Prior to becoming a Renaissance, Marriott’s full service brand in 2007, the property was named the Hyatt SouthPark, which was in need of a top-to-bottom renovation. The hotel’s new owners, Thomas Point Ventures, which is managed by the Marriott family, hired US-based design practice LS3P Associates, to oversee the transformation.
Janet Garland Caponi, interior designer and associate principal for LS3P, stated that there were opportunities within the existing architectural space such as the four-storey atrium space flooded with natural light, the fountains, and the intimate courtyard. The main objective of the transformation scheme was to revitalise the space by enhancing these existing elements which easily blend the inside and out. The aim was also to offer a unique local experience that stays true to the Renaissance brand.
Caponi also added that the design team derived the local aspect through research on Queen Charlotte, who was a notable patron of the arts. Her love of classical music and botany inspired the designers to use art to weave her passions throughout the interior space.
The hotel’s fitness centre was the first part of the building to be renovated and it became the prototype of the new green package design for all Renaissance hotels. The floors are made from recycled rubber, with recycled content in the wall covering. The ceiling tiles were reused and painted, while the ribbon-patterned artwork, which hangs from floor to ceiling are made from recycled water bottles and are GREENGUARD certified.
The guest rooms are renovated by incorporating a bold colour scheme and local photography as well as custom furnishings integrated to facilitate technological connectivity. The guest room corridors and elevator lobbies also received refurbishment.
The hotel’s professional meeting spaces were redesigned to feel and function like upscale boardrooms and the ballrooms providing an elegant backdrop for formal events.
The lobby, atrium, Flagstones restaurant and The Bar at Flagstones were the final pieces of the renovation. The chandelier in the lobby cascades like rain drops and lucid panels behind the front desk are imbedded with ferns that tie back into the nature theme favoured by Queen Charlotte. The bar is distinct for the dramatic lighting and opens up to the atrium with its modernized fountain. The new atrium trees provide a tall canopy and draw the eye up so the height of the space is realized.
The Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark features 264 guest rooms including two suites, the new Flagstones restaurant and The Bar at Flagstones; some 9,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and banquet space; an indoor pool, health club, and sauna.
