Additional Features Coffeemakers Movies available CD players Data ports High-speed Internet Dual phone lines Voice mail Honor bars Irons Hair dryers No smoking (some rooms) Refrigerators (some rooms) VCRs (fee) fax

(Sept. 2007) When out-of-town Bank of America executives come to Charlotte, NC for business, they know the Omni Hotel is the place to stay. Surrounded by the financial district, the 374-room hotel is the only Omni in the state and is a AAA-rated Four Diamond.

The hotel caters to both business travelers, who comprise most of the clients during the week, and those seeking leisure who come to town for a weekend.

It’s proximity to Queen City attractions make it an ideal spot for wedding hosts to recommend to guests looking for things to do after wedding festivities.
 
Plus, it is just a block from Charlotte Bobcats Arena and about six blocks from the Carolina Panthers’ home stadium, Bank of America Stadium. Concertgoers or conventioneers find the Omni an ideal spot, just 2.5 blocks from the Charlotte Convention Center.
But obviously, location isn’t the only attraction for this upscale lodging. The guestrooms here are luxurious, having just undergone a $4 million renovation in 2006 and 2007.

Revamping Public Areas
Currently, the hotel is investing between $2 million and $4 million into revamping its public areas, such as the lobby, the pool area and its many meeting rooms.

Once complete, the entire building will have a zen/nature-like atmosphere with hues of browns ranging from dark chocolate to mocha in the hallways, rooms and even the restaurant, Illume Mediterranean Bistro.
A look like that is virtually timeless, according to General Manager Ed Burke, who has been with Omni for three years.

He also adds that while many hotels sacrifice renovations for a bigger profit, Omni aims for renovations about every six years so rooms look fresh.

Driving into uptown Charlotte, just 15 minutes from Charlotte-Douglas International airport, guests can park in the adjacent parking garage. Several shops and businesses use the garage as well, but guests have the garage’s bottom floors. Or you can simply valet it; they are available 24 hours a day.

Either way, someone is there to greet you at the motor lobby, as the garage entrance is called, and can direct you to the elevators. One flight up is the main lobby and your first glimpse of all the shops and stores guests can access without ever stepping outside the Bank of America Corporate Center. Feel free to stop at Starbucks, shop at the Belk Express or pick up a gift at Vino 100 without facing the rain or cold weather.

Overstreet Mall Nearby    
From the building, one can access the Overstreet Mall, which has more than 30 stores, boutiques and restaurants. The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center is also easily accessed from escalators.

Fresh flowers, delivered weekly from The Blossom Shop, adorn the marble-floored lobby. Also, a baby grand piano and red lounging couches and chairs are just outside the Illume Lounge, connected to the restaurant and just opposite the lobby.

Once you’ve got your key in hand, you’ll be able to go to your room. With so many non-guest visitors coming and going in the building, Omni requires a key swipe to activate the elevators to travel to the 15 guest floors – minus a 13th floor.

Guests have several room designs to choose from, the 280 Deluxe Kings are the most common, while the 24 Junior Suites are the most popularly requested. Other choices are the Superior Double Rooms, Executive King Rooms and Signature Rooms.

Great Views
In this triangular building, just about all the rooms have great views. Looking out during the day you’ll see plenty of construction boons, a sign that Charlotte’s uptown is growing by leaps and bounds. At night, watching the city sparkle is a great way to unwind.

Deluxe rooms include the Deluxe King with 312 square feet and the Deluxe Double with 412 square feet of space. Superior Double Rooms are 515 square feet and have a wall of glass. Also at 640 square feet are the popular Junior Suites, tucked in the corners of the triangle on each floor, offering two walls of glass.

Perhaps for special occasions, guests might book a Randolph Scott Suite or a Mecklenburg Suite. The Randolph Scott Suites offer more than 1,200 square feet and overlook the corner of Trade and Tryon streets, the heart of uptown. The Mecklenburg Suite has 1,000 square feet, a formal dining table and a marble buffet.

Signature Rooms
For about $40 more than a standard room rate, guests can stay on the 14th or 15th floors, in what are known as Signature Rooms. Here, guests receive bath sheets – not bath towels – concierge service, a book and CD library and their own special breakfast. Hors d’ oeuvres also are offered Sunday evening thru Friday morning.

However, all guest rooms get 350 count cotton sheets and duvets (triple sheet bedding as well), 24-hour room service, waffle-weave robes, satin hangers and a full-sized ironing board. Plus, turndown service includes a convenient weather card for the next day’s weather and two chocolates.
“There are some things we didn’t want to have a different standard on,” explained Burke. “Our bedding was one of those things. We want everyone to have a bed that is relaxing and luxurious.”

Additionally, everyone who signs up for the free Select Guests Program receives free, high-speed wireless Internet access and can choose a wakeup service of their liking.

Getting off the elevator onto a guest floor, visitors will see natural influences on the renovations. The green and cream-colored chair railing is below walls with gold hues. Even the door numbers have an element of nature: a pewter square with a frosted glass square on top of that with a palm frond in the background of the number.

“People in hotel rooms want relaxation,” Burke said, “not to be over stimulated.”

Inside the room, the beige and chocolate colored carpet is in a vine pattern beneath a crisp, white bed. Magazines such as Charlotte Place, Men’s Journal and Cigar Aficionado available on the coffee table give an impression of the type of guests the Omni receives on a regular basis.
The armoire includes a television, mini bar and drawers for storing clothing.

In the grooming area, a coffee maker comes with sweeteners and liquid non-dairy creamer, plus Wolfgang Puck’s coffee. Both porcelain mugs and to-go cups are available. A $6 liter of Evian water is on hand, or a free 8-ounce Deer Park bottle welcome amenity at turn down.

Institute Swiss toiletries in the bathroom include chamomile shampoo, aloe and honey conditioner, ginseng body lotion, mouthwash, a shower cap and three soap bars. Both a hairdryer and a magnifying mirror also are offered.

Get Fit Guest Room
For those who want to stay in shape despite all the travel, the Omni has a number of options to help you do that. Guests can stay in a Get Fit Guest Room with a portable treadmill and healthy snacks in the refreshment center. And for $15 a day, guests can work out at Core Fitness in the building. Core has top-of-the-line cardio equipment, racquetball and basketball courts and massage therapists on hand. For a scaled-down workout area, try the second floor. Two treadmills and two stairmasters are offered free to hotel guests in the workout room.

Also on the second floor is the hotel’s circular, rooftop pool, 3 feet deep on one end and 8 feet deep on another. While the pool is available year-round, a poolside bar is open during peak summer days.
 
Cubicles of busy workers can be seen while sunning at the pool, making you appreciate vacation even more.

Meeting Space
With more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space, the Omni is an ideal spot for both leisure and business. And it is also a great place for weddings, with a coordinator on staff. The hotel has had plenty of experience: coordinating portions or all of about 40-50 weddings a year and more than 150 parties. Two meeting rooms open directly to the pool, making them a good choice for evening gatherings. White lights around the pool add a romantic sparkle for evening receptions.

According to Burke, one of the best assets of the hotel’s wedding planning team is Chef Kevin Woods.

“People who try our food usually book their wedding here,” Burke said.

Whether you are looking for a convenient place to stay for meetings uptown, or a hotel to rest after a night on the town with friends, the Omni has the best of both worlds.

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