The former DoubleTree near the airport has lost its Hilton brand. Photos by Katie Demeria.
As plastic bags hang over its former name, a hotel near the airport awaits potential new owners to decide its fate.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel – Richmond Airport at 5501 Eubank Road lost its DoubleTree flag after the property’s current owners chose not to renovate the building and instead put it up for sale.
The property was rebranded to the Richmond Airport Hotel on Jan. 14, General Manager Dave Johnson said.
“(The owners) decided they’d rather go ahead and sell, primarily due to their age. They’re two couples who are both up there in age and only owned three hotels and decided they wanted to give up the business,” Johnson said.
The current owner, New Jersey-based Pacific Concord Management, could not be reached for comment. The group’s other two hotels are in Florida and New Jersey, Johnson said.
Henrico County records indicate the owners purchased the 160-room hotel in 2003 for $5.9 million. Its latest assessment on Feb. 2 valued the property, which sits on about five acres, at $8.1 million.
Built in 1989 and branded as a DoubleTree in 2003, the hotel had a franchise agreement with Hilton that ended in 2013, the same year the hotel was put up for sale. Hilton wanted the property to be renovated if it were to continue as a DoubleTree, Johnson said, and the upgrades were estimated at between $4 million and $5 million.
Hilton continued to work with the hotel past the deadline and ended up extending the franchise agreement until early 2015.
A Hilton official did not return requests for comment.
Johnson said two potential buyers are considering the hotel at the moment, and both are open to bringing back the DoubleTree brand.
“We were listed as an outstanding hotel, according to the quality assurance inspectors from Hilton, for about seven inspections in a row,” Johnson said. “We want to get back to that.”
The renovation plans include gutting rooms and redesigning public spaces one section of the hotel at a time to avoid disrupting guests and to allow staff to continue working.
The hotel currently employs 50 people. Some were let go during the initial rebranding process, Johnson said, but he did not say how many.
The former DoubleTree near the airport has lost its Hilton brand. Photos by Katie Demeria.
As plastic bags hang over its former name, a hotel near the airport awaits potential new owners to decide its fate.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel – Richmond Airport at 5501 Eubank Road lost its DoubleTree flag after the property’s current owners chose not to renovate the building and instead put it up for sale.
The property was rebranded to the Richmond Airport Hotel on Jan. 14, General Manager Dave Johnson said.
“(The owners) decided they’d rather go ahead and sell, primarily due to their age. They’re two couples who are both up there in age and only owned three hotels and decided they wanted to give up the business,” Johnson said.
The current owner, New Jersey-based Pacific Concord Management, could not be reached for comment. The group’s other two hotels are in Florida and New Jersey, Johnson said.
Henrico County records indicate the owners purchased the 160-room hotel in 2003 for $5.9 million. Its latest assessment on Feb. 2 valued the property, which sits on about five acres, at $8.1 million.
Built in 1989 and branded as a DoubleTree in 2003, the hotel had a franchise agreement with Hilton that ended in 2013, the same year the hotel was put up for sale. Hilton wanted the property to be renovated if it were to continue as a DoubleTree, Johnson said, and the upgrades were estimated at between $4 million and $5 million.
Hilton continued to work with the hotel past the deadline and ended up extending the franchise agreement until early 2015.
A Hilton official did not return requests for comment.
Johnson said two potential buyers are considering the hotel at the moment, and both are open to bringing back the DoubleTree brand.
“We were listed as an outstanding hotel, according to the quality assurance inspectors from Hilton, for about seven inspections in a row,” Johnson said. “We want to get back to that.”
The renovation plans include gutting rooms and redesigning public spaces one section of the hotel at a time to avoid disrupting guests and to allow staff to continue working.
The hotel currently employs 50 people. Some were let go during the initial rebranding process, Johnson said, but he did not say how many.
It now has broken furniture and inadequate cleaning. Poor representation of Richmond, VA 3/2017