New Home2 Suites hotel planned for McAlester
Mar. 10—A new hotel is planned for McAlester, designed for those who want to stay a little longer in the area.
Called Home2 Suites by Hilton, it's planned for construction in what is now a vacant lot behind Pizza Hut.
"It's basically a mid-scale extended-stay hotel," said SBN Holdings President Jim Patel, who is building the hotel. "It's one of the fastest-growing Hilton brands."
Plans call for the Home2 Suites hotel to include approximately 90-plus rooms.
Patel thinks the time is right to build another hotel in McAlester.
"The last time a hotel was built in McAlester was when we built the Hampton Inn," he said. "It's a great market."
Patel said the Home2 Suites are a little different than conventional hotels.
"These rooms will have full kitchenettes," Patel said. "These rooms are twice as large as most hotels, with the amenities for an extended stay."
Rooms will be available with separate living and sleeping spaces. Kitchenette areas with cooking equipment, a full-sized refrigerator and a dishwasher will be available. Rooms include dishes, glasses and pots and pans — all the equipment needed to cook without having to go out and buy it, Patel said.
The Home2 Suites will be pet-friendly, something the Hampton Inn also recently became. Referring to the planned Home2 Suites, Patel said "We will have a doggy park on the east side."
Home2 suites also include a fitness area and laundry facility. Other planned amenities include a free breakfast and free WiFi, as well as a business center where computers are provided.
Patel said the Home2 Suites are proving popular in areas where they're located.
"They've really taken off," Patel said of the Home2 Suites in other communities. He said guests include corporate travelers who want more than a conventional hotel room. They're also great for families, he said.
Patel said the first steps have been completed.
"We closed on the property and the franchise is approved," Patel said. He said the road west of Lowe's has been dedicated to the city of McAlester. It will help with access to the facility.
Plans call for the hotel to be constructed on two acres of a 10-acre lot. Patel said he's working with others to possibly locate another business at the site, such as a retail business or restaurant.
He said he does not yet have a finalized timeline for construction, largely due to supply side shortages.
"We were supposed to start in 2020, but COVID put a wrench in that," Patel said. "Now, we have a war in Europe, too,"
It will probably be the end of this year or the beginning of next year, when the decision is made on when to break ground, he said.
"The only thing we don't have is a building permit," Patel said. He said he typically gets a building permit about a month before ground is broken on a project.
Patel's pleased with plans for the addition of what is slated to become McAlester's newest hotel.
"We want to let it be known this is the future site," he said. "It's an addition to McAlester's economy."
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
