Hotel on schedule to open in the spring of 2011

Innisfree Hotels and general contractor Robins & Morton hosted a “Topping Off Celebration” for approximately 200 construction workers who are building the 206-room Holiday Inn Resort on Pensacola Beach, Fla.  Robins & Morton Superintendent Doug Bowerman recently announced the completion, or "topping off" of the 11th story of the hotel.
Robin Savage, Robins & Morton chief operating officer, said “Topping off ceremonies have their roots in legends and traditions, but the real purpose is to show appreciation for the people that have made the construction happen and to recognize the accomplishment of getting to the half way point with the completion of the structure.”
 
Julian MacQueen, founder and chief executive officer of Innisfree Hotels, and Jeff Townsend, president of Innisfree Development thanked everyone for their hard work and professionalism in keeping the project ahead of schedule and under-budget, and Harlan Butler, president of Innisfree Hotels, introduced the group to Charlie Allen, general manager and the hotel’s first employee. Butler also announced that the hotel has booked its first group convention to be held in April 2011.

The $60 million, 206 room hotel will feature 126 rooms facing directly towards the Gulf of Mexico. The main floor will include an expansive lobby, a restaurant and an outdoor dining patio. The second floor will include more than 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and a 3,000 sq. ft. balcony overlooking the pool deck and the Gulf of Mexico. The second floor will also offer a unique fitness center with a spectacular view of the ocean.  The pool area will include a lazy river, waterfall, splash pad, pool bar and hot tubs.