Morgantown Dominion Post
20 April 2006
Associated Press
A prominent riverfront hotel is breaking away from a national chain to adopt what its owner says will be a more unique style.
The 206-room Radisson Hotel will become the Waterfront Place Hotel on June 1. Mermaid LLC will still own the property, and the current management team will remain in place. Mermaid spokesman Parry Petroplus said Wednesday.
Existing reservations will be honored, and the change should be seamless for guests.
"There is a national trend to move away from branded chains to independent, boutique-styled hotels," said general manager Joe Duperre. "Our guests have repeatedly encouraged us to offer a signature experience, and this transition will allow us to offer our hotel the way our guests want."
Among the changes will be an expanded concierge service, with a presence in the lobby and a lounge on a higher floor where guests may check out. The hotel is stepping up its guest-preference program, logging birthdays, anniversaries and other significant dates so staff can greet return visitors personally, Duperre said.
The hotel is the anchor of the rapidly growing Wharf District along the Monongahela River, where plans call for a new marina and an event center that will be home to a theater group, Duperre said.
All of those facilities present potential partnerships for the hotel, as does its standing relationship with WVU and many local organizations.
The hotel will also offer wire-less Internet throughout and will upgrade a variety of amenities, including the quality of its soaps and shampoos.
The occupancy rate of the Radisson has grown by about 5 percent a year since the 17-story hotel opened in 2003, to about 65 per-cent.