NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
29 Oct 2007

 

COMFORT INN RIVERFRONT BEGINS MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION PROJECTE

 

Mayor Stephen R. Reed today said the Comfort Inn Riverfront, 525 S. Front Street, will begin a multi-million dollar renovation project this week that will substantially upgrade the hotel and add an additional restaurant to the complex. The project is slated for completion by mid-2008.

Mayor Reed said Harrisburg Hospitality Group, LLC, having purchased the hotel in July, has already replaced the roof on the structure. The renovation project will include three phases – interior renovation, exterior renovation, and landscaping. The total cost of the renovation project is expected to be $2.5 million.

“We are totally gutting the rooms by taking the walls all the way back to the cinder block,” said Mihir Wankawala, Managing Director of Harrisburg Hospitality Group. Interior renovations and improvements will include new tubs, sinks, furniture, granite vanities, tile floors, new carpet, and wall vinyl. Flat panel televisions will be installed in each of the guest rooms, and new linens and towels will also be purchased.

Mayor Reed said that the exterior of the building will also undergo major renovations, including the replacement of current landscaping and the addition of benches. The Comfort Inn Riverfront is moving towards a smoke-free environment in all of their 114 guest rooms, and designated smoking areas will be added to the exterior.

“The slated renovation project ensures that the Comfort Inn Riverfront will compete with Harrisburg’s most elite hotels,” said Mayor Reed. “We welcome the renovations to this splendid facility and look forward to the project’s completion.”

Mayor Reed said Passage to India, a favorite downtown restaurant connected to the hotel, will also receive major upgrades and renovations. Additionally, Harrisburg Hospitality Group plans to add a second restaurant to the complex which will serve American and Indo-Fusion cuisine. The new restaurant is slated to open in the Spring of 2008.

“We realize that necessary upgrades have not been completed at the property and all that is about to change,” said Wankawala. “Once the renovations are complete, Comfort Inn Riverfront’s product will be comparable to that of the Hilton or the Crowne Plaza.”

For more information on the renovation project or to book accommodations, call hotel General Manager Tara Ditt Betz at (717) 233-1611 or visit www.comfortinnriverfront.com.