DoubleTree hotel in Upper Merion completes $18.5M renovation, rebranding

Source, The Mercury, Donna Rovins

UPPER MERION — The DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia-Valley Forge has been rebranded following months of renovations. As of Wednesday, July 1 — when the new sign went up — the property is now known as The Alloy King of Prussia, a DoubleTree by Hilton.

Renovations on the hotel, located at 301 W Dekalb Pike in Upper Merion, got underway in January, and work on the hotel’s meeting space began in February.

The major renovation to the property cost $18.5 million dollars to complete, and according to Jennifer Shipman, director of sales and marketing for the property, it’s “exciting to have new and fresh to market to the community and clients and we’re eager to start seeing everyone come back.”

During the work, Shipman said the hotel’s guest rooms never closed, but all the meeting and catering space and other areas of the hotel were closed during the renovations. Some of the areas closed coincided with state orders closing restaurants and gathering places resulting from the spread of the coronavirus.

“As we started work on each floor, that floor was closed, but the remainder were open,” Shipman said.

The hotel boasts 327 guest rooms, as well as more than 25,000-square feet of meeting and event space. Guests at the renovated Alloy will experience modern amenities, including an expanded state-of-the-art Precor fitness center (featuring Peloton stationary bikes), an outdoor dining patio and mothers’ nursing room, according to a press release.

“The changes will provide all visitors with more amenities and opportunities to make their experience enjoyable and stress-free. We are proud and thankful to have been a part of the Montgomery County/King of Prussia community for so many years and are excited to continue to maintain our outstanding reputation as a leading hotel in the Philadelphia market,” Shipman said.

The makeover transformed the property into a “lifestyle hotel that will invigorate travelers’ senses with decorative artworks and designs, along with localized food and beverage offerings,” a press release stated.

For groups or individuals planning an event, The Alloy has venue spacing ranging from 430- to 7,020-square feet, outdoor options and the addition of five new event rooms.

Shipman said the the first event in the newly renovated space has been scheduled for the end of July.

The hotel’s new restaurant, Hammer & Fire, will offer dining options made with fresh and locally sourced ingredients. A hyper-local beer program showcases local breweries and the restaurant offers classic cocktails and premium wines. Shipman said the restaurant has not yet opened, but is anticipated to open July 13.

Shipman said there are still some things to be done, mainly “finishing touches” before the renovation is complete.

“Most items will be complete by July 12. After that we will have some touch ups, our pool patio and the Market to finish. We will also be waiting on certain artwork and fixtures that have been postponed due to COVID-19,” she said.

The investment is part of a partnership investment is part of a programmatic partnership between Concord Hospitality and Whitman Peterson, an institutional real estate private equity company.

According to Paul Novak, managing director at Whitman Peterson, leisure and business travelers will get the “best of both worlds” at The Alloy — personalized experiences backed by the consistency of Hilton.

“We take special pride in unique projects like The Alloy that we know are going to have a significant impact on our guests and the community,” Mark Laport, co-founder, president, and CEO of Concord Hospitality, said in the release.