Dec. 26, 2023

The jackhammers are gone, and finishing touches are mostly all that remains of a top-to-bottom renovation at the Holiday Inn City Centre in downtown Sioux Falls.

The initial work started in the fall of 2021 and included remodeling the 290 guest rooms and corridors in the 10-story hotel, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2022.

A more recent phase of the project included gutting and rebuilding the Starlite and Skyline rooms on the top floor and Verde Lounge on the first floor. Meeting rooms, the front desk and other public areas also have been updated.

“It’s been really, really challenging, but it’s been really fun seeing it transforming,” said director of sales Melany Pravecek.

The Starlite Room, which is used for celebrations and meetings, has “a completely different color scheme,” Pravecek said. “It had been a little outdated with the browns and gold tones. So right now, it’s really light, bright, kind of what we call a blank canvas for all the events. It’s blues, blacks, slate. … It’s just beautiful.”

Before and after photos:

Views of the city from the circular room, which can hold up to 250 people, can be blocked with new draperies. The signature chandelier remains.

Dramatic changes brought a new energy to Verde Lounge. Concrete walls were removed, allowing the bar to open up into the atrium. A large, four-sided bar offers high-top seating on one end and lower chairs on the other, along with lounge seating out into the atrium.

Before and after photos:

“It’s just a really cool, comfortable, inviting, bar lounge vibe. … It’s beautiful. We love it.”

Verde Lounge also has new food and drink menus.

The hotel staff is looking forward to the Downtown Burger Battle competition in January, both to show off its new look and to have people try its creation.

“We’ve always been a hidden gem when it comes to that,” Pravecek said. “People don’t always think about coming to the Holiday Inn. Our guys kick out some really great food.”

Grille 100, which is where breakfast and the Sunday brunch buffet are served, is getting a face-lift too with new wallpaper and carpet, but the hotel is still waiting for new tables and chairs to arrive.

The front desk has been renovated.

“We got rid of the big, bulky front desk and went to smaller pods,” Pravecek said. “It’s a little more open, a little more inviting. It’s not such a barrier between the front desk people and the guests.”

Before and after photos:

Across the hallway, the gift shop is now part of the lobby instead of a separate room and features a self-checkout.

The lobby has new furniture, light fixtures and wallpaper, and the wood is being painted “just giving it more of a light, airy, more modern look to it,” she said.

The larger first-floor meeting rooms also have been renovated. Finishing touches are needed on two small meeting spaces, and the atrium needs a fresh coat of paint, Pravecek noted.

Before and after photos:

Remodeling work also is happening now behind the scenes on offices.

The finish line for the project is in sight, and Pravecek said the staff is excited to have guests see the improvements.

“It’s really fun to work for a company that really invests back into the properties and really does what they need to do to make it a great place to stay and to work.”

To see before and after photos of the guest rooms, click on the story below from July 2022.

Downtown Holiday Inn at 50: Major renovation to touch nearly entire property