Grand Traverse Resort & Spa Unveils Tower Renovation
August 3, 2015The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Northern Michigan announced the completion of a $7 million renovation of guest rooms in its 17-story, glass-encased tower. The remake of the rooms caps a $34 million investment in improving all aspects of the facility by its owners, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
The guest rooms were totally updated, based in part on feedback on the preferences of resort guests, said Timothy Norman, the resort’s general manager. Norman said management is delighted with the reaction returning and first-time guests have expressed about the improvements.
“The renovation has brought us up to date and will allow us to meet or exceed our guests’ expectations while at the same time giving Northern Michigan a product that competes nationally for both corporate and association business,” Norman said. “It also will give us a boost with the travelers or visitors we are trying to get to come to the region to experience the water, the wineries, the food, the golf and all the other attractions that show we are just a great place to vacation. We are excited about what these rooms will allow us to target and promote for the future.”
The attention to the tower rooms comes after a two-year stretch of renovations of the other original 240 hotel rooms in the six-story section of the complex where $2.7 million was spent on new carpet, bedding, furniture, and flat-screen televisions. In addition, fire-suppression sprinklers were installed throughout that part of the facility to bring it up to local code requirements.
Every area of the resort, from a $4 million reconfiguration and rebuild of the parking lot, to new cart paths and other improvements on the golf courses, has seen upgrades.
Additional technological advances include three miles of underground fiber-optic cable installed throughout the property, which improves high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access.
The resort offers 86,500 sf of meeting space, six dining options — including the upscale flagship Aerie Restaurant & Lounge on the tower’s 16th floor, a 100,000-sf indoor/outdoor health club, the 7,000-sf Spa Grand Traverse with 23 treatment rooms, five indoor tennis courts and a 15,000-sf indoor water playground.