El Paso's second-largest hotel, first Marriott, getting multimillion-dollar renovation

One of El Paso’s oldest and largest hotels, and the city's first Marriott, is getting a multimillion-dollar remake that's expected to boost its business.

Renovation and refurnishing of the Marriott El Paso's 296 rooms was completed in February; renovation of its ballroom, restaurant, and other public spaces is expected to begin in early summer.

This is the first major renovation in about 20 years for the almost 42-year-old hotel, said Celia Dubrule Moreno, the hotel’s general manager for 10 years. A smaller renovation, including installing new carpeting throughout the hotel, was done 13 years ago, she said.

"We were classic, and still are, but we need a facelift," Moreno said.

Rejuvenated rooms draw people back

The hotel is El Paso’s second largest, behind the 351-room Hotel Paso Del Norte, under the Marriott Autograph Collection brand, in Downtown El Paso, and just ahead of the 272-room Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel.

More: See the lists: These hotels lead El Paso in room sales

People like the hotel's location (1600 Airway Blvd., at Montana Avenue, near the El Paso International Airport entrance), but it lost business in recent years because of the aging rooms, Moreno said.

“Now, we see clients returning with the (room) renovations,” she said. However, business will dip again while the public spaces are remade, she said.

The public spaces are expected to be done in time for the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl college football game. The hotel hosts one of the bowl teams each year.

The Marriott's occupancy dropped to an annual rate of 54.9% in 2023, and around 60% in the first part of 2023 because of the room renovations, Moreno said.

That compares to El Paso County's 69.4% rate in 2023, and 63.7% in the first quarter 2024, reported CoStar Group, a global provider of real estate and hotel data.

Marriott brands now fill El Paso

It was the only Marriott-branded hotel in El Paso for the first 20 years of its life, Moreno said. It opened in September 1982.

Now, Marriott and its various sub-brands saturate this market. That helps bring more Marriott customers to El Paso, including to the Marriott El Paso, she said.

Ballroom, restaurant renovations coming

Renovation of the 13,500 square feet of meeting spaces, including the 8,000 square-foot ballroom, which holds up to 600 people, should help boost the meetings' business, she said.

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The hotel's drawn fewer meetings in the last few years as organizations increased use of online meetings in the post-pandemic world, and as hotel competition increased in this market, Moreno said.

The ballroom’s somewhat gaudy carpeting will be replaced, new technology installed, and other improvements made. The hotel's two restaurants will be combined into one giant, open room next to the lobby, which also will be upgraded, as will the ground-floor, indoor/outdoor swimming pool and exercise room.

Competition removes market crown

The hotel, once the perennial El Paso hotel market leader has slipped a few notches in recent years.

It had the third-highest room sales among El Paso hotels at $8.1 million in 2023, according to data from the Texas comptroller’s office, which collects state hotel occupancy taxes.

The recently restored Hotel Paso Del Norte has become the leader, with just over $17 million in room revenues in 2023.

However, in 2021 the Marriott's room sales jumped to $16.2 million, first in El Paso, after revenues tumbled in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. The increase was due to room demand from the influx of visiting nurses at area hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and from workers at area migrant camps, Moreno said.

Kentucky company bought hotel in 2000

Its sales rank in the middle of the 40 hotels owned by Columbia Sussex, a Kentucky hotel operator that's owned the Marriott since Jan. 5, 2000, a company spokesperson reported.

Room charges make up 80 percent of its revenues, with 20 percent from its restaurants and other sources, Moreno said.

The hotel's regular rates for rooms range from $215 to $279 per night.

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Most of its customers are government personnel and corporate clients doing business in El Paso and across the border in Juárez.

"The renovation will bring us into the modern age," and will help increase business, Moreno said.

Vic Kolenc may be reached at 915-546-6421; vkolenc@elpasotimes.com; @vickolenc on Twitter, now known as X.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso's second largest hotel getting multimillion-dollar renovation