Pictured: Rendering of Populus Hotel, Denver. Imagery courtesy of Studio Gang.

Hotel operator Aparium Hotel Group is expanding its portfolio in its native USA, developing a trio of new sites stretching across the country.

The properties comprise Hotel Heron in Alexandria, Virginia; Hotel Westland in Seattle, Washington; and Populus Hotel in Denver, Colorado.

Steady growth path

Mario Tricoci, founder and CEO of Aparium Hotel Group detailed: “We are excited to continue on a steady path of growth with new openings that supports our goal of connecting travellers to unique experiences and culture in important cities and neighbourhoods throughout the country.

“Our curated pipeline of projects underscores our commitment to delivering one-of-one hotels and food and beverage concepts that harness a city’s spirit.”

Historic transformation

A first-time partnership between Aparium, May Reigler Properties, and Potomac Investment Properties, Hotel Heron represents the transformation of the 1926 George Mason hotel building in Old Town of Alexandria, Virginia. Spearheaded by Washington DC-based architect, Antonovich Associates, and design firm, Street Sense, the hotel will include 134 rooms, 30,000 sq ft of amenities, meeting space, ground floor flagship restaurant, and a rooftop bar. Project construction is underway, and the top-of-market hotel is slated for completion by late 2023.

Kevin Riegler, CEO of May Riegler, said: “After a thorough search for the right hotel operator, it was clear Aparium would be the ideal fit for a top-of-market hotel and food and beverage operations in the storied Old Town neighbourhood of Alexandria. They understand our strategic and lifestyle goals for the hotel, making them the best partner to help us bring this exciting new addition to the community.”

Adaptive reuse

Located in Pioneer Square, Hotel Westland will be Aparium’s first hotel in Seattle. A partnership with Urban Villages, the adaptive reuse of the historic Westland Building is expected to open in early 2024.

The site will feature 120 guestrooms and suites, signature indoor and outdoor restaurant as well as a rooftop bar. Curioso, a hospitality interior design firm located in Chicago, is set to oversee the design.

Carbon positive US first

Slated to open in Civic Center Park, Populus will be a 13-storey hotel designed to serve as an architectural landmark in Denver. Architecture firm Studio Gang has been tasked to design the building’s distinctive façade, which is inspired by the patterns found in Colorado’s native Aspen tree, the Populus Tremuloides.

Developed by Urban Villages, the 265-room property is set to be the first carbon-positive hotel in the US. The eco-conscious design plan includes a commitment to plant trees equivalent to over 5,000 acres of forest, offsetting a carbon footprint that equals nearly 500,000 gallons of gas and removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The first floor will feature a café and restaurant; the second floor will consist of meeting spaces for co-working areas and social events; and the hotel will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant with views of the mountains and city skyline. Construction started in April and is slated to complete early 2024.

Shaping neighbourhoods

Urban Villages CEO, Grant McCargo, said: “As Urban Villages continues to develop iconic, placemaking projects in storied neighbourhoods, we are thrilled to have Aparium as our hotel partner in Seattle and Denver. We look forward to creating a lasting impact with Aparium and these hotels will help shape their neighbourhoods for decades to come.”

Further expansion of the Aparium Hotel Group is underway with future openings planned for Louisville, Atlanta, and Nashville, growing its portfolio to 16 hotels in 15 states in the next 24-36 months.

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