IRVINE, CA—As GlobeSt.com reported last week, HotelIrvine has undergone an extensive transformation and isbeing billed as the only lifestyle hotel of its kind in OrangeCounty. Developer Irvine Co. ResortProperties says it offers a “sleek and modern look, areinvented personality and service experience, unique andcompelling new value propositions, unsurpassed technologicalenhancements.” GlobeSt.com spoke with RalphGrippo, president of Irvine Co. Resort Properties, abouthow the changes reflect general trends in the hotel industry andwhat he predicts will happen with the sector moving into 2015.

GlobeSt.com: How do the changes to the Hotel Irvinereflect general trends in the hotel industry?

Grippo: To be very frank, it's morethan a renovation. We looked to transition the hotel, which wasmanaged as a Hyatt last year, since chains do whatthey do well, but they don't necessarily differentiate very well.The concept of being more relevant and providing more of alifestyle experience in hospitality is really whatwe wanted to focus on. We're repositioned as a lifestyle hotel toreflect how people are living, traveling and working and how theycommunicate, which is different from what we may have thought five,10 or 20 years ago.