Tacoma Sheraton To Become The Hotel Murano (31. December 2006, 11:54 by Derek Young) ~ Good News
Just the other day, I was walking by the Sheraton and thought, this place could be so much more. I looked in the windows. I hadn’t been inside in years. It wouldn’t take much, I thought, to bring back some character to this big hotel. Then today, coincidentally, we read in The News Tribune that the Sheraton in downtown Tacoma is being transformed into the Hotel Murano.
Portland’s Aspen Hotel Group will turn the mainstream Sheraton into a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel that mirrors life and décor in the birthplace of artistic glass-blowing innovation – Murano, an archipelago in the lagoon outside Venice.
I suspect it’ll be quite nice… although I fear a certain cheese factor. It’ll be interesting to see the final product.
Link to The News Tribune
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I believe we were talking a year ago about the need for a more recognizable hotel to attract both the business crowd (conferences and such) and the more savvy traveller. If all the high end condos attract the folks they hope, there will be a need for an equivilant hotel to house their out of town guests. Cheesiness aside, [interesting, don’t think I ever had to spell “cheesiness before] the Murano will help instill another piece to the visible identity we’d all like to see.
Wikipedia has a nice little piece on Murano. Of course so does the Nissan web site.
1 | Posted by davest | Dec 31, 12:18 PM
Well, anything would be an improvement than what it is now. There was also a great article in the Tribune showing just how difficult it is to do anything on time in Tacoma when it comes to development. It seems nothing is going on schedule, and that the city does nothing but stand in the way of developers…..
2 | Posted by rich | Dec 31, 12:36 PM
Nothing whispers hip like a boutique hotel. I love it.
3 | Posted by DtownDweller | Dec 31, 01:01 PM
Aren’t boutique hotels typically known for being somewhat smaller, often revamped buildings from a time when many hotels were more modest in scale? I think this is the incorrect word here. That said, the place certainly could stand to be improved from its current blahness. If the people like cheese, give them cheese.
To that end, there’s a great piece in the year-end Economist on small towns staving off collapse by doing odd things—dubbing themselves “Killer Bee Capital of the World,” supporting arts, anything to bring in tourists. This link should work, though the article might be behind a subscriber firewall
link
4 | Posted by UPSPatrick | Dec 31, 02:52 PM
“It seems nothing is going on schedule, and that the city does nothing but stand in the way of developers…..”
i wouldn’t say that. if you’re speaking of city government, tacoma is ran like a business with speed and customer service emphasized for all projects. the bigger factor i would argue are citizens or businesses that challenge development (blocking views or the ports buying spree are worthy examples). state agencies also make it difficult to develop. Ask any developer about Tacoma, and we are far better than other large jurisdictions such as Pierce County or Seattle as far as speed is concerned.
5 | Posted by snoopy | Dec 31, 06:28 PM
What’s wrong with the name Hotel Tacoma?
I understand the reference – and “Murano” might capture people’s attention more than “Tacoma” – but the glass I see being produced around here is more about exploration and innovation, whereas Murano is about craft and tradition. Seems like a renovated hotel that’s about local glass would be more authentic if the name wasn’t derivative of someplace else.
No matter what, I welcome an extreme makeover on that building!
6 | Posted by morgan | Dec 31, 10:58 PM
Portland’s Aspen Hotel Group will turn the mainstream Sheraton into a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel that mirrors life and décor in the birthplace of artistic glass-blowing innovation
Very exciting. Locals and tourists alike seem to love the glass work perhaps more than any single attraction. Historical buildings, blown glass, views of water, art and technology. Not bad themes.
It wouldn’t take much, I thought, to bring back some character to this big hotel.
The Sheraton has a nice large lobby with a large open space that could certainly use some spectacular glass like the Bellagio.
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