Attendees at the grand opening included: the property owner Apple REIT Companies (Glade Knight, Chairman and CEO and Nelson Knight, Senior VP of Development); Marriott SpringHill Suites VP and Global Brand Manager (Callette Nielsen); Marriott VP for Franchise Operations (Glenn Lewis); as well as senior leadership of the hotel's third-party management company LBA Hospitality (Barry Kraselsky, President and Beau Benton, COO).

Speaking on behalf of LBA Hospitality, President Barry Kraselsky spoke with great pride about this beautiful property in the upscale River Ranch community. Paraphrasing Marriott's global branding, Kraselsky states "that no doubt this hotel will be a favorite of our guests, a property that truly provides style and space, beautifully priced.”

The SpringHill Suites Lafayette South is a four-story hotel with 103 suites that are larger than comparably priced hotel rooms. The suites offer separate living and sleeping areas as well as kitchenettes with refrigerators and microwaves. The suites provide a pull-out sofa bed, lounge chair, 37 inch LCD television, large desk, and ergonomic chair. The hotel's guests will start each day with a complimentary Suite Seasons breakfast buffet in the lobby.

The entire 61,097 square foot facility provides guests complimentary wireless high-speed internet access; there is a meeting room seating up to 12 people, an outdoor swimming pool, as well as a fitness room featuring free weights, treadmills, bicycles, and cardiovascular equipment.

SpringHill Suites guests will enjoy the many, fantastic nearby amenities of Lafayette's Village of River Ranch where vibrant businesses are arranged to allow for people to visit on broad sidewalks. Our guests will find a mix of retail, dining, and professional services.

At the "River Ranch Town Square,” The City Club is the center of Lafayette's culinary and entertainment scene where our hotel guests will find:
award-winning cuisine at City Club Grill, The Oasis Bar, The Beach Side Grill;
a full-service health club, group exercise classes, personal trainers, an outdoor recreation center (featuring 13 rubico and hard surface tennis courts), a pro shop, and a 5,500 sq ft state of the art swimming pool.

Speaking on behalf of the property's sales and operations team, Melissa Craft said that she is very pleased to be a part of Lafayette's travel and tourism. "This is a fantastic market with so many opportunities for our hotel to serve the local community - from weekend tourists to long-term business executives, as a location for business meetings, weddings, reunions and training seminars. We look forward to an extremely successful first year and hope to make a positive impact on the area's positive and growing economy."

For more information on the SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Lafayette, Louisiana, call (337) 981-5512 or online at http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lftsh-springhill-suites-lafayette-south-at-river-ranch/