EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine February 2020 | Page 14

SPONSORED CONTENT Blue Water Hospitality Joins Daytona Beach Revitalization with Area’s Newest Beachfront Hotel T he latest addition to a rapidly-evolving Daytona Beach landscape, a newly renovated Comfort Inn and Suites, is coming to the city’s core tourism area this spring. The 112-room, oceanfront hotel will breathe new life into a Daytona Beach classic – the Mayan Inn, which opened in 1973 and quickly became a favorite of travelers – and give guests a fun, chic place to stay while exploring America’s favorite beach town. Blue Water Hospitality, an Ocean City, Maryland-based management company of waterside campgrounds, hotels and amusements on the East Coast, purchased the property in 2019 and immediately began a mission to revamp this Daytona Beach landmark through extensive interior and exterior renovations. “We’re so honored to open a new page in the history of an iconic Daytona Beach hotel,” said Rafael Correa, CFO of Blue Water Hospitality. “This next chapter will give the property a new, modern look that reflects the area’s vibrant coastal atmosphere, while continuing to provide the great experience that guests have come to know and love through the Comfort Inn and Suites brand.” The entire hotel is getting a makeover, inside and out. For starters, a new paint job will bring a touch of coastal Florida to the Daytona skyline, while fully-renovated rooms will make guests feel right at home with creature comforts including premium bedding, flat-screen TVs, and a microwave, mini-fridge, and coffeemaker. And amenities that guests have loved for decades, such as the oceanfront pool and friendly service, aren’t going anywhere, but there will be plenty of exciting new features for guests to enjoy, from a tiki hut to a meeting space ideal for business groups and weddings. “Our vision is for Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront to be a jewel in the crown of this beautiful city,” said Todd Burbage, CEO of Blue Water Hospitality. “We look forward to welcoming guests who’ve made the Mayan Inn a part of their family vacations for decades back for a revitalized experience, plus | 8 | EVOLVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE giving new Daytona Beach visitors a place where they can relax, recharge and rest after a day of exploring the beach, boardwalk, and countless local attractions.” In addition to giving a Daytona mainstay new life, Blue Water boosted the Volusia County economy by hiring over 75 local construction workers to carry out the renovations – and will continue to do so by hiring at least 20 full-time employees, and many more part-time employees, when the hotel opens. True to form, Blue Water is pushing the envelope on hospitality and brand standards to deliver an unforgettable property that will attract new business to this iconic beach city. This ambitious new project will not only bring the Comfort Inn and Suites brand to Daytona for the first time but will also provide a new hotel experience in this thriving market. Daytona Beach has already welcomed this new venture with open arms. “We’ve seen such an excellent response from the people in the area,” said Tara Hart-Patterson, director of sales and marketing for Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront. “The businesses, the Daytona Beach Chamber and the Convention & Visitors Bureau have all been incredibly welcoming. We have a stellar team in place, and I’m confident that we will see great success in 2020.” The team at Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach includes veteran Mayan Inn staff and hospitality industry experts like Hart- Patterson. The renovation of the Comfort Inn and Suites Daytona Beach Oceanfront is part of a larger revitalization that began in downtown