The Capella Georgetown Secures Funding, Plan to Open by the End of 2012


After some delay, the construction of The Capella luxury hotel can begin, funded by a joint venture, Castleton Hotel Partners, according to a press release from Capella Hotels and Resorts in early September.

Construction of The Capella Georgetown has been on the agenda for quite some time; the original plan was to open by Jan. 2012, according to a press release from Capella Hotels and Resorts in March 2010. “The developer experienced some difficulties with the funding,” said John Drake, vice president of marketing at Capella Hotels and Resorts, “but now we have secured funding and we would love to open by the end of 2012.” Castleton Holdings and ICG Properties is partnering with Point Ford Management Limited, a South Asian based investment firm, to secure funding for construction as well as management of the luxury hotel, according to the latest press release.

Robert Warman, executive vice president of West Paces Hotels, told USA Today that the Capella Georgetown will compete with Georgetown’s other luxury hotels, the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. Drake, however, is not afraid that this will be difficult for the Capella Georgetown. “I don’t want to sound arrogant but our hotel is a notch above the other hotels in the area,” Drake said, explaining that the Capella Hotels and Resorts offer personal service and assistance to their guests and adapts to their guests’ needs.

The Capella Georgetown, situated at 1050 31st Street, will feature 49 rooms and suites with “unmatched levels of customer service and room finishes,” according to a press release which says that the hotel will offer the pre-arrival services of personal assistants, luxury car service, 24 hour room service and a guest only spa and fitness center. The Capella Georgetown also entices guests with immediate access to the upscale shops and restaurants of Wisconsin Avenue and M Streets.

There will also be a restaurant and bar with outdoor seating along the C&O Canal, a private rooftop lounge and a rooftop indoor and outdoor pool overlooking the Potomac River and several Washington landmarks. The rooftop, however, might be “wishful thinking” as the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the Old Georgetown Board previously have hesitated on similar matters, according to the Georgetown Patch.

Regardless, there is no question whether the Capella Georgetown will be a high-end place. “The hotel is purposely very small in number of rooms,” says Drake, “and we will cater to top corporate managers, CEOs, diplomats and heads of state among others.” And the caliber of the hotel certainly matches that of the event that serves as an unspoken deadline for the project, the next presidential inauguration, Jan. 2013.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *