This year, some big players are going beyond swapping out bedding and linens. Many began their renovations last month, and will continue working on them into mid-October.

 

"We're starting from drywall and concrete. Anything we put back in is brand-new,” said Joe Murgalo, general manager for Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, Estero.

 

They're spending more than they have in several years, a trend that is being played out across the nation, according to lodging industry consultants.
Just about every property is doing something. Get ready for some of the biggest changes at:

 

• The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, in the middle of a multimillion-dollar makeover of all 454 rooms and suites;

 

• Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa in south Fort Myers, which is updating 247 guest rooms, its spa, the main lobby and other public areas.

 

• Downtown Naples's Inn on Fifth, which will get a face lift to complement its 32-suite expansion under construction across the street.
This is welcome news to Tamara Pigott, executive director for Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau.

 

Tourism and hospitality provide as many as one in five of the area's jobs, according to Pigott. "The sustainability of the market is dependent on hoteliers putting money into their properties,” Pigott said.

 

U.S. hotels invested an estimated $5.5 billion - a record amount - in capital improvements in 2008, according to Bjorn Hanson, a professor and divisional dean at New York University. Capital spending slipped to $3.3 billion in 2009 and to $2.7 billion in 2010, before recovering to a forecast $3.5 billion in 2011.
Industry analysts see at least two factors at play in the increased spending:
First, "after the 2008 financial crash, hotels put some renovations on hold. Now that they're seeing a little bit more occupancy, we're seeing a boost in renovations,” said Rebecca Evans, messaging director for Portsmouth, N.H.-based Lodging Econometrics.

 

Secondly, hotel companies are still wary of adding new room inventory that could hurt occupancy and revenues per available room. It seems a safer bet to invest in what's already there, Evans said.

 

Crowne Plaza in south Fort Myers is wrapping up a re-do of its 6,000-square-foot ballroom. "It's a good time for us to do this because July and August tend to be slower months,” said general manager Jim Larken.

 

At the 25-year-old Courtyard by Marriott in Fort Myers, both guest rooms and the lobby are targeted for improvements. The lobby will feature Marriott's bistro concept, and serve Starbucks beverages, said general manager Debbie Kennedy.

 

Business hit a record level last year at the 15-year-old Inn on Fifth in Naples, according to Cathy Christopher, director of sales and marketing. "People are traveling again. It's time to make the inn look new again,” she said.

 

Starting Aug. 13, a crew of at least 25 workers will strip and redo 30 guest rooms at a time. The lobby, halls and meeting spaces also will be updated.
"Our existing hotel has to be at its very best to complement our new suites,” Christopher said. This is more than a spruce-up, she added: "We are being reborn.”