Prairie Meadows Hotel Revamp

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Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, Iowa, wanted to refresh and modernize the hotel’s guest rooms and corridors. The project, which encompassed three hotel floors, was phased so that the hotel could stay open throughout construction. With the project starting in 2019, the pandemic added an extra layer of difficulty – furniture needed to be routed through specific ports and adaptability became paramount when choosing materials once supplies were affected.

164 rooms and the corridors were renovated across the three floors. Unique improvements on a tiered scale of quality finishes were designed for 13 different room types.

Muted earth tones were used in the rooms, with splashes of color from custom art pieces. Wood-look materials were used in the bed pedestals, TV stands and light fixture backdrops, including USB ports for charging devices. The dark blue of the carpeting provides a color link to the blue vinyl walls of the corridors.

With no windows in the long corridors, patterned carpet and vertical room numbers on the walls help with wayfinding. Darker carpet accents are used in the door alcoves, making anticipating the distance to your room easier.

Each bathroom was updated with sliding glass shower enclosures, ceramic tile, and marble-patterned countertops and shower backsplashes for a clean, modern look. Sliding barn doors, an owner’s favorite, were incorporated in the large suite units to close off the bedroom and in the smaller rooms to separate the bathroom.

Prairie Meadows wanted to revitalize its hotel. By focusing on quality and attention to detail, they were able to modernize simply through changes to furniture and finishes without making structural changes. Shive-Hattery provided the design work for the project.