Hotel Monaco Gets sophisticated renovation.

• Author: Lewis, Di
• Position: Around Utah

Salt Lake City--The HOTEL MONACO didn't need a renovation, Kelly Elggren says. Yet, two years ago in the midst of a recession, the hotel started a full-building remodel.

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"We wanted a more grown-up feel," says Elggren, director of sales and marketing at Hotel Monaco. She says the design wasn't tired, but when describing the hotel they were using words like "hip and trendy" when they wanted to feel like the hotel was more sophisticated.

"I feel like if we're going to go out and tell people we're the best, we need to be the best," Elggren says.

The hotel spent $5 million during the last two years replacing everything in the rooms, lobby and meeting spaces, as well as giving the restaurant BAMBARA a facelift. Hotel Monaco's parent company, Kimpton, has a theme for every hotel it owns and Monaco's is "guilty pleasure," Elggren says. What she likes about...