October 21, 2010— The newly-dubbed Holiday Inn Resort in the Adirondack mountains of Lake George, NY is a property in transition. Originally built in 1966, the property, owned by Turf Hotels, has been getting something new every winter since 2006.

It was originally a Holiday Inn, until Turf was approached by the chain's management team about making the switch to the Resort model. Initially, Turf was hesitant, said Mike Hoffman, president of the company, since most of the Resort properties are at seaside locations. But they ultimately decided to make the switch and began to add amenities to build up the resort look and feel. The firm brought on to handle the design portion of the renovation was Memphis, TN-based Adrian Carr & Caradine. The architect for the various projects was Danny Bounds, with Bounds and Gillespie Architects.

The first major addition was an entire third floor of suites. The original structure had 105 guest rooms, and now it has 24 additional suites that, according to Hoffman, are a big hit with families.

"A suite, no matter what you charge for it," he noted, "is generally less than two rooms. It just works perfectly for them." The suites also have great views of the lake on the property, which adds to their appeal, he said.

The second big undertaking Turf tackled the following winter was tearing down the original indoor pool structure. Only the pool itself was saved. The new building features improved bathrooms and locker rooms as well as a kids activity room. "Parents love that, and the kids love that," Hoffman said.

Other areas that have been improved include the lobby, exterior canopy,

public restrooms, dining room and the bar area. The restrooms, particularly, were a priority for Hoffman. "If the lobby is a 10, the restrooms have to be a

10," he said. "People judge you by the restrooms."

An outdoor patio with a fire pit was also added to the property, and the next big project Hoffman and Turf plan to tackle this winter is the hotel's meeting space. The plan is to add a large meeting area/ballroom with wrap-around pre-function space to help attract more meetings, events and weddings.

Overall, the renovations have stayed true to the property's roots in the Lake George area. Stonework on the outside of the hotel as well as a color scheme in brown tones all help it look like it belongs in the space.

"The minute you turn up the driveway, the grounds are beautiful," said Hoffman. "You're not even out of your car yet and you get a comfortable feeling that you're staying in a nice hotel."