Upscale Hotels in Northwest Arkansas

[mzweig]

Maybe but if you're doing business with Wal-Mart and they're squeezing you for every penny you might be better off staying in the $120 a night room downstairs. There's nothing wrong with Embassy Suites, I use them frequently. I just don't stay in $600 rooms.

Embassey Suites is a decent business hotel. But it's in Rogers, and we (well at least some of us) are in Fayetteville, and people coming to Fayetteville don't really want to stay 20 miles away. We need decent hotels in Fayetteville.

I just don't think we can lump Fayetteville, Rogers, and Bentonville into one market, and act as if something is in one of those places the other places don't need it, or if there's a glut of something in one area, that applies to all areas. It doesn't. ALL of NWA is not one market. I know I keep saying this but it applies to hotels, housing, restaurants, and more.

[Aporkalypse]

Embassey Suites is a decent business hotel. But it's in Rogers, and we (well at least some of us) are in Fayetteville, and people coming to Fayetteville don't really want to stay 20 miles away. We need decent hotels in Fayetteville.

I just don't think we can lump Fayetteville, Rogers, and Bentonville into one market, and act as if something is in one of those places the other places don't need it, or if there's a glut of something in one area, that applies to all areas. It doesn't. ALL of NWA is not one market. I know I keep saying this but it applies to hotels, housing, restaurants, and more.

I don't think anyone lumps the m together, unless it's game day. Then I think you can almost count Eureka and even Ft Smith in the market. As the article he referred to stated, the Fayetteville hotels are busiest on weekends and the Rogers/B-ville hotels busiest during the week. Their clientele is markedly different.

[Mith242]

I do agree that Fayetteville should be able to support at least one nice hotel. I think there perhaps some university clientele and alumni who might like staying in Fayetteville rather than go to Rogers to a nicer hotel.

But I've gotten the impression the Renaissance is going to be a nice hotel along with the Divinity. If both can ever get past their problems and get into the construction phase.

[mzweig]

I do agree that Fayetteville should be able to support at least one nice hotel. I think there perhaps some university clientele and alumni who might like staying in Fayetteville rather than go to Rogers to a nicer hotel.

But I've gotten the impression the Renaissance is going to be a nice hotel along with the Divinity. If both can ever get past their problems and get into the construction phase.

Amen--both of those will be first-rate hotels. We need 'em. I just pray these projects move ahead. I am frankly more worried about the Rennaisance than I am Divinity in terms of it actually getting built.

[mzweig]

I don't think anyone lumps the m together, unless it's game day. Then I think you can almost count Eureka and even Ft Smith in the market. As the article he referred to stated, the Fayetteville hotels are busiest on weekends and the Rogers/B-ville hotels busiest during the week. Their clientele is markedly different.

This is true. But I do get the impression that people using this forum keep lumping. I think it's a mistake. Maybe it is the entrepreneur in me who is constantly looking for unfilled niches or something but I do believe Fayetteville is markedly different from Bentonville and Rogers. I think Bentonville and Rogers are different from each other, too, but have a lot more in common with each other than they do with Fayetteville.

[Mith242]

Amen--both of those will be first-rate hotels. We need 'em. I just pray these projects move ahead. I am frankly more worried about the Rennaisance than I am Divinity in terms of it actually getting built.

Just curious have you heard any info not mentioned here on the forum? What do you see as the major obstacle for the Renaissance being completed?

[jdevers]

The Renaissance is supposed to be 18 stories, last I heard. It will be nice. The Radisson is a dump. I have stayed in the best suite they have and it was a one star out of five. Very ratty.

M

I couldn't agree more, as part of my job I eat there about three to five times per month, and while staying in a room and eating at a hotel are two different things they are related. The food there is pretty close to horrible (don't ask me the politics of why meetings are scheduled there) and so is everything surrounding it. It is sad when the only nice hotel room we can put visiting family and friends into is at Carnall Hall, it has so few suites that last minute bookings (meaning less than a month or two notice) are out of the question. Everything else in town is a motel (except for the Hampton Inn, but it offers a view of an interstate and little else, while also not having a real restaurant on site).

I don't think anyone lumps the m together, unless it's game day. Then I think you can almost count Eureka and even Ft Smith in the market. As the article he referred to stated, the Fayetteville hotels are busiest on weekends and the Rogers/B-ville hotels busiest during the week. Their clientele is markedly different.

Don't forget Bikes Blues and BBQ, I know it is just once a year, but I had friends who stayed in TULSA that weekend. They said there were LOTS of bikers at their hotel too... Every hotel in the three county (including Eureka here...) area was booked up for the last weekend in September THIS year at this time LAST year.

[mzweig]

Just curious have you heard any info not mentioned here on the forum? What do you see as the major obstacle for the Renaissance being completed?

My worries are centered around financing. Nock--who I really like and think does a great job-- seems to me like he might be overextended. I heard that's why he didn't get the Radisson--but dunno if that's true at all.

Then on top of it, you have a softening market here in NWA, new competitors, and rising interest rates, along with a need to redesign the foundations to make the building taller and go back in front of the planning commission that just got slammed for how they handled the last tall buidling approval. It just seems like things could go wrong. Probably won't, but could. I hope they go well for a zillion reasons!

I couldn't agree more, as part of my job I eat there about three to five times per month, and while staying in a room and eating at a hotel are two different things they are related. The food there is pretty close to horrible (don't ask me the politics of why meetings are scheduled there) and so is everything surrounding it. It is sad when the only nice hotel room we can put visiting family and friends into is at Carnall Hall, it has so few suites that last minute bookings (meaning less than a month or two notice) are out of the question. Everything else in town is a motel (except for the Hampton Inn, but it offers a view of an interstate and little else, while also not having a real restaurant on site).

The food is AWFUL there. I have eaten better at Brough Commons (dorm food--I do it once a week because I teach in the evening at the U of A)--I kid you not!

[Aporkalypse]

Don't forget Bikes Blues and BBQ, I know it is just once a year, but I had friends who stayed in TULSA that weekend. They said there were LOTS of bikers at their hotel too... Every hotel in the three county (including Eureka here...) area was booked up for the last weekend in September THIS year at this time LAST year.

Perhaps, though it's not the kind of event you probably want to attract. Bikers have a way of kind of creating a trashy reputation for an area like that. I also didn't mention War Eagle, which is probably even more significant.

My worries are centered around financing. Nock--who I really like and think does a great job-- seems to me like he might be overextended. I heard that's why he didn't get the Radisson--but dunno if that's true at all.

Then on top of it, you have a softening market here in NWA, new competitors, and rising interest rates, along with a need to redesign the foundations to make the building taller and go back in front of the planning commission that just got slammed for how they handled the last tall buidling approval. It just seems like things could go wrong. Probably won't, but could. I hope they go well for a zillion reasons!

Me, too. Location will dictate that I will pay premium prices (and the damn two night minimum) to get this hotel or the Radisson for game weekends in a year or two. Nothing's better than being able to walk to the game from your hotel.

[Mith242]

My worries are centered around financing. Nock--who I really like and think does a great job-- seems to me like he might be overextended. I heard that's why he didn't get the Radisson--but dunno if that's true at all.

Then on top of it, you have a softening market here in NWA, new competitors, and rising interest rates, along with a need to redesign the foundations to make the building taller and go back in front of the planning commission that just got slammed for how they handled the last tall buidling approval. It just seems like things could go wrong. Probably won't, but could. I hope they go well for a zillion reasons!

Okay, I was worried you knew something else. I hadn't heard that Nock might be overextended but I had wondered about it. I thought there might be something else going on to make this process being drawn out so long. Especially when they set times for construction and they keep missing them.

[jdevers]

The food is AWFUL there. I have eaten better at Brough Commons (dorm food--I do it once a week because I teach in the evening at the U of A)--I kid you not!

Hahaha, I thought the same thing earlier. I ate at Brough while attending U of A and it was better than a lot of places actually, definitely better than the Radisson or the Clarion... Hey, what do you teach? I taught microbiology this and last summer (session I),

[masons_dad1]

Maybe but if you're doing business with Wal-Mart and they're squeezing you for every penny you might be better off staying in the $120 a night room downstairs. There's nothing wrong with Embassy Suites, I use them frequently. I just don't stay in $600 rooms.

That's true, but execs from multi-billion dollar companies aren't shirking their $500 suits and their Jags just because Wal-Mart is their largest customer. A millionaire exec comes to NWA for a week he's going to stay in the best suite available which is probably comparable to a motel room from what he's used to.

[mzweig]

Hahaha, I thought the same thing earlier. I ate at Brough while attending U of A and it was better than a lot of places actually, definitely better than the Radisson or the Clarion... Hey, what do you teach? I taught microbiology this and last summer (session I),

I teach entreprenuership here at the Walton College of Business. Right across from Brough!

M

[Mith242]

Perhaps not the best fit, but I wanted a more general hotel news topic and this seems the closest. Here's some info on the top grossing hotels in Arkansas. Embassy Suites in Rogers in is the top five but the only one in the top ten for NWA. Bentonville's Hilton Garden Inn is next at 13th. There are a few more Bentonville hotels on the list. Springdale's Holiday Inn is 21st, and the Cosmopolitan/Radisson here in Fayetteville was 31st. I got this info from Arkansas Business News by the way.

[Mith242]

I hadn't realized this before but it looks like the Embassy Suites by far has the most rooms/suites in Arkansas. Although I guess there could be a big low grossing hotel possibly that isn't on the list.

[thewizard16]

The Peabody certainly doesn't suprise me at #1. Glad to see Embassy and the Hilton up there as well though.

[cocothief]

Wow. Thats kind of sad. Is the Peabody the best hotel our state has to offer?

I've stayed there a couple of times and while it was nice, it wasn't anything spectacular.

I guess so...

[nwa_479]

I'm anxious for the Westin to come. Have they decided on where the location will be yet? Or is this going to backfire?

[thewizard16]

Wow. Thats kind of sad. Is the Peabody the best hotel our state has to offer?

I've stayed there a couple of times and while it was nice, it wasn't anything spectacular.

I guess so...

I can't answer that, I've never stayed at the Peabody, or any hotels in this area. Well, I guess I stayed at the Baymont a few years back before I moved over here, but that was for one night, and an unexpected requirement. At any rate, the Peabody has a reputation, and I have a feeling that going there is as much about the reputation as the quality.

[Aporkalypse]

Wow. Thats kind of sad. Is the Peabody the best hotel our state has to offer?

I've stayed there a couple of times and while it was nice, it wasn't anything spectacular.

I guess so...

The Capitol, by far. It's just smaller and therefore down the list.

[dimebag1980]

I hadn't realized this before but it looks like the Embassy Suites by far has the most rooms/suites in Arkansas. Although I guess there could be a big low grossing hotel possibly that isn't on the list.

Aren't they expanding? Is the 800 rooms BEFORE the expansion, or after? That's a very large hotel.

[mcheiss]

Aren't they expanding? Is the 800 rooms BEFORE the expansion, or after? That's a very large hotel.

No it's actually only suppose to be expanded to 400 rooms. The editor must have made a mistake in his work.

[Mith242]

No it's actually only suppose to be expanded to 400 rooms. The editor must have made a mistake in his work.

I was wondering, after I posted that I thought about it and just couldn't see that many rooms/suites in that space. Especially since I've seen the size of some of the LR hotels mentioned on that list.

[cocothief]

The Capitol, by far. It's just smaller and therefore down the list.

That makes me feel better. Actually after I posted that, I thought that surely there are some nicer boutique style places around the state that didn't appear higher on the list.

I've had dinner at the Capitol, but its been several years ago. It was very nice indeed.

[Aporkalypse]

That makes me feel better. Actually after I posted that, I thought that surely there are some nicer boutique style places around the state that didn't appear higher on the list.

I've had dinner at the Capitol, but its been several years ago. It was very nice indeed.

I couldn't believe they were going to put it through a massive renovation, it's hard to see where improvement was really necessary. The whole hotel's been shut down for quite a while because of this. The restaurant and bar were pretty high quality and they also do a lot of high profile wedding receptions.

I guess the Capitol's off the list because it's been closed.

I think that type of boutique hotel would do well in Fayetteville.