Press Release

19 Jun 2017

Shamin gets national award for hotel conversion project Hilton honors Chester firm for turning office tower in Richmond into two hotels

 

Shamin Hotels, the region’s largest hotel operator, received a national award from Hilton Hotels for converting a former 19-story office tower into two hotels. Shamin received one of Hilton’s 2016 Development Awards in the new build/adaptive reuse of the year category for dual brand. Only one project is selected annually. The award was for the conversion of the office tower into a 100room Homewood Suites by Hilton Richmond — Downtown and a 144room Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Richmond — Downtown that opened early last year at 700 E. Main St. in downtown Richmond. Converting the then-52-year-old former office building into the two hotels under the Hilton brand was by far Shamin Hotels’ most ambitious project — and its most expensive. The $40 million-plus project included the acquisition, construction and renovation costs before receiving any historic tax credits.

“It certainly is the one I have spent the most time on and the most enjoyable,” Neil Amin, the company’s president and CEO, said last year when the property opened. “This will be a key location for the city. We wanted to make it as nice and distinctive as possible.”

One feature is a rooftop bar — Kabana bar and restaurant, located on the top floor — that offers commanding views of downtown Richmond. Chester-based Shamin Hotels operates 50 locations in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Florida, with 35 in the Richmond region. Its local properties include the 254-room Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa Short Pump in Henrico County, which received another award from Hilton. That hotel received a Make it Right award for getting the highest score in the SALT — Satisfaction and Loyalty Tracking — system that Hilton uses for guest satisfaction. The award covers all hotels in North and South America that have up to 499 rooms.

 

 

 

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