Hilton Garden Inn Downtown’s conversion to Catlin begins taking shape

A standout private dining experience area and refreshed banquet space are among the first signs that bigger changes are coming to the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Sioux Falls.

When renovations are complete, the property will rebrand as The Catlin Hotel, a locally chosen name that will become part of Hilton’s Tapestry collection — a group of more than 125 independent hotels nationwide.

The hotel opened in 2013 and was due for a renovation, but the rebrand goes beyond that to create a more boutique feel within the property. The Catlin is named in recognition of catlinite, the sister stone to quartzite, which runs beneath Sioux Falls.

George Catlin, for whom the stone was named, was a lawyer, painter, author and traveler who specialized in portraits of Native Americans during the 1830s. His wife, Clara, is the namesake behind one of the first phases of the renovation to be completed: a private bar and dining room created by converting former meeting space.

“It can still be used as meeting space, but the primary function is for private dining experiences,” said Paul Hegg, CEO of operator Hegg Cos.

Feedback on the room has “been phenomenal,” he said. “We hear a lot of ‘there’s nothing like this, we’ve never seen anything like this.’ I think we’re elevating the guest experience and what people can expect when they come here.”

The ideal group size is about two dozen, but the room can seat up to 50. It will have a private patio for outdoor functions. Meals are served family-style.

“It’s definitely elevated food,” Hegg said. “There’s craft cocktails and different kinds of bourbons and whiskeys you can get in here, so it’s a different experience.”

Kaskaid Hospitality, the company behind the hotel’s restaurant, Crave, brought elements from The Butcher’s Tale to the private dining menu. The company opened the restaurant in downtown Minneapolis in the former Butcher & The Boar space.

“A lot of elements from The Butcher’s Tale are part of this: a beef long rib that is from there, a pork chop that is from there, a sausage appetizer from there,” Hegg said. “The food is fantastic.”

The design “kind of takes you a little back in time, but it’s still definitely a high-end feel, “said Dione Deuel, chief operating officer of hospitality for Hegg Cos.

“We also renovated and redid our kitchen to support the production of Bar Clara and the elevated banquet space.”

Fully renovated banquet space recently reopened, including the entry and overflow areas.

“We lightened that up,” Hegg said. “The color palette is not as dark as it was before. We did a lot of upward lighting and soffits, and the bathrooms were completely redone, so it just elevates the experience in the banquet space.”

Two model guest rooms recently were completed for approval by Hilton, with the plan to start renovating the remaining 134 rooms in August to be complete by the end of the year — going one floor at a time.

“You won’t see a room like this in another (Hilton) property,” Hegg said.

The rooms are designed to feel “more spacious,” Deuel said. “We’ve added a sofa, and we have a little more furniture in it, but it feels like there’s more space. And we really focused on higher-end fixtures in our bathrooms.”

Beginning in late May or early June, the lobby renovation will begin. The entrance will be updated and also serve as the new entrance to Crave. A lounge area will be added, and the front desk offices are being redone.

“I think it’s a very boutique feel, very high-end,” Deuel said. “We’re adding a boutique — an actual place to shop and buy branded apparel. There’s a lot of wood finishes and stone elements to create different textures, and it will also feature (the work of) local artists inside some of the areas, which I’m excited about.”

The fitness center also is being updated, opening up a hallway that leads into it to create more of a seating area. The on-site Starbucks will stay the same size with an adjusted entry.

The lobby remodel is expected to take about 90 days, and the check-in area will be shifted about halfway through.

Updates to Crave restaurant will be done toward the end of the project, either in September or after the holidays depending on how construction plays out.

The restaurant will receive cosmetic updates, including new flooring and furniture, and all the patios are being redone as well.

The plan is to be done with everything by February, if not sooner. That’s when the new name will take effect.

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