Oklahoma City loses Hotel chain downtown

[mranderson]

I was told by one of my customers who is employed by Westin, that as of October 1, 2004, the downtown Oklahoma City Westin will once again become the Sheraton.

I want NEW chains, not old. Like Hyatt, Helmsley, and other high end chains that probably still think all Oklahomans drink Coors while driving their pickups during cow roping in the fields.

[Patrick]

Hmmm. Westin was in the midst of a multimillion dollar renovation of that hotel. I wonder if that will continue once Sheraton retakes control of the hotel. Regardless, It doesn't seem to matter to me whether it's a Sheraton or Westin. Both are fine hotels. I'll actually kind of be happy to see Sheraton retake control of the hotel. Afterall, they built it!

At least it's better than the Medallion....a brand the hotel used to be under.

[Patrick]

After taking with totel officials, I learned that the hotel will still be owned by the same company, IHRCO (Interstate Hotels & Resorts), so renovations will be completed. Ownership of the hotel will not be changed. The owners just felt that with the new renovations going on that the hotel should be rebranded to a more attractive brand, namely Sheraton. Hotel officials told me that Sheraton is a little larger chain and easier to book than Westin. So it should improve traffic at the hotel.....although, there hasn't really been a problem in that department.

I've emailed them a few more questions, and will post the answers once I receive them.

[Patrick]

[Patrick]

Okay, here's the email I received back from Dale Gannon, manager of the OKC Westin:

"Patrick,

Yes we are converting to Sheraton on October 1st. It will not affect renovation and actually the renovation was planned due to the conversion plans.

-Dale"

[mranderson]

The renovation was actually supervised by Sheridan to their standards. The Westin had bought all new equipment, including telephones, and had to scrap them because they did not comply with Sheridan's requirements.

I still hate to lose chains, no matter the name.

[Patrick]

One thing you have to remember though, it's Interstate Hotels and Resorts doing the renovations not Sheridan. Afterall, Sheridan is only the brand. IHRCO owns the hotel. But of course, if you're going to be a Sheridan you have to comply with their standards.

[swake]

Um. Sheraton and Westin are both Units of Starwood Hotels, Westin is a smaller and more upscale brand than Sheraton is, but it's the same company and reservation system. I've stayed at both and Westin Hotels are great, Sheraton hotels are decent, but nothing to write home about. About like a Marriott, not as good as a Hilton, defintely not a Westin. No where close to a Hyatt.

[mranderson]

Um. Sheraton and Westin are both Units of Starwood Hotels, Westin is a smaller and more upscale brand than Sheraton is, but it's the same company and reservation system. I've stayed at both and Westin Hotels are great, Sheraton hotels are decent, but nothing to write home about. About like a Marriott, not as good as a Hilton, defintely not a Westin. No where close to a Hyatt.

Maybe so. However, a franchise is a franchise. I still do not like losing a franchise, no matter how many different subsidiaries they have.

[Patrick]

I'm not quite sure why Interstate Hotels decided to switch franchises. I emailed them again and asked them why, and they never gave me an answer. They're definitely improving the building regardless of what the name is on the outside. So, I don't think it really matters. Yeah, I do hate losing the Westin name though. I'll bet Tulsa hates losing Adam's Mark as well. That was a shame when I heard it would be changing. They'll be losing a franchise as well.

[swake]

Not really a loss at all on the Adam’s Mark part, that was a terrible hotel chain, they were supposed to be an upscale chain but were not. It was a huge downgrade when that hotel went from Westin to Adam’s Mark. People that I know that stayed there hated it, and from what I hear that was pretty common across all Adam’s Mark Hotels. The Adam’s Mark had really fallen to only being the third best hotel downtown after the Ambassador and the Double Tree.

The hotel is now going to be a Crowne Plaza. I’m not familiar with Crowne Plaza, I looked them up and they are supposed to be an upscale chain in the Holiday Inn family of hotels. Tulsa has Holiday Inns and a Holiday Inn Select, they are ok, Crowne Plaza will hopefully be better. I doubt it could be worse than Adam’s Mark.

[BG918]

Crowne Plaza unfortunately, in name, is worse than Adam's Mark. That hotel really has taken a fall since it lost the Westin name, and is definitely the 3rd best downtown.

I think once the arena is built, a new hotel will go up in that vacant lot across the street on Denver. I'm hoping it will be pretty nice, maybe a Westin or Marriott. I'm really hoping a developer like Paul Coury will get involved and turn it into a mixed-use hotel/residential tower like the 22 story building he proposed at 21st and Riverside.

Also, I think the old Mayo could be turned into a spectacular hotel, similar to what is happening with the old Skirvin. Like the Skirvin, the Mayo has the potential to be the nicest hotel in the city once they fix it up.

[Patrick]

I'm really surprised it's taking the owners of the Mayo so long to develop it. I always thought the Mayo would be completely redeveloped before the Skirvin, but it looks like it's going to be the other way around. Oh well, it's good news for OKC......I'm glad to see that the Skirvin is for sure going to reopen. Marcus Hotels is a great chain and I see no reason why the deal won't be completed.

Also, in regards to the Adam's Mark in Tulsa.....maybe it's just the one in Tulsa, because I've stayed at the one in St. Louis and it was really nice. Anyways, I hadn't even heard of Crowne Plaza before. Hope they improve the downtown Tulsa hotel though. I do agree with Swake though.....the Hotel Ambassador is the nicest. But unfortunately, it's on the outskirts of downtown.
In regards to the Doubletree, I've stayed in both the downtown one and the Warren Place one, and I wasn't impressed with either. They didn't seem very well kept and both of them seemed like they needed a renovation. The rooms in the downtown Doubletree are extremely small and there's nothing real spectacular about them. I personally thought Marriot Courtyard had nicer rooms, so when I visit Tulsa I always go there now. I might try Doubletree again if they'll renovate their hotels. I had heard they were going to renovate their downtown hotel....can anyone from Tulsa verify that?

[BG918]

Yes, the downtown Doubletree is going to be renovated. Probably in anticipation of the renovated convention center, which is attached to the Doubletree by skybridge. I think I heard the Doubletree Warren Place is being renovated as well.

The Ambassador is very nice, very unique to Tulsa. Too bad it's in Uptown and not downtown. Uptown is a nicer area than downtown though. Other upscale options near downtown include the McBirney Mansion B&B, in Riverview, and the Hotel Savoy at 6th and Peoria just east of downtown. I've heard really good things about both.

[Patrick]

I went by the Westin this evening. I had never seen their rooftop pool (on top of the Century Center mini mall) before, so I wanted to see it. I was not at all impressed. That area really needs some work, and the outside pool is extremely small. I'd like to see them scrap the outside pool, and use part of the mini mall to build a nice new indoor pool. For a hotel of that caliber, it needs a nice pool.