The resort was constructed in the 1980s and First Hospitality has owned the property since December 2000. The building was designed by Don Erickson, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, and is a series of "overlapping hexagons," Habeeb says. The rooms of the resorts are larger than most hotels, being more than 400 sf as opposed to the average 330 sf, and most of the rooms have vaulted ceilings, he says. Six of the rooms are penthouses that have about 1,200 sf each, Habeeb says. The resort's amenities include a spa and salon, indoor and outdoor pools, an exercise room, a game room and miniature golf.

First Hospitality Group owns and manages 35 hotels and the Indian Lakes Resort was the only hotel that was not branded. "We see the power of a good brand behind a good hotel," Habeeb says. First Hospitality chose the Hilton brand, in part, because Hilton and Marriott are two brands the company has the largest relationships with and the area seemed more favorable to a Hilton.

The renovated hotel is expected to open on Aug. 1. The hotel building will undergo a $6 million renovation. The guestrooms will receive new wall coverings, bedding and carpeting. The three restaurants and two bars, including the Cave Bar, will be refurbished and the 50,000 sf of meeting space will be renovated. The renovations are mainly "cosmetic upgrades" since a $22 million renovation of the hotel was performed when it was purchased in 2000. The resort, which is on 300 acres, was renovated "from one end to the other," he says.