©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Jill Nagy
Construction of a Homewood Suites by Hilton facility has started on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs.
The hotel will be at the former site of the Weathervane, about one and a half miles south of downtown Saratoga Springs and across from Spa State Park.
Workers were pouring concrete for the building’s footings in June. A tentative opening in late spring 2017 is anticipated.
Gilbane Construction out of Albany is the general contractor for the project.
According to Brian Straughter, president of Turf Hotels, the company building the new hotel, the cost of the project is “always more than what you want it to be,” and will probably be more than $20 million.
He said the target audience is guests planning a stay of five days or more "but, of course, we will accept people for one or two days."
Rates will be "in the upper extended stay class," he said.
There will be 113 suites, comprising studios and one- and two-bedroom suites. Each suite will have a kitchenette with cooking space, a full-size refrigerator and a dishwasher. Each room will be furnished with a sleeper sofa in addition to the beds. The studio suites are about one and a half times the size of a normal hotel room, Straughter said.
Room charges will include breakfast seven days a week and dinner on weekday (Monday through Thursday) evenings. Plans include shuttle bus service into downtown Saratoga Springs, to the racetracks and to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Straughter also expects to have bicycles available for the use of guests.
Turf Hotels also owns the 123-room Hampton Inn and Suites in downtown Saratoga Springs, another Hilton Hotels project.