TORONTO — What’s the largest Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property in the U.S. – and the second biggest in the world?
As of this spring it’s the Fairmont Austin, newly opened with no fewer than 1,048 rooms and 140,000 square feet of event space, making it the biggest in the U.S. – and second largest for the hotel company globally – based on both number of rooms and total meeting and event space.
The towering 37-storey icon opened its doors last month with amenities including the largest outdoor pool and full service spa in the Texas capital, as well as five restaurants and bars, fitness centre, all that event space plus direct access to the Austin Convention Center via the Red River Canopy Walk.
A strategic opening for AccorHotels, Fairmont Austin is the first in a series of high-profile luxury developments marking a time of significant growth for the Group and its brands in North and Central America, says Kevin Frid, Chief Operating Officer, North & Central America, AccorHotels.
Other notable openings anticipated in the next 18 to 24 months include the iconic Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, Sofitel Mexico Reforma in Mexico City, Fairmont Costa Canuva in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit and Fairmont Saint Lucia at Sunset Bay in the Caribbean, as well as “several soon-to-be-announced projects with the potential to introduce new brands into the region.”
Fairmont Austin has a central location in the city’s booming Central Business District. Debuting as the second tallest building in the city, the hotel adds a new dimension to the downtown skyline, with a ‘lighted crown’ programmed with an array of colour options and a 170-foot tall architectural spire that lights up every night, making the building visible from throughout Central Texas.
Fairmont Gold, the brand’s exclusive lifestyle hotel experience, features 131 rooms and suites located on the 32nd through 35th floors, and offers private check-in and checkout; complimentary deluxe breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres in the Gold lounge; and dedicated concierge team.
The opening of Fairmont Austin changes the economic structure of the Texas capital, added Frid. With events such as South by Southwest and Austin City Limits growing in attendance year-over-year, new events popping up monthly, and groups targeting the burgeoning city for conferences and private events, Austin has a high demand for additional hotel rooms and event spaces.
With more than 75 hotels worldwide, Fairmont continues to expand globally with recent openings including Fairmont Quasar Istanbul, Fairmont Amman in Jordan and Fairmont Fujairah in the Middle East. New luxury hotels currently in development include Fairmont Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Fairmont Abu Dhabi Marina Resort, Fairmont Citystars Sharm El Sheikh, Fairmont Wuhan in China and Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi.
