10Best: Hotel comeback success stories

Hotels have a life cycle. They open with great promise and excitement, but over the years many lose their luster, says Anthony Melchiorri, host of Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible. Sometimes, though, thanks to vision and investment, lodgings can retain their appeal, or even regain it. And travelers couldn’t be happier. “They’re tired of cookie-cutter hotels. You’re starting to see people who really want a taste of history.” He shares some favorite comeback success stories with Larry Bleiberg for Paste BN.

Algonquin Hotel
New York
One of the world’s most famous hotels found fame in the 1920s as the hangout for literary celebrities like Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, and actor Harpo Marx, who regularly gathered for lunch at what became known as the Algonquin Round Table. The hotel closed in 2005 for a 29-day, $15 million renovation. “It was the epicenter of New York culture, the conversation piece of America.” Melchiorri says. “It’s not only come back, it’s now one of the leading hotels in New York.” 212-840-6800; algonquinhotel.com

Hyatt Regency
New Orleans
This 32-story hotel was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. But after six years and $275 million, it has come back big time and wins top ratings from customers. “It wasn’t just an investment in the hotel, it was an investment in the city,” Melchiorri says. 504-561-1234; neworleans.hyatt.com

MGM Grand
Las Vegas
When this huge property opened in 1993 as the largest hotel in the world, it help define a new era for Vegas. But time moves quickly in Sin City, and after just a few years it had been eclipsed by newer properties, prompting the owners to invest $160 million, updating rooms and adding a five-story nightclub. “It was a strategic move,” Melchiorri says. “MGM saw what was coming, and it became an epicenter for entertainment. If you want to feel energy, you go there.” 702-891-1111; mgmgrand.com

Westin Book Cadillac
Detroit
The tallest hotel in the world when it opened in 1924, this Motor City lodge fell on hard times and sat abandoned for two decades. But after a $200 million renovation in 2008, it reopened with 453 modern rooms. “It went through tough times, and it’s now one of the best hotels in Detroit,” Melchiorri says. 313-442-1600; bookcadillacwestin.com

Chateau Frontenac
Quebec
In 1893, the Canadian Pacific Railway built a castle-inspired lodge that still dominates the Quebec skyline. A $75 million renovation added a spa, restaurants and upgraded rooms. “It’s such an important part of the city,” Melchiorri says. “When you walk in and see the chandeliers and brickwork, you feel a sense of what Quebec was.” 800-257-7544; fairmont.com/frontenac-quebec

Hotel Jerome
Aspen, Colo.
This mountain town retreat opened in 1889, bringing European-style luxury to the Rockies. “It was the standard for the American West,” Melchiorri says. In 2012, it closed for several months for a major re-do, adding a retro-modern flair to the historic building. 855-331-7213; hoteljerome.aubergeresorts.com

Fontainebleau Hotel
Miami Beach
When this hotel opened in 1954, it immediately dominated city life, hosting visitors like Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles. “It was really a focal point and helped create Miami Beach and made it hot,” Melchiorri says. A half-century later, it had fallen on hard times, closing all but one wing. But after a massive $1 billion renovation, it’s again known for lively nightclubs and pool parties. “It has come back in a big way,” Melchiorri says. 305-538-2000; fontainebleau.com

Liberty Hotel
Boston
For more than a century, this landmark downtown building, constructed as a jail, had a captive audience. Conditions were hardly ideal, though — prisoners sued because of poor conditions and it was finally closed in 1990. But in 2007, the site reopened as a luxury 298-room hotel. “When you walk in it feels like an old prison, but it’s beautiful. It’s first class,” Melchiorri says. 617-224-4000; libertyhotel.com

Gadsden Hotel
Douglas, Ariz.
A century ago, this 160-room hotel on the Mexican border was the toast of the town, boasting marble stairways and towering Tiffany stained glass windows. The last few decades haven’t been as kind. However recent updates have turned the historic site around, Melchiorri says. “The hotel is doing well. It’s really a destination for the history of the town.”  520-364-4481; thegadsdenhotel.com

Savoy Hotel
London
Britain’s first luxury hotel opened in 1889 and has hosted royalty and celebrities. It closed in 2007 for a renovation that lasted three years and cost $338 million. “It really set the standard for the hotel industry. It was a touchstone for luxury. When you walk through there today, they’ve made it back to what it should be,” Melchiorri says. 888-265-0533; fairmont.com/savoy-london