Former Pontchartrain Hotel, now Crowne Plaza, to be the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel

**Lowell** · July-26-21, 07:29 AM

We hear a lot about rebranding, so does re-re-naming the Pontch the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel make it retro-branding? Even though nothing is changing, other than the name, I like the move for the historical nod and find it an improvement over the generic Crowne Plaza that has about as much charm as the name Motel 6. Thoughts?

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...-pontchartrain

**renf** · July-26-21, 07:41 AM

Thank you, Lowell, for letting us know. I hope they erect an informative plaque on the outside explaining the origin and significance of the name

**401don** · July-26-21, 08:13 AM

I have a feeling they either lost or decided not to put the money into maintaining the Crowne Plaza name. There have been many not so favorable reviews, not just from individuals, but from large groups. Hopefully Wyndham ensures they maintain the property well.

**Jimaz** · July-26-21, 08:18 AM

FWIW, there's another historic Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans.

The Pontchartrain Hotel

**Danny** · July-26-21, 09:23 AM

Good because I always called the building in front of W. Jefferson Ave. the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel. It's always been the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel historically.

**Former_Detroiter** · July-26-21, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

We hear a lot about rebranding, so does re-re-naming the Pontch the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel make it retro-branding? Even though nothing is changing, other than the name, I like the move for the historical nod and find it an improvement over the generic Crowne Plaza that has about as much charm as the name Motel 6. Thoughts?

Perhaps Motel 6 should change it's name. Seeing as the 6 in Motel 6 meant the rooms were $6.00/night..

**mikeg19** · July-26-21, 10:22 AM

I guess nothing ever happened with that 2nd tower that was supposed to go up after all the negative press swirling around working conditions there.

**NSortzi** · July-26-21, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I guess nothing ever happened with that 2nd tower that was supposed to go up after all the negative press swirling around working conditions there.

That tower was cancelled years ago.

**Onthe405** · July-27-21, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I have a feeling they either lost or decided not to put the money into maintaining the Crowne Plaza name. There have been many not so favorable reviews, not just from individuals, but from large groups. Hopefully Wyndham ensures they maintain the property well.

This scenario is the most likely and bad news, and not good. Wyndham is a largely budget/mid-scale brand [[Ramada, Baymont, etc) and has a reputation for "hand-me-down" properties that lose their licensing from other chains further up the quality ladder.

Hoping not, but this could the beginning of the the Hyatt>Adoba>Royal Dearborn>Edward>closure trajectory. Until the public feels 100% comfortable with travel and partaking in mass gatherings again, I can't envision a path forward for rethinking the business model for convention hotels.

**detmsp** · July-27-21, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

We hear a lot about rebranding, so does re-re-naming the Pontch the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel make it retro-branding? Even though nothing is changing, other than the name, I like the move for the historical nod and find it an improvement over the generic Crowne Plaza that has about as much charm as the name Motel 6. Thoughts?

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...-pontchartrain

I'm not sure I'd look at this as a rebranding move... it's likely a "our hotel was so crappy that the Crowne Plaza brand gave us the boot" move. According to their website, it's now a Wyndham. Which does not strike me as an upgrade.

**Burnsie** · July-27-21, 02:38 PM

Wyndham has some 20 brands. The properties that are branded simply "Wyndham," as the Pontchartrain at least currently is, tend to be pretty nice. Cross your fingers.

**detmsp** · July-27-21, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Burnsie

Wyndham has some 20 brands. The properties that are branded simply "Wyndham," as the Pontchartrain at least currently is, tend to be pretty nice. Cross your fingers.

You know, I'm not even really sure this is a "wyndham" brand hotel. Because they're calling it the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel by Wyndham. If you look on their website, the "by Wyndham" treatment is given to almost every property they have. "Days Inn by Wyndham", "Travelodge by Wyndham", "La Quinta by Wyndham", etc. So will it live up to your expectations of a Wyndham? I honestly don't know.

**softailrider** · July-27-21, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

I'm not sure I'd look at this as a rebranding move... it's likely a "our hotel was so crappy that the Crowne Plaza brand gave us the boot" move. According to their website, it's now a Wyndham. Which does not strike me as an upgrade.

Going back 20 or 25 years, during it's original configuration, the Pontchartrain was well known as a dump.

**slick** · July-28-21, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by renf

Thank you, Lowell, for letting us know. I hope they erect an informative plaque on the outside explaining the origin and significance of the name

There was a historical marker at the site for "Fort Ponchatrain"

**slick** · July-28-21, 03:51 PM

the rest of my post, per the Michigan Historical Marker website

Site Number: S27
Registry Listing Year: 1956
Erected Date: 1967
Significant Era: Native People and the French [[< 1760)
Coordinates: 42.32810,-83.04788
County: Wayne

**Dbest** · July-28-21, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I have a feeling they either lost or decided not to put the money into maintaining the Crowne Plaza name. There have been many not so favorable reviews, not just from individuals, but from large groups. Hopefully Wyndham ensures they maintain the property well.

Those reviews are probably coming from people who payed full price to stay at the hotel.

I've stayed there 3 times after getting it on a secret room rate of under a hundred bucks and actually enjoyed all three stays. It has its shortcomings when it comes to the room size and some of the finishing work on the rooms was done a bit sloppily. The pool/hot tub location is a bit goofy as well being so close to the valet dropoff.

I'm actually sad to see it losing its affiliation with crowne plaza. Their hotel are typically pretty clean and the properties well kept. Not to mention the name plate reflects well with out of towners....

**401don** · July-28-21, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Dbest

Those reviews are probably coming from people who payed full price to stay at the hotel.

I've stayed there 3 times after getting it on a secret room rate of under a hundred bucks and actually enjoyed all three stays. It has its shortcomings when it comes to the room size and some of the finishing work on the rooms was done a bit sloppily. The pool/hot tub location is a bit goofy as well being so close to the valet dropoff.

I'm actually sad to see it losing its affiliation with crowne plaza. Their hotel are typically pretty clean and the properties well kept. Not to mention the name plate reflects well with out of towners....

I've stayed there twice also. I only stay downtown when I get a great rate and the hotel was fine for the price. You should still be able to get a quality stay when booking full price. There were articles in the Detroit papers about problems with convention groups as well as staff walking out due to working conditions/wages.
By the way, the Westin Book Cadillac is odd too. They built that separate addition on the main floor for the pool and you have to get off the elevator and walk past everybody.

**gumby** · July-28-21, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I've stayed there twice also. I only stay downtown when I get a great rate and the hotel was fine for the price. You should still be able to get a quality stay when booking full price. There were articles in the Detroit papers about problems with convention groups as well as staff walking out due to working conditions/wages.
By the way, the Westin Book Cadillac is odd too. They built that separate addition on the main floor for the pool and you have to get off the elevator and walk past everybody.

How else would you get to a pool?

**Kathleen** · July-29-21, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by slick

There was a historical marker at the site for "Fort Ponchatrain"

Google Street View shows the Fort Pontchartrain on the front wall of the building seen from West Jefferson near Washington Blvd as of October 2020. It was moved from the Larned Street entrance a few years ago.

**Onthe405** · July-29-21, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by gumby

How else would you get to a pool?

If the original design of a large hotel includes a pool and/or workout area, there's usually an intentional effort to design it so that guests can access these areas without parading through the main lobby or meeting areas in their workout wear or swimsuits.

When recreational features are added as an afterthought in order to compete [common in older hotels], bypassing public areas frequently isn't an option.