Hotel Bond

[drc72]

Hartford's hotel market is really picking up now.

[beerbeer]

According to a story in the Danbury newspaper.

"The 12-story Bond building, a once grand hotel that stood empty in recent years, is getting a new lease on life from the Hilton hotel chain. In December, it's slated to open as Homewood Hotel Suites, a branch of Hilton."

The Bond/Homewood Suites has had more false starts than a sprinter on meth.

[drc72]

Glad to hear it's finally opening soon.

[beerbeer]

I'll believe it when I check in.

[beerbeer]

But wait there's more. Another new date.

http://homewoodsuites.hilton.com/en/hw/hot...ctyhocn=WNDHWHW

The positive is that the hotel is actually on the Homewood Suites site. It has an accurate description and you can make a reservation.

The negative is no reservations before Jan 31. That means an opening in February, not late summer 06, not December 06, Feb 07.

[grock]

If you look inside you can see the check in desk and the lobby coming along nicely.

Ann Howard's, which runs the ballroom on the top floor and Apricot's of Farmington is also planning on opening a ground floor restaurant.

[HartfordTycoon]

That's very positive news. Glad to see it's on the website and accepting reservations at all.

[drc72]

But wait there's more. Another new date.

http://homewoodsuites.hilton.com/en/hw/hot...ctyhocn=WNDHWHW

The positive is that the hotel is actually on the Homewood Suites site. It has an accurate description and you can make a reservation.

The negative is no reservations before Jan 31. That means an opening in February, not late summer 06, not December 06, Feb 07.

[ctman987]

On the news of Apricots opening a new restaurant on the new ground floor that is great. Right now that area of Asylum needs some more foot traffic. It is not an extremly pedestrian friendly area with a huge parking lot (Hilton Lot) and its proximity to the bus station and I-84. But nevertheless Black Eyed Sallys, Hot Tomatoes, Bushnell Park, the Metropolitan, TheaterWorks and Union Station are in that area and a new restaurant will definitly help

[beerbeer]

There will be 116 suites in that hotel. That will certainly help the walkable restaurants.

[daroberts]

I thought Ann Howard backed out? Is the Restaurant back in the mix?

[beerbeer]

The latest, greatest newest date for opening is - ta! da! - March 1st.

We'll see. Everyone has the right to be skeptical.

[Luca Brasi]

This has been going on for years. I'll believe it when I see it.

[ctman987]

We can only hope....I hope it is March 1st because this is one piece of the puzzle in fixing Asylum Street between Ann and High Streets. There is that huge parking lot (Hilton lot), 410 Asylum Street which Common Ground will hopefull start work and a yet to open Hilton

I hope that 410 Asylum can be completed to bring some tenants to that area, the Homewood Suites to get some more foot traffic in that area, and maybe a restaurant to join the possible Apricots at the Bond, Black Eyed Sallys and Hot Tomatos to be housed in the Capital Center building...the red brick office building next to 410 Asylum

[beerbeer]

I'm coming to Hartford for a conference in the middle of April. I called the hotel reservation number but only got a recording. I did leave a call back number, so far no contact.

The most recent date for opening is a week from today. That seems highly unlikely.

[robm324]

I'm coming to Hartford for a conference in the middle of April. I called the hotel reservation number but only got a recording. I did leave a call back number, so far no contact.

The most recent date for opening is a week from today. That seems highly unlikely.

[beerbeer]

April Fool's Day. Now that is appropriate. It should have been the targeted opening all along.

[Luca Brasi]

I guess its one more month....until the next delay. that would be 14 months behind schedule. It's no front street...yet.

[tombarnes]

So is there much evidence of progress on the building? Usually, if a hotel is going to open soon, it's fairly obvious. I'm really pleased that they are, in fact, saving this building. It might even be worth a trip up to Hartford just to visit- but then again, I'm a hotel nut.

[MadVlad]

So is there much evidence of progress on the building? Usually, if a hotel is going to open soon, it's fairly obvious. I'm really pleased that they are, in fact, saving this building. It might even be worth a trip up to Hartford just to visit- but then again, I'm a hotel nut.

[drc72]

It does look like activity inside, but it's hard to tell...

[robm324]

Oh...I thought the original re-opening for this hotel was February 2006 based on some of the posts earlier in this thread. Just curious, does anyone know what the earliest opening was supposed to be?

[beerbeer]

The earliest opening

"Danial is in the process of converting the historic hotel into a Homewood Suites extended-stay hotel, but an agreement signed with the city said he was to have completed the project by March 2005."

[MadVlad]

The earliest opening

"Danial is in the process of converting the historic hotel into a Homewood Suites extended-stay hotel, but an agreement signed with the city said he was to have completed the project by March 2005."

[beerbeer]

The new, new opening date is (drum roll please) May 20th!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is so sad.