Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 21, 1995 TAG: 9502210067
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Would-be guests at Hotel Roanoke placed a stream of calls to its newly opened reservation desk Monday to reserve their spot in history.
The hotel sold 200 rooms, most of them for reopening night, April 3, which was expected to sell out by Saturday.
It was the first day individual reservations were accepted, and calls averaged one every three minutes between 8:30 and 4 p.m. Groups of 10 or more have been permitted to book rooms for some time.
Hoping to help Roanoke Valley residents get rooms, the hotel opened its reservation desk two days before rooms can be booked through a toll-free, nationwide reservation line run by Doubletree Hotels Corp., operator of Hotel Roanoke.
The local number is 985-5900. The toll-free line, which will begin taking Hotel Roanoke reservations Wednesday, is (800) 222-8733.
Area residents seized the opportunity, reserving a good share of the hotel the first night it will resume business since closing five years ago for renovations.
In addition to picking the size bed they wanted, callers told reservation agents of their fond memories of the historic lodge.
"It just seemed like everybody you talked to has some story. They had their first date here; they had their wedding night here," said Jo McGinnis, reservation manager.
McGinnis said she assured one inquiring caller, an older gentleman, that, yes, he could again order the hotel's famous peanut soup.
Callers making reservations fell into two categories: those who needed lodging around the time of a graduation, high school reunion or other event - including someone from Puerto Rico coming to Virginia for Tech's commencement - and others who just wanted to stay at the hotel for the fun of it.
"Some people have a perfectly good bed at home but just want to be part of the excitement and enthusiasm of reopening the hotel," said General Manager Gary Walton. "We're tremendously thrilled with the response."
The 332-room hotel charges a weekday rate of $109 to $129 to corporate travelers and $119 to $139 to others. Rooms are $79 to $99 weekends. The penthouse, at $450 any night, had not been booked as of Monday afternoon. It won't be ready until April, anyway.
Hotel Roanoke is offering a reopening special for $119.95 that includes a weeknight stay, breakfast for two in the Regency Dining Room and a commemorative gift. Rooms purchased through the special come with a king- or queen-size bed or two double beds, and can accommodate a family.
by CNB