Galveston Hotel Completes $11 Million Renovation for 100th Anniversary

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. June 09, 2011

June 8, 2011 - Hotel Galvez & Spa, A Wyndham Grand® Hotel and National Trust Historic Hotel of America, has completed an $11 million renovation in conjunction with the hotel's 100th anniversary in 2011. Hotel owners George Mitchell and the Mitchell family have updated all guest rooms with new decor and furnishings and have added operable, divided-light Gulf-facing windows reminiscent of the hotel's original design. Additionally, the hotel will unveil Centennial Green, a new outdoor event space, in spring 2011.

As part of this project, the third major renovation to the hotel since the Mitchells purchased the property in 1993, the north-facing lobby windows were restored to retain their original appearance and to match the south-facing lobby windows that were restored in 2005. The project also includes upgrades to the pool area, including outdoor cabanas and an eco-friendly, saline conditioning system. Additionally, the owners added a 9,763-square-foot spa in 2008.

All guest rooms now feature a soothing, neutral palette; plush carpeting by Constantine, Atlas and Masland; Bernhardt fine furniture; Simmons® HealthSmart™ mattresses; 37-inch, Samsung flat-screen televisions; Stacy Garcia duvet covers; custom headboards; new window treatments; and updated lighting. As part of the new decor, all rooms include nature-inspired aluminum prints by Kayla Mitchell, granddaughter of George Mitchell.

Additionally, all guest rooms at Hotel Galvez now include a new energy management system which programs rooms for appropriate temperature and lighting when occupied and unoccupied. The system gives guests control of the room's temperature and lighting, which can be managed with a bedside remote or controller at the door.

In 2009, guest rooms on the hotel's sixth floor were converted to spa-inspired rooms featuring rain showers; Simmons HealthSmart mattresses; Anichini bedding manufactured in Italy; 42-inch, flat screen televisions; and luxurious amenities including spa robes, slippers, books and iPod® iHome players. The sixth floor also features allergen-friendly Wyndham ClearAir ® rooms, which have undergone a multistep cleaning process designed to remove up to 98 percent of allergens using medical-grade air purification systems designed by New York-based Pure Solutions NA. Suites on the seventh and eighth floors were also updated with new decor and furniture, including the addition of plantation shutters and custom divided-light windows.

Centennial Green, the new outdoor event space located just south of the hotel's Music Hall, will feature a classic pergola and will be bordered by four fountains. The new 9,800-square-foot outdoor venue will be available for wedding ceremonies, receptions and banquets.

Hotel Galvez launched a year-long celebration commemorating its 100 years of operation in December 2010. During the centennial anniversary weekend in June, the hotel will host a day of festive stage concerts and children's activities on its lawn followed by a fireworks display over the Gulf of Mexico. A full calendar of events will be available online at www.hotelgalvez100.com.

When Hotel Galvez opened in 1911, Galveston had just finished building its 17-foot seawall to protect the island from storm surges; the town had also completed its grade-raising project which raised the grade of land as well as hundreds of buildings from an average of 11 to 14 feet above sea level. The Causeway, connecting Galveston Island to the mainland, had also been completed. These accomplishments were part of the island's recovery efforts following the Great Storm of 1900.

Hotel Galvez, A Wyndham® Grand Hotel and a National Trust Historic Hotel of America, is the only historic beachfront hotel in Texas and is rated four diamonds by AAA and is part of Mitchell Historic Properties. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), offers upscale hotel and resort accommodations throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, China and the Caribbean. All Wyndham® hotels are either franchised by the company or managed by Wyndham Hotel Management, Inc., one of its affiliates or through a joint-venture partner. Additional information and reservations for all Wyndham hotels are available by calling (800) WYNDHAM - (800) 996-3426 - or visiting www.wyndham.com.