The $4-million renovation of the 13-story, 177-room hotel began in summer 2001. It includes refurbished rooms, new decor, carpet, drapes and fixtures. New amenities include in-room, high-speed Internet access, Jacuzzi bathtubs and cordless telephones. Meeting spaces and public areas also have been redone. Mitchell Carlson Stone Inc., a Houston-based architectural and interior design firm, handled the design work. The hotel would offer another high-end alternative to the Riverwalk hotels usually frequented by downtown visitors.

The restaurant is being redesigned in a New York City-style, but the specifics won't be revealed until the hotel opens. While the hotel will open in June, the grand opening won't be until July.

Built in 1926 as an office building for lawyers and doctors, the Emily Morgan was remodeled into a hotel in 1985. The hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places