delaware Valley Habitat for Humanity's local ReStores. Proceeds from the sale are being used to build homes for low-income families.

All of the Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia's rooms feature the Sweet Dreams(R) by Doubletree sleep experience, Comcast(R) high-speed internet access, Cable television with complimentary HBO(R) and Pay-Per-View movies on new 37-inch flat screen TVs, Sweet Dreams alarm clock with MP3 connectivity, In-room complimentary coffee or tea by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, and on-premise garage providing self parking or 24-hour valet parking. All rooms are 100 percent smoke-free.

Assembly on Five

In addition to the room renovations, The Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia also recently unveiled a new meeting center, Assembly on Five. The full-service meeting space, located on the fifth floor, offers both day meeting packages as well as complete meeting packages with overnight accommodations.

The space, formerly guest rooms that were completely gutted and rebuilt as meeting space, also reflects the same clean, sleek, contemporary feel as the new guest rooms.

"Assembly on Five is a full-service, hi-tech and comfortable environment," Fitzgerald said. Six spacious meeting rooms, all with natural light and window views, feature ergonomically designed tables and chairs. Spaces range from 363 sq. ft. to 1,083 sq. ft., and accommodate from 18-90 people theater style to 10-38 people classroom style. Controlled lighting design, individual climate control, wired/wireless internet capability and dual-line phones, and audio/visual built-ins with two flipcharts, white board, tack-able surfaces, drop-down screens or big-screen plasma television, and microphone, are featured.

Guests arriving to Assembly on Five are greeted with a welcoming lobby, caucus room, and breakout space, including a seasonal outdoor patio. With Assembly on Five, The Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia is the only IACC-certified hotel in Philadelphia, meeting the stringent requirements of the International Association of Conference Centers.