Courtesy The George
By Paul Post
The George Hotel, which reopened last July after a lengthy closure, is expected to look considerably different with a new name this summer.
Cheektowaga-based Rudra Management is seeking Queensbury town Planning Board approval for exterior changes needed to join the LaQuinta hotel chain, by Wyndham.
“We want to make façade improvements, give it fresh paint and build an accent tower,” co-owner Jay Patel said. “Once that work is completed we would be branding it as LaQuita.”
The four-story, 98-room hotel is owned by 1533 Queensbury LLC, a real estate holding company affiliated with Patel and his Rudra Management firm, which bought the five-acre site for $6.5 million in February 2022.
It was previously operated as Comfort Suites, but ran into financial trouble and was closed for two years. The new owners spent a great deal of money bringing the hotel back to life with extensive renovations.
It’s located at 1533 Route 9 adjacent to Lumberjack Pass Miniature Golf, just north of the intersection of routes 9 and 149.
“LaQuita does really well in the leisure market,” Patel said. “It’s one of the popular brands among many other hotel companies by Wyndham.”
He said Rudra Management owns 52 hotels, primarily in Western and Central New York. He owns the company with his brother, Raj, and various family members have interests in different hotels.
“We’ve always had an interest in Lake George,” Patel said. “It’s a seasonal leisure market.”
After purchasing The George, Rudra Management also bought the Clarion Inn & Suites at the Outlets of Lake George, from owner-operators Dave Kenny and his daughter, Laura Kohls, for $6.4 million last October.
The Clarion is located about a half-mile south from The George, at 1454 Route 9, behind a Starbucks store across from French Mountain Commons.
Patel said The George, which has an indoor pool, kiddie pool and jacuzzi rooms, has a slightly higher price point.
“We felt we could be more efficient with two hotels,” Patel said. “Both properties have potential. The Clarion is in great shape, but needs upgrades, which are planned for 2024. We’re committed to doing a sizeable renovation.”
Exact plans haven’t been determined, but the firm will be hiring a consultant to assist with the makeover.
The company website says Rudra Hotel & Property Management’s hotel portfolio includes IHG, Hilton, Wyndham Hotel Group, Choice Hotels Group and Best Western International. In addition to upstate New York, the website says Rudra owns hotels in Baltimore and Rome, Georgia.
“A perfectly balanced portfolio of new build hotels, along with a mix of acquired limited service properties with ‘turnaround opportunities’ continues to show our consistent growth pattern in a highly competitive marketed industry,” it says. “An important facet of our company is the ability to be developers of our own properties assisting in the identification of future endeavors.”