Best Western Turquoise Inn and Suites in Cortez held a grand reopening on Saturday to celebrate the end of a seven-month renovation.
General manager Tiffany Neely said the motel, at 535 E. Main St., has been fitted with new windows, flooring, bathroom appliances, air conditioning and outdoor stucco finish, among other things.
The remodel cost more than $500,000 total, and Neely said she believes it will give the motel a more “modern” atmosphere. On Saturday, several community members visited the building to see the changes during an open house that offered free food and prizes.
The motel building dates to the 1960s, so Neely said it was time for an upgrade.
“What people are looking for now is that more updated feel,” she said. “That’s what Best Western is going for. We rebranded, we got a brand-new sign, so along with the rebranding, we needed a face-lift for the hotel as well.”
She said representatives from the company headquarters in Utah would be coming to town on Sunday to inspect the changes, but the staff had already consulted during the project with the Best Western Hotels and Resorts director of design, Amy Hulbert.
“Today’s corporate and leisure guests are simply more sophisticated in their requirements,” Hulbert said in a May 1 news release. “They ... desire modern, aesthetically pleasing furnishings, a convenient work area and enhanced lighting. All of these features are incorporated into the hotel’s remodel.”
The remodel started in October 2016. Neely said she was able to keep the motel open throughout the project by blocking off just 10 rooms at a time for construction. The last part of the project, remodeling the motel pool, is still underway.
“I’ve been here for 15 years, and this is the biggest change I’ve seen, and it’s amazing,” she said.
She gave credit for the completed project to T.C. Electric, flooring installer Steve Gomez and the motel staff, among others.