2 new hotel brands coming to site of old SLO County inn. Here’s a look
The major renovation of an Atascadero hotel is currently underway — and another one could soon be popping up next door.
Two hotel projects in the same block of El Camino Real were in various states of development as of early March, according to city spokesperson Terrie Banish.
At 3600 El Camino Real, the two-story, 76-room former Best Western Plus Colony Inn is undergoing a renovation that will transform it into a Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, according to Banish.
The hotel, which was built in 1986, appears to have begun its transformation sometime late last year, though details on what exactly will be changing were scarce.
A Tribune request for comment from management company Sky Hotels was not immediately returned.
The renovated hotel will join nearly 1,000 other Fairfield properties around the world, from New York to Seoul, according to the Fairfield website. The nearest is currently in Santa Maria.
That’s not all that’s happening at the property, however.
According to Banish, Colony Inn’s meeting hall and tennis courts will be demolished to make way for another hotel on the same property: an extended stay Residence Inn, also by Marriott.
That four-story hotel will feature 113 rooms with cooking facilities for visitors who need longer-term accommodations, according to planning documents.
The proposed hotel will share a parking lot and other hotel amenities with the Fairfield Inn & Suites, Banish said.
Banish said permits for the Residence Inn construction had not been submitted as of early March, and the city estimates it will take a few months “to work through the paperwork and approvals” once that happens.
She did not have an anticipated date for construction to start or for the new hotel to open.
“Atascadero is becoming it’s own destination for tourism, which includes leisure travelers, a variety of sports teams/leagues and business travelers,” Banish added. “Both Marriott properties offer an all-suite hotel experience for a longer stay, and complement the existing hotels in the area.”
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