Hotel plans debut in Lakewood Ranch

The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) obviously has noticed the Lakewood Ranch area is pretty hip when it comes to health and wellness.

It has selected the area to debut its Even Hotel brand in Florida, with a plan of transforming the current Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch into an Even Hotel.

Even Hotels is a concept developed by IHG in 2012 to provide travelers with a unique hotel experience, meeting all their health and wellness needs. Even Hotels provide personal fitness professionals, spa-like bathrooms, natural eucalyptus fiber bedding, fitness equipment in individual rooms and flavored water stations throughout. Many other amenities related to health and wellness are offered as well.

"We're ecstatic about it," said Robert Ferguson, the corporate director of sales at Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch. "It's perfect for Lakewood Ranch and a higher-end community. It will make us a step above everything else in the area, new and existing."

Ferguson said the conversion should cost about $6 million and will lead to a new look for the hotel. The plans have yet to be finalized. Ferguson expects the renovation to begin at the end of summer of 2017. 

Although the Holiday Inn will be getting an entirely new look, the current staff will remain the same. Those employees will be trained to staff the newer facility.

"We will simply add to our current staff," Ferguson said. "Our employees are excited to hear about it, and also concerned because it is a really big change. It's a health and fitness hotel, so we will need to hire some exercise professionals." 

The hotel chain has two flagship properties in New York City and one in Norwalk, Conn. The chain hopes to have 100 Even Hotels open in North American in the next five years.

"Nobody has ever heard of it," Ferguson said of Even Hotels. "There isn't one anywhere near here. We will be the first one in the Southeast, and the showcase hotel for them in the Southeast. It's a big deal for this brand."