PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 21, 2014) — Philadelphia's hotel landscape is once again experiencing a surge of activity with a host of recently opened developments, renovation projects and newly announced properties. Among the planned properties is a 200-room Four Seasons, an SLS International, a combined W and Element property and most recently, a 199-room Kimpton Hotel.

“The hotel landscape in Philadelphia is attracting national attention for all the right reasons. Over the next few years we expect Philadelphia's reputation as a modern renaissance city and smart choice for hotel development to take root even further, ultimately benefitting our customers from around the world,” said Jack Ferguson, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) President & CEO.

“We are extremely proud of all Philadelphia's recent hotel developments. We have always been a city with a wide variety of properties suitable for every taste and price point and as we continue to enhance our offerings we expect that visitors will be even more pleased with the options available to them,” said Greg Stafford, Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association (GPHA) President.

Here's a roundup of what's hot on the hotel scene in Philadelphia:

Recently Announced Projects

• A 700-room, 780,000 square foot W and Element Hotel by Westin is planned for 1441 Chestnut St. The property will offer 41,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, an 8,600-square-foot restaurant, and a 185-space, below-grade parking garage.
• A new $85 million, 199-room Kimpton Hotel will be built at 1801 Vine Street along the prominent Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The building – currently serving as home to the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places and the planned redevelopment will incorporate its important historic elements, including the preservation and maintenance of its 37 historic interior murals. The new hotel will feature 199 guest rooms, 16,000 square feet of spa and fitness space, 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space and 5,800 square feet for a restaurant and bar. Construction is expected to commence in late 2014 or early 2015, with expected completion of the hotel in 2016 or 2017.
• Comcast Corporation and Liberty Property Trust recently announced plans to develop the "Comcast Innovation and Technology Center" on the 1800 block of Arch Street in Center City Philadelphia. The proposed 59-story, 1,121-foot tower will house a Four Seasons hotel with more than 200 rooms. The luxury hotel will include world-class spa, fitness, event and meeting facilities as well as an exciting new restaurant located on the top floor of the building, offering spectacular 360 degree city views.
• Plans are underway for a 47-story tower at Broad and Spruce Streets across from the Kimmel Center. The 422,838-square-foot SLS International mixed-use luxury boutique hotel and condominium tower will feature 149 hotel rooms occupying 11 floors. Groundbreaking is expected to take place in the fall of 2014, with the project slated to take two years to be completed.

Undergoing/Recently Completed Renovations

• The Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel is in the middle of a multi-million dollar renovation which includes an expansive revitalization of the hotel's lobby as well as a state-of-the-art redesign of all 58,000 square feet of meeting space – including the 20,000 square foot Liberty Ballroom. The Liberty Ballroom, which is the second-largest of its kind in Philadelphia, is receiving wall coverings, décor and carpet, along with the entire Mezzanine level. sheratonphiladelphiadowntown.com

• All 581 guestrooms in Center City's Loews Philadelphia Hotel on Market Street have been fully renovated with new furniture, wall coverings and bathroom refreshers, providing state-of-the-art, working luxury rooms for guests. The hotel also added five new meeting rooms that can accommodate 10-40 people each, a new FedEx business center and upgraded spa fitness center facilities, plus a new American lobby restaurant called Bank & Bourbon. loewsphiladelphiahotel.com
• The Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia recently completed a refurbishment of its ballroom and meeting spaces with art-inspired urban modern décor. Phase two of the renovation project will include a redesigned lobby in addition to a new façade and pool area slated to be complete in September. sonesta.com/Philadelphia
• The Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown completed a $16 million dollar renovation in March. courtyardphiladelphiadowntown.com
• The Westin Philadelphia recently completed a full renovation of its lobby, restaurant and bar. It also added 1200 sq. feet of meeting space as well as a new private dining area. westinphiladelphiahotel.com
• The Morris House Hotel completed minor refurbishment to its courtyard gardens and upgraded its furniture and bathrooms. morrishousehotel.com
• The Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District has renovated all of its 135 rooms in addition to all public and meeting space. Its lobby and restaurant was also upgraded with the restaurant converted to a large private dining room which can be used as additional meeting space. The final phase of the renovation will included a completely new façade. phillydowntownhotel.com

###

Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), www.discoverPHL.com, a private non-profit membership corporation, is the official Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia globally, and the primary sales and marketing agency for the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center. The PHLCVB competes with its counterparts worldwide for convention and tourism business. The organization has departments dedicated to the multicultural, sports, and life sciences markets. The PHLCVB incorporates the short code PHL, an open source graphic identifier for the City of Philadelphia into the Convention & Visitors Bureau brand identity. The graphic identifier and other assets for use by public, private and non-profit organizations can be found at www.PHLpartners.com. To request a login, email phlpartners@discoverphl.com

- See more at: http://www.discoverphl.com/media-room/press-releases/all/HotelDevUpdate#sthash.Le0env6Y.dpuf