Since new General Manager Roman LaRose arrived at the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview a few weeks ago, he’s concluded that the common theme in the Orange County hotel market is “newly renovated.”
“It appears every hotel is pushing each other to update, renovate, and to continue to be competitive,” LaRose told the Business Journal, noting his own property is one of them.
Among the region’s 56 largest hotels, more than 30 have undergone renovations since 2020.
Orange County’s largest hotel, the Hilton Anaheim, with more than 1,500 rooms, completed a yearlong, multimillion-dollar overhaul last year, as did The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, which is backed by its owner, Strategic Hotels & Resorts.
In 2026, several more hotels have begun updating their guest rooms, meeting spaces, outdoor areas and dining options.
As The Resort at Pelican Hill transitions into a St. Regis Estate managed by Marriott, every part of the 504-acre property – from the bungalows and villas to the golf course – is being upgraded. The enhancement project is expected to finish in 2027.
Northwest Hotel Corp., owner and manager of the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground, is investing $30 million into restoring the 60-year-old property. Construction, led by firms Lee & Sakahara Architects Inc. and R.D. Olson Construction, is scheduled to begin on July 1 and should last through June 2027.
The goal is to renovate all 302 rooms and suites, public spaces and amenities while maintaining the mid-century resort style designed by architect William Pereira. Part of the changes will involve converting 18 standard rooms into 9 larger suites, reducing the room count to 293.
“This investment allows us to preserve and celebrate that legacy while thoughtfully reimagining the property for future generations of guests,” General Manager Matt Stanley said in a statement.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is completing the final couple of renovations in time for its 25th anniversary this year. Last year, the hotel refreshed all 948 guest rooms and its Napa Rose restaurant, which reopened to the public in February.
Current projects include a new two-story concierge lounge for club-level guests that will open later this year and ongoing enhancements to the hotel’s entry gates to the Disney California Adventure Park.
The DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Anaheim Resort-Convention Center began a $15 million renovation this year that should be complete in 2028. The resort has 252 guest rooms and is one of 10 hotels neighboring the Anaheim Convention Center.
The Newport Beach Marriott Bayview plans to start its own property-wide renovation project in 2027 and recently made two model guest rooms for visitors to test.
Employee Count Jumps
The Business Journal’s annual list showed the 56 hotels employ 15,686, a 5.7% increase from a year ago. The average midweek room rate was $315, up from $309 a year ago. The average weekend rate fell $1 to $349. The number of suites rose less than 1% to 4,740.
The number of hotel rooms in Orange County remained unchanged at 23,879. That could soon change as there are 67 hotels and 10,649 rooms currently under construction in Orange County, according to Alan Reay’s Atlas Hospitality.
Bayview’s LaRose is one of four new general managers on this year’s list. His journey to becoming a general manager began with a two-minute conversation while he was working as the director of food and beverage at a Hyatt hotel in Maui.
The general manager at the time approached him about becoming room director, and he immediately accepted. Since starting in hospitality as a busser at the age of 19, LaRose said he knew he always wanted the GM role. He joined Marriot Bayview in Newport Beach last month.
Pixar Place Hotel named Connie McCallon to the top role last November. McCallon has worked under Disney Experiences for over 20 years, mostly in financial roles until 2022 when she became director of hotel strategy.
“Pixar Place Hotel continues to drive high occupancy and guest traffic,” McCallon said. She added that being Disney’s first property fully themed after its Pixar Studio films helps the hotel stand out.
Hilton Anaheim’s new General Manager Konstantine Drosos joined in February following 25 years of working at large convention hotels. This marks Drosos’ first Orange County hotel after managing other Hilton properties in Chicago and San Diego.
“The property’s scale, recent full renovation, and balanced mix of group, citywide, and leisure demand made it a compelling next step,” Drosos said.
Garden Grove’s Great Wolf Lodge appointed Steve Pastor as general manager last October while both Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa and Paséa Hotel & Spa are on the hunt for new leaders.
Dieter Hissin, who became the complex general manager of Embassy Suites by Hilton Anaheim South and Marriott Suites Anaheim in 2022, said local “demand has held up despite some economic headwinds” from inflation and geopolitical events. Even the regional drive-in market is staying strong despite higher gas prices.
These headwinds “require hotels to carefully balance pricing with service and experience,” Hilton Anaheim’s Drosos said. “Overall, Orange County remains a strong and resilient destination, and success will depend on continued adaptability to shifting traveler needs and economic pressures.”
Research Director Desmond Celo and intern Anastasia Efremova contributed to this report.
