Pardon the Dust Top Washington Hotels Upgrading Facilities by Mark Hilpert Because Washington, D.C., was built on a swamp, it shouldnít surprise anyone that it is full of decay. A random drive through the areaís crater-filled streets will take you past countless edifices in not-so-genteel collapse or noisy, messy renovation. With a reputation to uphold as graceful refuges for both visitors and locals from jackhammer cacophony, top area hotels have spent large sums of money to keep their buildings oasis-like while making 21st-century updates. And in the face of an economic downturn that is holding down demand, this has often involved big bets that investments in renovations will pay off over time. Hay-Adams Makeover A prime example of the recent renovation makeovers is the Hay-Adams Hotel. Next to the White House, the Hay-Adams reopened earlier this year after shutting down for nearly half a year to accommodate an $18 million renovation. HITT Contracting Inc. and noted Washington interior designer Thomas Pheasant were brought in to participate in the project, which began in November 2001 and was completed this March. A complete make over of its 145 guest rooms involved a daunting layout of more than $120,000 per room to supply individual climate controls, voice mail and amenities such as high-speed Internet service. Other major changes included moving offices outside the hotel to make way for more guest rooms, adding security measures on two floors to safeguard high-profile guests, and making the hotel compliant with federal disability laws. Hotel employees also reaped some benefits, such as a new cafeteria, locker rooms and an air-conditioned executive kitchen. Luring Hawks and Doves Another area high roller keeping up with the times is the Marriott chain. In early September, the Crystal Gateway Marriott finished an $18 million redo of its facilities, which often play host to international visitors in town for business at the nearby Pentagon. Two-thirds of its rooms were completely renovated (the other third were done last year) with more comfy bedding, new carpeting, new granite and tile in bathrooms and window treatments to provide a more ìupscale, residential feel.î The hotelís 33,000 square feet of meeting space was also upgraded. Ethernet has been installed in the grand ballroom so groups can now network between separate meeting spaces in the hotel. Catering to more diplomatic crowds, two downtown Marriotts also made some changes. The Marriott Wardman Park Hotel sandwiched a little home improvement between conferences this summer by doing room upgrades and adding an outdoor meeting space in its gardens. The Washington Marriott in Foggy Bottom recently dolled up its rooms with new bedding, carpets and window treatments, along with a refurbished lobby and exterior. Low-Key Approach The Four Seasons in Georgetown is fending off distraction from the mammoth gutting of M Street by quietly refurbishing its own digs. The hotel just completed an elaborate renovation of all guest rooms and suites, bringing in new cabinets, lights, upgraded phone systems and perhaps the most impressive feature: wireless Internet access throughout the building. Banquet rooms have also been newly rigged with high-tech touch-panel controls to allow conference organizers better control over lighting, audiovisual equipment and temperature. Additional gadgetry is available at the new guest business center, completed earlier this year. Staff workspace has also been upgraded, with larger offices for the chef and housekeeping crew and more ergonomically friendly executive work areas. Despite the $5 million price tag on the changes, guest room rates havenít gone up as a result. Hotel spokeswoman Tricia Messerschmitt said the hotelís parent corporation budgets each year for major capital improvements without driving up prices. ìIt is a cost of our doing business as a Four Seasons Hotel,î she said. Messerschmitt emphasized that renovations are designed to minimize disruption to guests. ìIf it is quiet work, we do it at night,î she said. ìThe impact on business for these recent undertakings was virtually zero.î Winter wonít stop the work either. This December, the hotel will start another round of upgrades, including expanding banquet rooms by 2,000 square feet and removing the exterior hotel wall facing the C&O Canal. New Old F Streeter A newer kid on the block, the Hotel Monaco Washington D.C., did things a little differentlyóit renovated a building, then became a hotel. Starting in 1999 and ending in June 2002, the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group led a $35 million rehabilitation of a National Historical Landmark building near the MCI Center, creating a 184-room boutique hotel in the heart of the F Street revitalization. The project was a public-private partnership between Kimpton and the U.S. General Services Administration. San Francisco architect Michael Stanton was brought in to design a transformation that would accommodate a modern hotel while preserving the buildingís remarkable historical features. Located on the site of an original hotel in 1795, Congress bought the site to use as the General Post Office Building and Patent Office, before briefly moving into the building itself after British troops burned the city in 1812. After a second fire demolished the building, Washington Monument architect Robert Mills built a new, all-marble structure on the site, which is now the southern portion of the current building. Washington-based Oerhlein & Associates Architects and Heritage Consulting were also hired to help with the transition, with J. A. Jones/Tompkins Builders handling the construction. Describing the hotel as designed to ìappeal to the world traveler,î hotel spokeswoman Sarah Crocker said that such business should pick up from its current slow pace. ìWe anticipate that it will pick up soon and that a significant portion of our client base will be comprised of diplomatic-international guests,î she said. Hello Embassies, Radisson Calling One renovation thatís under way is that of the Radisson BarcelÛ Hotel Washington. In addition to some redecorating this year, the 301-room Dupont Circle hotel has a major redo planned for next year, including a new faÁade. ìItís something you have to do on a regular basis to keep up,î said director of group sales Jim Bischoff. While declining to put a dollar figure on the project, he said room rates will hold steady. Bischoff added that the hotel is looking to drum up more business with embassies and expand its diplomatic and international business, which currently comprises roughly 10 percent of its client base. Mark Hilpert is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Getting Personal Besides more general renovations and upgrades, some Washington, D.C., hotels are making a more focused appeal to their customers through personal, often quirky services. ìWe have found that our guests are most interested in special services that are customized to the individual,î said Lisa Colburn Stewart, director of public relations for D.C. Marriott hotels. The hotel has begun a program to increase services for repeat customers through a personal concierge. This person goes to work even before guests arrive, contacting clients in advance to hook them up with dinner reservations, theater tickets and other goodies. The concierge even serves as a sort of June Cleaver for grown-ups, having a favorite snack, beverage and periodical waiting when the guest comes ìhome.î At the Four Seasons, spokeswoman Tricia Messerschmitt said the economic downturn, which caused guests to search for cheaper rooms, provided a reason to expandóinstead of reduceóservices in an effort to gain a competitive edge. One example is a complimentary service to repeat guests that allows store-bought baggage to remain at the hotel and has the bags waiting in guestsí rooms when they return. If this baggage includes laundry, clothes will be cleaned and hung, and shoes polished. The Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. capitalizes on its quirky appeal with offbeat offerings. Hedonists can hit a complimentary evening wine reception, and jocks can watch individual flat-screen televisions while working out in the fitness center. Personalized wake-up calls can include daily forecasts for Weather Channel junkies. Hoopsters visiting the MCI Center to battle the Wizards may appreciate the hotelís ìtallî rooms, which feature extra-long king-size beds. And for those who didnít make it through airport security unscathed, there are customized toiletry kits to replace any c onfiscated toenail clippers. Sister facility Hotel Rouge on 16th Street goes even further, catering to eccentrics with specialized rooms geared toward entertainment freaks, tech geeks and gourmets. Chill rooms include video games, CDs, and high-tech stereos and televisions to play them on. Chat rooms feature flat-screen computer monitors and unlimited high-speed Internet access. Chow rooms have a kitchenette with a microwave and refrigerator, dishware, wet bar and dining table. óMark Hilpert