Historic Galveston Hotel Completes $11 Million Renovation for 100th Anniversary

Hotel Galvez & Spa, A Wyndham Grand^® Hotel and National Trust Historic Hotel of America, completed an $11 million renovation in conjunction with the hotel’s 100^th anniversary in 2011. Hotel owners George Mitchell and the Mitchell family updated all guest rooms with new décor and furnishings and added operable, divided-light Gulf-facing windows reminiscent of the hotel’s original design. This project was under the direction of George Mitchell’s granddaughter Lori Mitchell. Additionally, the hotel unveiled Centennial Green, a new outdoor event space, in April 2011.

 

As part of this project, the third major renovation to the hotel since the Mitchells purchased the property in 1993, the north-facing lobby windows were restored to retain their original appearance and to match the south-facing windows that were restored in 2005. The project also includes upgrades to the pool area, including outdoor cabanas and an eco-friendly, saline conditioning system and recently new lounge furniture. To enhance the appeal of the hotel for its numerous brides,  the owners added a 9,763-square-foot spa, fitness center and salon in 2008 which is located in the lower level.

                                                                                                                    

All guest rooms now feature a soothing, neutral palette; plush carpeting by Constantine, Atlas and Masland; Bernhardt fine furniture; Simmons^® HealthSmart™ mattresses; 37-inch, Samsung flat-screen televisions; Stacy Garcia duvet covers; custom headboards; new window treatments; and updated lighting. As part of the new décor, all rooms include nature-inspired aluminum prints by Kayla Mitchell, granddaughter of George Mitchell.

 

All guest rooms also now include an energy management system that programs rooms for appropriate temperature and lighting when occupied and unoccupied. The system gives guests control of the room’s temperature and lighting, which can be managed with a bedside remote or controller at the door.

 

In 2009, guest rooms on the hotel’s sixth floor were converted to spa-inspired rooms featuring rain showers; Simmons HealthSmart mattresses; Italian-made Anichini; 42-inch, flat screen televisions; and luxurious amenities including spa robes, slippers, books and iPod^® iHome players. The sixth floor also features allergen-friendly Wyndham ClearAir ^® rooms, which have undergone a multistep cleaning process designed to remove up to 98 percent of allergens using medical-grade air purification systems designed by New York-based Pure Solutions NA. Suites on the seventh and eighth floors were also updated with new décor and furniture, including the addition of plantation shutters and custom divided-light windows.

 

Centennial Green, the new outdoor event space located just south of the hotel’s Music Hall, features a classic pergola and is bordered by four flowing fountains. The new 9,328 sq. ft. outdoor venue is available for wedding ceremonies, receptions and banquets.

 

When Hotel Galvez opened in 1911, Galveston had just finished building its 17-foot seawall to protect the island from storm surges; the town had also completed its grade-raising project that raised the grade of land as well as hundreds of buildings from an average of 11 to 14 feet above sea level. The Causeway, connecting Galveston Island to the mainland, had also been completed. These accomplishments were part of the island’s recovery efforts following the Great Storm of 1900.

Hotel Galvez & Spa, A Wyndham Grand^® Hotel and National Trust Historic Hotel of America, is the only historic beachfront hotel on the Texas Gulf Coast. This 224-room, 100-year-old historic hotel offers 13,231 square feet of meeting space, a 9,763-square-foot spa, fitness center, full-service restaurant, lobby bar, heated pool with a swim-up bar and Hall of History. The hotel is rated four diamonds by AAA and owned by Galveston preservationist George Mitchell as part of Mitchell Historic Properties. For reservations, call (800) WYNDHAM, or visit www.WyndhamHotelGalvez.com.

 

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), offers upscale hotel and resort accommodations throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, China and the Caribbean. All Wyndham® hotels are either franchised by the company or managed by Wyndham Hotel Management, Inc., one of its affiliates or through a joint-venture partner. Additional information and reservations for all Wyndham hotels are available by calling (800) WYNDHAM – (800) 996-3426 – or visiting www.Wyndham.com.

 

Galveston Island is the No. 2 tourism attraction in Texas for in-state and out-of-state travelers. Galveston is a historic beach town located just 50 miles south from Houston, Texas – the fourth largest city in the U.S. A diverse cultural town, Galveston Island is a unique destination offering 32 miles of beaches, a variety of family attractions and resorts, one of the largest and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country and Texas’ premiere cruise port.