DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Jacksonville Riverfront, located on the Downtown Southbank at 1201 Riverplace Blvd, will rebrand into Hotel Bellamy with a new riverfront dining concept.
Sotherly Hotels Inc. said in a news release that it refinanced the hotel and will have entered into a new 10-year franchise agreement with Hilton Worldwide to relicense the hotel as a soft-branded DoubleTree by Hilton under the name Hotel Bellamy, according to a press release. While the initially estimated completion date is January 2027, the company will renovate the hotel to include a redesign of guest rooms, public spaces, building exterior, pool, sundeck, existing food and beverage offerings, and a riverfront dining concept.
“We are pleased to announce the completed refinance as well as the relaunch plans for our Jacksonville asset. Given the current lending environment, we view the completion of the refinancing of the mortgage loan for this Hotel with Fifth Third Bank as a positive outcome for the company,” Dave Folsom, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said in a press release. “The Hotel’s direct riverfront location is perfectly suited to reposition the hotel as the first full-service lifestyle concept in the downtown Jacksonville market. We believe our repositioning strategy, coupled with the strength of the Hilton reservation system, will position the hotel for success for years to come.”
While additional details regarding the riverfront dining concept have yet to be unveiled, it will have a spectacular view of the Southbank Riverwalk next to the John T. Alsop Jr. Bridge. The new restaurant will see plenty of foot traffic coming from the nearby Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, Museum of Science & History, and Friendship Fountain. Ruth’s Chris Steak House, which is currently located within the hotel, will not be affected by the rebranding.
