Great news and none to soon too the Rio, Great Wall and Xian properties were all currently bordering on the crappy designation. By the reports I have heard the Grand in Edinburgh is turning out quite nice but I sincerely hope they expand the small club lounge and improve the offerings and service.. it was pretty substandard when I last stayed there.
This is really good news. In some of those places there is a desperate need for more capacity as well as renovation.
Recently stayed at the Delfina/Santa Monica, and was intrigued by the "retro" style they've taken on in the rooms. I'm no interior designer (nor should be), but it seems they've made a genuine attempt to take 1960's/1970's patterns, fixtures, styles, and give them modern colours (instead of the old orange/brown/yellows that permeated that era). Recently stayed at the Sheraton Heathrow, and the new check in and lobby area is certainly a welcome refresh. Of course the bonus points that come with experiencing these are a fantastic "rennovation" to one's SPG account.
I'm glad to see the Sheraton renovating and remaking itself. My vision of it is that it used to be nice and then became old and worn out with budget cutting, poor service & closed lounges. Now it seems to be focusing on renovations and 7 days/week lounges. I'm waiting to see how the lounges are and if they're worth spending time in! I'd also like to see lounges become a staple of Westin hotels, hint hint SPG...
