Debbie Johnson, president and CEO of the Valley Hotel and Resort Association, says a resort’s decision to renovate depends on what’s happening in the market.

“You’ve got to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak, in order to retain that client base that you need,” she says. “They all look at what the rest of the market is doing, what their competitors are doing, and making sure they are staying up with that.”

The Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Scottsdale completed a $12 million renovation in February 2007. The renovation consisted of the addition of 70 new guest rooms and suites surrounding the Montavista, a Mediterranean-inspired courtyard with a garden, reflecting pools and fireplaces. Among the new rooms is a villa and six suites for guests that complements the services available at Alvadora Spa. The design of the resort still holds true to its original 1920s form, when Spanish colonial design was popular in the Southwest.

Greg Waters, director of sales and marketing for the resort, says there is a lot of competition among the resorts in the Valley, but it’s a healthy one.

“This area is fortunate to have some of the best resorts in the country, and each property provides unique guest experiences due to the specific designs and amenities that they offer,” Waters says. “With the volume of business that enters this marketplace, you have to be proactive and continue with an ongoing renovation program. You really can’t afford not to put your best product up front.”

The Phoenician is in the midst of a $70 million renovation that encompasses its main lobby and tea court, restaurants, guest rooms, a family activity center and a new conference facility and ballroom. Work on the restaurants is ongoing, as it is on the the conference facility and ballroom, a 42,000-square-foot structure that is expected to be complete by October 2009.

“We’re meticulous in how we conduct renovations; we try to minimize any guest inconvenience,” says Mark Vinciguerra, managing director. “A lot of pre-planning goes into it,” including setting construction dates during low occupancy periods.

One of the resort’s restaurant concepts, Mary Elaine’s, was a nearly 20-year culinary veteran in the Valley. However, it closed its doors in April, and the empty space is being transformed into J&G Steakhouse, which is scheduled to open this October.

“A lot of (restaurants) change out every two to four years,” Vinciguerra says as he explains that restaurants change as consumer demands change. “We’re very proud that it lasted as long as it did.”

He adds that consumers are demanding an atmosphere that reflects casual elegance. Ralph Scatena, general manager at Camelback Inn, agrees.

“People don’t want to sit under a chandelier for three hours,” he says. “They want more energy and excitement.”

Camelback Inn opted to close the doors to its restaurant, Chaparral, and in its place it is building BLT Steak. Chef Laurent Tourondel describes the new venue as a modern American steakhouse — half French bistro and half steakhouse. The resort’s main restaurant, Navajo, was also closed. The new restaurant will be called Rita’s Kitchen and will serve Southwestern cuisine.

The AAA Five Diamond resort’s $45 million renovation also includes the lobby, guests rooms, outdoor lounge areas and a new 20,000-square-foot ballroom.

“We’re always looking at ways to invest in it and make it better,” Scatena says. “We’re going through a lot of change and we’re excited about that change.”

In North Scottsdale, The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa has also been updating its facilities. The lodge, clubhouse, casita guest rooms and meeting space were all included in the project. According to Michael Hoffman, general manager, the new design will correlate with the surrounding habitat.

“Each of the 55 villas are individually appointed, from Southwest to contemporary design,” he says. “They all must follow high standards of the resort, including design that blends well with the natural boulders while affording visuals of the Sonoran Desert and its ancient 12 million-year-old boulders, which are center stage through all of the interiors.”

The renovations also included the construction of The Villa Retreat, two side-by-side estate homes connected by a negative-edge pool and landscaping. The 5,000-square-foot facility comes fully stocked for guests’ custom needs, and can accommodate up to 12 guests.

It was easy for the resort to keep the construction away from guests, Hoffman explains, due to the resort’s expansive 1,300-acre property. The construction sites were spaced far enough away from guests that they remained undisturbed.

Johnson says maintaining the appeal of a resort to guests while undergoing renovation can be a tough balance. Some resorts choose to develop the projects during the summer months, when occupancy is lower, while others will close off a section of the property for a short period of time.

“It’s all about trying to make sure the guests they have are happy guests and their trip isn’t interrupted by what they are doing at the property,” Johnsons says. “We don’t really have any old outdated properties. They really do a good job of putting money back into the properties and keeping themselves fresh.”

www.camelbackinn.com
www.royalpalmshotel.com
www.theboulders.com
www.thephoenician.com
www.vhra.net