The charm and character of old Providence is palpable in the city's downtown area. Vestiges remain around every corner and down every alleyway. Along Weybosset St. in the financial district, visitors marvel at the city's heritage seen in such landmarks as The Arcade (1829), Providence Gas Building (1847), Hall's Building (1876), Wilcox Building (1875) and the former Old Colony Bank (1926), that was most recently the site of the St. Francis Chapel, and now is undergoing a $17 million revitalization to become the new home of the Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown.
As the first new hotel to open in downtown since May 2007, the 110-room Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown will compliment the architectural splendor of the city, retaining much of its early 20th century design and vintage personality when it opens in December.
First Bristol, in association with Granoff Associates, commissioned Newport Collaborative Architects to convert the historic building, which is on the national and state registries of historic places. The project includes the complete renovation of the 50,000 s/f, 11-story building and construction of a new 10-story, 27,000 s/f addition to compliment the historic structure and streetscape. The new Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown will feature 110 rooms and suites, conference rooms, fitness center and business center.
When guests arrive, they will marvel at the hotel's exterior traditional colonial brick, Corinthian-column portico and stone stringcourse with modillion cornice rising above the ninth floor. Upon entering the lobby, they will revisit history in the building's original marble sheathed entrance hall with brass and bronze trim and lattice-like tile floors, able to step back in time to the banking hall for Old Colony Bank with its neo-Federal style ornamentation which has been meticulously renovated and converted into the main lounge and registration area for the hotel.
Pampering the business traveler will be customary with an extensive list of complimentary amenities sure to elevate the guest experience.
Upon arrival, guests will enjoy complimentary shuttle service to/from the Providence Train Station, TF Green Airport and the Providence Bus Station. Upon check in, guests will indulge in the high-end Purity Basics bath amenities including shampoo, conditioner, body wash and moisturizer, and rest comfortably on Cloud Nine, The Hampton Bed Experience, featuring the Serta Tranquility Nights mattress with fluffy comforter, crisp white duvet covers and down or foam pillow options. Conventioneer will also notice the free high-speed wireless and wired internet access and complimentary laundry services.
Guests will awake to a free, full-menu breakfast located in the hotel lobby beginning daily at 6:00 a.m. This signature On the House hotbreakfast buffet includes scrambled eggs, omelets, pancakes, French toast, sausage patties, ham slices, biscuits, bagels, muffins, cereal, coffee, tea and juice. And for a quick morning meal to go, the property offers On the Run breakfast bags daily.
The notable former owners are honored on the mezzanine level (second floor) of the new Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown both in name and style. The 450 s/f Old Colony Room has the original ornately-framed mirror above the decadent wood fireplace with traditional crown molding and wood paneling throughout. The 440 s/f St. Francis Room entertains the antique chandeliers from the former church and has been upgraded with a wet bar area for intimate gatherings.
And while the hotel keeps much of the building's traditions alive, it also meets the demands of an ever-changing economy. All rooms have been upgraded with wireless and wired high-speed internet access, and the meeting rooms offer audio/visual boards and technology. In addition, the building has undergone a series of green initiatives to significantly reduce the amount of energy used to provide heating, air conditioning and electricity throughout the hotel.
Systems that were simply not available 80-years ago when the building was originally built are now commonplace in the hospitality industry. The new Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown will reuse existing heated and cooled air within various areas of the hotel to assist heating and air conditioning where needed, thus reducing the need to generate more power. This system can also heat and cool different areas on the same day by reusing heat removed from outside of the "sunny" side of the building, and then send it to the cooler "shady" side of the building.
In the guest rooms and commercial areas, computerized thermostats, which contain sensors, will raise and lower temperatures as they sense occupants or movement within a room. Commercial areas will also use automatic light sensors that turn on/off depending upon activity.
In the laundry facilities, a new "ozone cleaning system" will substantially reduce the amount of water and significantly eliminate the need to use chemicals when cleaning linens.
Some additional modifications to the historic building include: 95% efficient boilers for hot water which put out and maintain higher volumes of hot water with much less heat loss, creating better output at lower costs; and Water Source Heat Pump HVAC units in the common areas that provide low cost operation and the ability to simultaneously heat and cool separate parts of the building at the same time for greater guest comfort.
Located in the financial district, Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown is located adjacent to nearby corporate neighbors, including Bank of America, Textron, and Citizens Bank, and universities such as Brown University, Johnson & Wales, and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Upon completion in December, the Hampton Inn & Suites Providence Downtown will offer 110 appointed guest rooms, including 38 suites, 32 king rooms, and 40 standard rooms. It will feature free airport valet service, a fitness center, a business center, free property-wide high-speed Internet access, and a complimentary full-menu breakfast. The guest rooms will include hi-definition plasma televisions, iPod-compatible stereo systems, deluxe bedding, in-room microwaves and refrigerator units.
Hampton Inn & Suites is part of the Hilton Hotels Corp., recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The Hilton family of hotels includes many of the world's best known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including, Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Harrison Conference Centers, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations Company and Homewood Suites by Hilton. High-quality accommodations and services, combined with competitive rates have made Hampton Inn & Suites a leader in the mid-price segment, and one of the fastest growing hotel brands.