Sainte Claire hotel for sale.....

[freewayangel092]

Hey I don't want to scare anyone just trying to keep everyone informed and maybe just do abit of checking and planning for next year but it's true. The Sainte Claire Hotel is up for sale. I hope this won't change them with being a Fanime hotel but you never know. If you stay there and like staying there just know that his is going on.

[otakuya]

Hopefully a major chain hotel would pick up the St. Claire to keep it how it was. Chain hotels know how to handle special events and conventions better than indy hotels IMO.


In the same vain, the Crowne Plaza across the street from the CC will probably not be a Crowne Plaza hotel next year either due to lease contracts expiring with InterContinental Hotels (my company).

[Tsu]

NOOOOOO~~!

I hope they don't change anything about the Saint Claire, the fanime rates or the restaurant within. That hotel is absolutely wonderful, and their staff and food is too.  I wonder if it was having trouble turning a profit with the larger more well-known chain hotels next-door?

[Mango Bunny]

I doubt the new owners would turn down a full hotel for a long weekend.

[otakuya]

News: the San Jose Crowne Plaza is now the Convention Plaza Hotel

[Kertus]

Looks like some more interesting news "...the hotel will reopen as Hyatt Place San Jose Downtown in January 2012."

http://hotelexecutive.com/newswire/37721/crowne-plaza-san-jose-downtown-to-be-rebranded-as-hyatt-place

So it should be open before con even if there are holdups with renovation of a few months I'd think. Wonder how the reputation or price will change.

[felexis12]

So, what happened to the Sainte Claire Hotel?

[SpiritOfKairi]

So, what happened to the Sainte Claire Hotel?

Basically they're renaming it the Convention Plaza Hotel while the building undergoes renovations beginning in August.  The renovations are supposed to be done by January 2012, and then the hotel will once again be renamed as the Hyatt Place San Jose.  Of course, we won't know the effect this will have on Fanime housing until registration for the rooms comes up.  Hopefully even if the renovations are delayed it won't mess with the hotel being available for the convention, or with room rates.

[Tsu]

So, what happened to the Sainte Claire Hotel?

Basically they're renaming it the Convention Plaza Hotel while the building undergoes renovations beginning in August.  The renovations are supposed to be done by January 2012, and then the hotel will once again be renamed as the Hyatt Place San Jose.  Of course, we won't know the effect this will have on Fanime housing until registration for the rooms comes up.  Hopefully even if the renovations are delayed it won't mess with the hotel being available for the convention, or with room rates.

Wait wait wait. The news article says that's happening to the Crowne Plaza, not the Sainte Claire. They're two different hotels.

Hopefully a major chain hotel would pick up the St. Claire to keep it how it was. Chain hotels know how to handle special events and conventions better than indy hotels IMO.

The more I think about this, the more I think we needn't worry. Though they might change stuff like the restaurant attached (I sure hope not), there's all those signs on the outside of the hotel talking about how it's a state landmark. I'm pretty sure there's some regulations regarding how landmarks can be changed up. Like, they can repaint the rooms, or put new furniture/carpeting, but they can't bulldoze down an entire floor and re-form it.  (Though I hope the murals and old-fashioned mail boxes are left alone. I love the old-school charm.)

[otakuya]

OK, to clear up confusion:

Saint Claire (across the street from the CC, Marriott side) is still up for sale and no info on who's gonna buy them. Apparently still operated by Larkspur Hotels.

Crowne Plaza (across the street from the CC, Hilton Side) is currently called Convention Plaza Hotel and is not affiliated with any chain hotel. According to the press release, Convention Plaza Hotel will become Hyatt Place next year before F12.



Oh yeah, and if anyone noticed on the big screen outside the CC during Fanime, the old MLK Library building will be torn down and turned into a new extension for the convention center in 2013 or 2014.

[Tsu]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_19634061

The Sainte Claire has been purchased. A group led by the current owner of the Oakland A's scooped it up for 17-18 million. Based on the quote in the article, it sounds like they're pretty happy with the condition of the hotel- and hopefully won't change much because of that. Also, the same group already owns the Fairmont, so I have very little doubt that we'll be offered a discount similar to prior years to stay at the Sainte Claire. Yay!