AD1 Global has completed a multi-million-dollar renovation of the former Comfort Inn on Palm Parkway and converted it into an upscale full-service Crowne Plaza hotel.
The South-Florida based hospitality development and management company had purchased the 200-room property in 2017 for $20.5 million. A year ago, excecutives announced they had struck a deal with IHG to covert the property to the Crowne Plaza flag.
“We have a great relationship with IHG,” CFO Alex Fridzon said. “We wanted to make it more upscale, and we thought it had the bones to support a full service brand.”
The comprehensive property-wide renovation featured a complete revamp of the guestrooms and public spaces with the latest Crowne Plaza prototype designs. Those include contemporary furnishings and Live-Work spaces that emphasize connectivity. Fridzon said the goal was to be modern and fresh without being trendy.
The new custom headboards have integrated lighting and USB and electric outlets to allow for charging of multiple devices. Public spaces around the pool and common areas are equipped with tablets to make ordering food and drink service convenient, Fridzon said.
The company added a new full-service restaurant with a bar in the lobby area and converted the former breakfast room into flexible meeting space, he added.
“The extensive renovation and conversion underscore our ability to make opportunistic investments within major markets and fully reposition an asset in a very short period of time,” said Daniel Berman, AD1 Global President.
The location on Palm Parkway is close to theme parks and the Orange County Convention Center, making it well positioned to attract leisure and business travelers.
Meeting spaces are available to guests and locals alike, and the private studio space is bookable by the hour. Each work area is equipped with a tablet for on-demand service and food and beverage ordering. The Marketplace offers “grab and go” drinks and snacks with a focus on local, healthy options and features self-checkout for maximum convenience.
Balconies are available on all upper floors with views of the Disney or Universal Fireworks from floors 5-7. The hotel also features an outdoor pool with a waterfall and slide feature that families are sure to enjoy. Free Wi-Fi in public areas and free self-parking are also provided. And, as a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, free shuttle service to the parks and Disney Springs is provided.
“We’re very excited,” Fridzon said. “The market in Orlando has been struggling a little bit, but we’re big believers in the market. We’re definitely getting a lot more reservations since we converted. We have a lot of business on the books for next year.”
The hotel includes Plaza Workspace, a flexible meeting a work solution embedded in the hotel lobby. Plaza Workspace contains various work areas that allow for solo or collaborative work.
AD1 Global is also converting the former Royal Parc Suites hotel in Kissimmee to Staybridge Suites, another IHG brand. Fridzon said that project is likely to wrap up by the end of the year.
“It’s a little bit bigger property,” he said. “It’s 224 rooms, and they’re all 2-room suites. We’re spending about $10 million on that renovation.”
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