Uniland Development Co. to begin 29-room expansion at Embassy Suites

Uniland Development Company plans for a 29-room expansion at the Embassy Suites Buffalo designed to accommodate more meetings and events. The additional 29 rooms will occupy the 8th floor of Avant at 200 Delaware Ave., bringing the total number of rooms offered to 182. Work is scheduled to begin this month with an expected completion slated for April 2011, in time for summer travelers along with a full calendar of meetings and special events. "The response has been tremendous," said Bryan Drew, general manager. "The demand for hotel rooms coupled with increased banquets and meetings helped us make the decision to expand. We're excited about enhancing our facilities to serve the City of Buffalo and its visitors." The Delaware-Elmwood Corridor, in which Avant is situated, has seen close to $300 million in investment within the past five years and the corridor has become a vibrant 24/7 pocket of the City of Buffalo. "We continue to be excited about the Embassy Suites Buffalo," stated Jim Holthouser, Global Head of Embassy Suites and Full Service Brands for Hilton Worldwide. "It has exceeded all of our expectations. We consider it a model for future urban Embassy Suites." Managed by Brookwood Hospitality, a full-service hospitality company, each Embassy Suites Buffalo room features a separate living room, desk and dining area, refrigerator, microwave, bath and bedroom. There are two flat screen televisions in every suite. "The Hilton/Embassy flag has been more powerful than we could have ever imagined," said Michael Montante, vice president with project developer Uniland Development Company. "Guests can't say enough about how impressed they are with the hotel. In fact, Embassy Suites Buffalo recently became the number one demand hotel for all of New York State on Expedia.com," Montante continued. "Although we are extremely proud of the accolades, guest satisfaction will always be our most important measuring stick." New stats from Smith Travel Research show that Buffalo Niagara hotel occupancies continue to rise. "The success at the Embassy Suites since they've opened is a testament to the quality experience that visitors are having at this property," said Dottie Gallagher-Cohen, president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau.