Jan. 02–COLUMBUS — Many Columbus residents are focused on fresh starts this week, including the owners of a local hotel.
The New World Inn and Conference Center officially changed its name to the Ramada-Columbus and River’s Edge Convention Center on Monday, just one day before some New Year’s Eve party-goers became the first guests to try out the upgraded rooms there.
Ten of the hotel’s 137 guest rooms have been overhauled so far as part of an approximately $3 million renovation project that started in September and will eventually impact nearly every area inside and outside the 265 33rd Ave. business.
Scott Mueller, who is part of a local investment group that purchased the hotel in March, said improvements on 30 more guest rooms are expected to be complete by the end of next week and every room should have a new look by late spring.
“We went back to the studs and rebuilt from there,” he said of the renovations, which are being led by general contractor B-D Construction Inc.
Each room will receive new carpet, furniture, wall finishes, paint and bathroom fixtures. The layout of the rooms is also being changed to create a more “open feel,” Mueller said.
The upgraded guest rooms come in three options: a queen bed with a sleeper sofa, two queen beds or king bed.
Mueller said a portion of the old rooms is still being used as the renovations progress.
Once the room improvements are complete, the ownership group plans to begin the second phase of the hotel overhaul, which focuses on the exterior look, parking, outside courtyard and interior meeting spaces.
Additional changes to the bar and restaurant, now known as Whiskey Sands Bar and Grill, will also be part of the project’s second phase. The restaurant was recently upgraded to give it a new image and a revamped menu and drink list were introduced.
Mueller said the ownership group — NBC Capital LLC — hopes to have the entire project wrapped up by next winter.
A sign displaying the business’ new name is expected to be installed in front of the 100,000-square-foot hotel within the next two weeks and the once-popular Sunday brunch will be reintroduced later this month.
According to Manager Joyce Napier, many customers are already looking forward to the return of the Sunday brunch, which will be offered 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning Jan. 26.
