matth1231

If you are in the lobby today you notice the large wave of metal mesh covering the front desk and restaurant. I heard these where added to protect people from suicide attempts. Crazy...

No...... Haha, I worked at one for a short stint. Perhaps overseas and some of their resort properties may appear luxurious. Upscale is more appropriate and applies to Hilton, Marriott, Westin, and Sheraton. But I'm excited about the Omni. They are kinda innovative in the way that they try to appeal to all your senses. Sounds, scent, taste... feel. Etc. They are going to have a LOT of work though. I parked underground there recently and choose to take the stairwell up to the ground floor (instead of walking up the ramp which is the only way to get down) and when I pushed open the door to enter the abandoned elevator bank with street access there was someone sleeping at my feet!

Yeah, Hyatt is definately undergoing a huge renovation. I want to say I heard it was 40 million? They ripped out Ducks and Company and are combining it with the other lobby restaurant to create one large restaurant. It is going to be a Shula's Steak House which is a chain that is hotels. Anyway, the lobby bar is going to be moved to the Window Box. I assume that will create an open lobby? Its such a huge space though, so I don't really know what they will do with it. And as far as the rooms go, I hear they are going to be getting total over halls. Apparently, some rooms still have carpet in the bathrooms! But they are going to be getting LCD televisions and all that jazz. It kinda looked like platform beds also? I'm not sure. And referring back to the Window Box being the place to be seen, the whole Hyatt was in general. They used to also have a Jazz club in what is now the "Recency Room." The Hyatt really is a neat hotel to sit in. It is always teaming with activity. The bar will be packed, the lobby restaurant jamming, people scurrying up and down the escalators to the ball rooms, and people checking in and out. There isn't really another hotel in Houston where you see all that action going on from one place.

I'm a student at UH and I couldn't get a garage parking permit because they where all sold out for this year. Students are definitely using the garage BUT I wonder how popular some of the garages will be that are proposed out by Spur 5. I'm a Hilton student so the existing garage is extremely convenient, however I would not buy a permit in any other garage. I think it is impossible to gage the use of the proposed garages from the whole university student body. Each garage will most likely have varying popularity and that will probably lead to garages that are further from the core of campus being less expensive. This is all my own speculation, and this assumes that the garage permit you purchase is only valid in a specific garage. Regardless I am ecstatic about the 20 year master plan. I was at this homecoming address last year where our previous university president revealed the plan and it was just an amazing feeling. Everyone in the room was ecstatic and they showed all those awesome videos. I think the friend I was with cried. Also, before I go, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned whats going on at the Hilton College. There are some plans that are coming to fruition about remodeling much of the Hilton College at a little under 12 million dollars. There was also a large gift to redo the library and a new coffee shop is going to open next to Barron's next year. There are also a few other rumors going around. Much of the money is going to go into the guest rooms and ballrooms and plans are in the works for possibly more student involvement in the hotel. Go Coogs!

Here are some previous Turnberry projects, which hopefully give us an idea of what is to come! Turnberry Towers: Las Vegas (there are actually a pair of towers) Turnberry Place: Las Vegas Turnberry Ocean Colony: Miami? Turnberry Beach House: Miami Anyway, these where just grabed off google image search so you can probably find some nicer pictures if your interested. Check out their residential portion of their website http://www.turnberryltd.com/index.php?pageName=home. Its kind of exciting.