On a drive by Wabash Landing you might note the bare bones of West Lafayette's new Hampton Inn & Suites, situated across from Hilton Garden Inn. It's something you'll notice throughout Greater Lafayette, where there are indications of a booming hotel industry, including signs announcing new properties and renovations at others.
Hilton brand hotels in particular abound.
In addition to the new Hampton Inn, a Home2 Suites is advertised in Lafayette. Most notably, the Best Western Hotel, home of the iconic Hour Time Restaurant, might soon be changing hands. Although a sale has not been finalized, an application to convert the property into a DoubleTree Hotel has been submitted.
Combined with the existing Hilton Garden, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn Lafayette, six Hilton brand hotels will exist in Greater Lafayette in the next year.
Chris Brock, director of Midwest development for Hilton Hotels, confirmed the DoubleTree application. Roy Meeks, owner of the Best Western and Hour Time declined to comment, but according to Brock, if approved, the DoubleTree will boast two new dinning options as well as upgraded meeting spaces.
"We've had a lot of success with Big Ten markets with a wider range of brands," said Brock.
That's why Brock's not worried about the impact the influx of hotels will have on existing Hilton properties, and neither is Christy Kuntz, general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn at Wabash Landing. The hotel's annual occupancy rate runs 89 percent, and it has a high rate of repeat customers.