The Hyatt Regency Bethesda has announced the completion of a $37 million renovation project that has given the hotel a new look, a rooftop event space and one of the area’s largest Starbucks cafes.
Selim Soliman, the Hyatt’s managing director, said Wednesday the improvements that began in February 2016 have caused some inconvenience for guests and staff at the 390-room hotel. But the outcome has been worth any frustration, he said.
“It’s just night and day. Really, a fantastic transformation,” Soliman said.
The Hyatt at 1 Bethesda Metro Center got a new exterior façade and fresh, 12-story lobby with a marble entryway. The atrium features a “make space” with workstations and a quiet area with low music and white noise, according to a news release. Guests can make dinner reservations or browse through maps of the area using the interactive touch screens that are available throughout the lobby.
The upgrades also created an additional 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 2,400-square-foot rooftop area that can host everything from weddings to corporate events, the release stated.
A modernized and enlarged fitness center will offer guests strength machines, cardio equipment and even a Pelaton bike, Soliman said.
“A lot of travelers are road warriors, so having something like that can benefit them when they’re on the road,” he said.
Illustrations of the renovated space inside the Hyatt Regency Bethesda. Via Hyatt.
Visitors also will have new dining options, with a Starbucks opening around April 20 alongside the hotel’s two established restaurants, Morton’s The Steakhouse and the Daily Grill. Soliman said four different businesses have expressed interest in the last remaining retail space, and while he said he couldn’t name them, he said the future tenant would probably provide grab-and-go food and drink.
The refurbished guest rooms have flat-screen televisions, new furniture and upgraded bathrooms, the release said. Twenty-one rooms are specially designed to be allergy-friendly, with air purification systems and regular cleanings designed to remove pollutants and irritants.
Soliman said the so-called “PURE” rooms will be idea for visitors with sensitivities and also for people who are staying at the hotel while receiving medical treatment at the National Institutes of Health.
“They cannot come into contact with anything that could create an infection. This acts as a great place to stay while getting the treatment,” he said.
The hotel’s owner, The Meridian Group, began the renovation project after purchasing the Hyatt in 2015 with its partner, Highgate. The hotel collaborated with Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm, to reinvigorate the hotel with contemporary designs and a neutral color scheme, the release stated.
“Inspired by the natural landscape of the nearby Potomac River, the renovation respects the original architectural design while providing a remarkable transformation,” Carolyn Ament, Gensler’s design director, said in a prepared statement.
The hotel is planning an event in late spring to celebrate the project’s completion for late spring.
Bethany Rodgers can be reached at bethany.rodgers@moco360.media.