Hilton Hotels Opens Lexington/Downtown After $13mn Renovation

Landmark Property Features $13 Million Renovation; Welcomes Travelers to Horse Capital of the World

Hilton Hotels has a new Kentucky home as the Hilton Lexington/Downtown officially opens today in the heart of the Bluegrass State. Located in downtown Lexington, the hotel becomes the second Hilton property serving guests in the city. Previously known as the Lexington Downtown Hotel & Conference Center, the hotel launched an extensive $13 million renovation in March that brought significant upgrades to half of the hotel’s 367 guestrooms and its interior spaces including the lobby, atrium and Grand Kentucky Ballroom. Additional renovations are expected to conclude in 2010.

“The Hilton brand is known for its exceptional properties in city centers around the world and the Hilton Lexington/Downtown is a notable addition. With an extensive $13 million renovation and unique collection of locally inspired art, this hotel will welcome guests with signature Hilton style, service and amenities,” said Dave Horton, Global Head – Hilton Hotels.

Influenced by Kentucky’s scenic landscape and equestrian heritage, the design concept for the hotel’s guestrooms, lobby, atrium, restaurant, Grand Kentucky Ballroom and numerous meeting rooms incorporates legendary Kentucky motifs. Developed by Atlanta firm Design Continuum, Inc., the updated interior of the hotel features a vibrant color palette inspired by regional country scenery. Rich shades of red, green, blue and gold can be found throughout the 22-story hotel’s interior as a modern take on traditional Kentucky design.

“A landmark in downtown Lexington for decades, the hotel now offers a distinct and enhanced experience for travelers visiting this unique region,” Peter C. Lewis, President and Chief Investment Officer of Madison W Properties, said. “An exclusive interior design that infuses the local flavor of the city combined with Hilton’s superior service will ensure that the hotel remains the premier destination for tourists and business travelers.”

As guests enter the hotel, they will experience an elegant Kentucky theme that begins in the lobby and continues onto the guest floors and into the guestrooms. The hotel’s five-story atrium showcases extraordinary works of art that reflect the city’s extensive equestrian history. A large photograph, shown as 20 panels spanning 16.5 feet wide by 22 feet high, by renowned local equine photographer Doug Prather hangs on the north side of the atrium. Titled Fall Foliage, the current image on display shows thoroughbred yearlings grazing during a fall afternoon on Shadwell Farm in Lexington. The hotel will showcase a total of four Doug Prather images that will rotate to coincide with the seasons.

The atrium’s south side includes a magnificent three-story water fountain with a whimsical equestrian theme. A mosaic of more than 10,000 hand-cut and placed pieces of colored glass, the fountain features four posed horses floating in the sky along with the sun and a crescent moon. It took three artists, each working a total of more than 175 hours, to complete the mosaic on each horse. Created by Mixed-Up Mosaics of New York, N.Y., the brilliant water feature also contains elements of Lexington’s famous Triangle Park fountain.

Continuing the Kentucky theme into the guestrooms, to date approximately half of the guest accommodations have been updated with a sophisticated new look that includes designer selected window treatments, furniture and furnishings, wall coverings and carpeting and enhanced bathrooms. Calming greens and blues were used throughout the rooms to provide each guest with a relaxing, serene environment and white headboards were installed that are reminiscent of picket fences found throughout the commonwealth. Large flat panel LCD televisions were installed to blend legacy charm with progressive accents.

The guest bathrooms were designed to be elegant and bright and showcase a crisp, clean décor. Classic furniture-style vanities with a golden wood tone and blue-green granite countertops are the focal points of the new bathrooms. The beautiful wall coverings feature a simple scroll pattern that has a tranquil quality. Neutral colored stone-like porcelain tiles were selected for the flooring and showers and a mixture of brushed and polished chrome fixtures are used throughout each bathroom.

Each renovated guestroom has been furnished with the Hilton Serenity Collection® of amenities, which includes the Pacific Coast® down duvet, Super Topper mattress pads and top-quality linens and pillows. Standard amenities include the Hilton Serenity Bath Collection, featuring the exclusive Crabtree and Evelyn line of LaSource® bath products; a Cuisinart® dual-cup, single brew coffeemaker and Lavazza® coffee and the easy-to-set Hilton alarm clock with MP3 player connectivity.

The hotel’s four suites are scheduled to be expanded and redesigned into three distinct living areas to provide formality and elegance to each space. A luxurious color palette of gold, red and teal has been selected and will be integrated into the fabrics, furnishings and carpeting used in the spacious suites. Furniture including plush sofas, arm chairs and chaise lounges and large dining room tables, end tables and executive desks made out of mahogany will complement the rich color scheme. The suites’ master bathrooms are designed to be an extension of the bedrooms and each will feature glass mosaic wall tiles, a water closet and walk-in shower. Each suite will also include an additional ½ bath, two flat panel LCD televisions and upgraded wood tiles in the foyer.

Source: http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/index.do?WT.mc_id=1HH2RE4Hilton5Home