Hotel Renovations Now Start With Strategy, Not Design, Operators Say

The 70-year-old Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus, which opened in 1955, has reopened after a phased renovation that its operators say proves a rule now shaping hotel capital spending: successful renovations begin long before construction starts.

Seamus Ross, founder and CEO of Castlerock Asset Management, the company behind the recently renovated Westin Nashville, put it plainly: "Thorough planning, clear expectations and strong communication create the foundation for every good decision that follows."

Higher borrowing costs, inflation, labor shortages and volatile construction pricing are pressuring hotel investment decisions. In response, industry leaders say renovation success now depends on disciplined execution and a clear understanding of what a property is trying to become — not simply what it will look like.

What does a renovation actually prioritize?

At the Istanbul landmark — Conrad Hilton's first hotel outside the Americas, famous for its foot-shaped pool and guests such as Grace Kelly, Louis Armstrong and Sophia Loren, and where Muhammad Ali announced his retirement in 1976 — preservation mattered as much as modernization.

"When you have a hotel that's 70 years old, you ask yourself whether it's still relevant today," said Leonard Gooz, global brand leader, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "What this renovation accomplished was bringing back the prestige, stature and charisma that made this hotel so special."

For Hilton, the project doubled as a brand statement. "In many ways, this project exemplifies our new positioning for Hilton as the world's iconic host," Gooz said. "It's about bringing together product, food and beverage and our superpower of genuine Hilton hospitality."

The Westin Nashville aimed its capital at guestrooms, meeting space and public areas that support its convention and group business, including technology upgrades in event spaces. The team refreshed the lobby, reimagined the former Westin Club and repositioned signature suites toward a stronger luxury offering.

A third case, AC Hotel Asheville Downtown and its rooftop restaurant Capella on 9, shows the brand-driven trigger. Managed by McKibbon Hospitality, the property completed its renovation in March after work began in late 2025, driven by Marriott's seven-year brand requirement. The scope covered all public spaces, meeting rooms, guest floors and Capella on 9, with new furnishings, flooring and finishes. Designers chose warmer colors and smaller furniture at the rooftop venue to encourage lingering over cocktails and tapas against Blue Ridge Mountain views, and kept local artwork throughout.

How do operators keep hotels running mid-project?

Both flagship projects phased the work. Istanbul temporarily relocated services rather than eliminating them. Nashville pulled floors adjacent to active construction from inventory to reduce noise, notified guests before arrival and returned finished rooms to inventory immediately. Signature restaurants and amenities stayed open.

"Our goal is always to minimize the impact on guests," Gooz said. "We've learned that communication, setting expectations and taking great care of guests make all the difference."

Rising construction costs reshaped budgets at both properties, but neither executive framed cuts as the answer. "The challenge was less about making difficult cuts and more about remaining disciplined and adaptable," Ross said. His team leaned on procurement strategies, alternative sourcing and flexibility as market conditions shifted.

Gooz argued each renovation demands decisions about where investment generates the greatest guest impact and strongest long-term return. "When you execute a renovation well and support it with Hilton's commercial engine and marketing, you position the hotel to become the place to be again while generating strong commercial returns," he said.

Positioning comes first

The strongest point of agreement: renovations start with strategy, not design. "I would advise anyone doing a renovation to start with your positioning," Gooz said. "You have to know exactly what you stand for as a brand, what you stand for as a hotel and what you're trying to accomplish."

Ross framed the same principle through people. "Technology and processes can enhance execution," he said, "but great outcomes still start and end with great people."

As renovation budgets tighten across the sector, the operators' shared bet is that planning discipline and brand clarity — not the physical transformation alone — will determine which projects convert capital spending into durable competitive advantage.