Revolving door part of $1.5M in upgrades at Erie Sheraton
By Ed Palattella, Erie Times-News, Pa. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"When both of those doors opened, it was like having an arctic blast that goes into the lobby area," said the
The
The interior improvements include new carpeting and vinyl wall coverings in the eight-floor hotel's 200 guest rooms -- contractors will focus on one floor at a time, and the hotel will stay open -- as well as new carpeting, wall coverings and lamps in the guest corridor and elevator lobby, and new carpeting, wall coverings and furniture in the great room, registration lobby and club. Contractors will also paint all of those areas.
"Some people have said, 'It doesn't look bad at all. Why are you doing this?'" Wells said. "We want to position ourselves to be No. 1 in the marketplace."
The push for upgrades is also coming from Sheraton's parent company,
Higher-end hotel chains like Sheraton typically mandate such regular renovations, said
"It's a good thing. It's what keeps these buildings fresh and relevant," Richman said. "Nobody wants a hotel to go shabby. Not that this one is by any means, because it's a beautiful property. But in terms of competitiveness, you want to be ahead of the curve."
The hotel's annual occupancy rate is about 73 percent, with the rate peaking at about 93 percent in June, July and August, said
One current patron,
Pitcairn, 68, an insurance worker from
"It keeps the place fresh, keeps them in business and keeps the guests coming back," Pitcairn said. "I look for comfort, cleanliness, peace and quiet when I come to a hotel. This place has that."
No public money is paying for the upgrades or door project.
The funding is coming from a reserve account that the
The
D &
All of the renovations "will be noticeable to people who have been here before," Iverson said. "It will certainly be a fresh look."
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