Some chains are trying novel approaches to develop new properties or renovate old ones. One way is to convert an office building into a hotel. The interior of the building, built in three phases starting in 1909, was gutted after period light fixtures and moldings had been preserved. Another answer is to make more of an existing property. Starwood, which bought the Sheraton and Westin chains in 1997, is revamping 70 of its 170 properties, many of them in urban centers.
Renovations can be simple or elaborate.
Sofas and chairs can be fitted with slipcovers that can be changed as fashions dictate, allowing the look to stay fresh and new. Often, those hotels are stripped down to the bare walls and floor. New facades are built out front, along with all new interior decor. The revamped hotels are then given a new name. For instance, a plain Days Inn in Florida was given a new color scheme, leopard-print upholstery, lush foliage and African artifacts.