Windsor gets better with age, says owner

From Staff Reports

AMERICUS August 21, 2008 12:19 am

— The Historic Windsor Hotel undergoes significant preservations and renovations almost on a yearly basis. Owner Sharad Patel said this extensive work is needed to keep it an oasis for guests and the City of Americus.
New flat-screen TVs have been installed in Floyd’s Bar in the Windsor within the last year, and Floyd’s has also received new wall coverings. The whole hotel now has wireless Internet, and Patel said this addition makes the Windsor even more “business-friendly.”
The Windsor has special rates for business travelers. Virtually all the bathrooms in the guest rooms have been upgraded within the last year, which includes new tile, floors, shower heads and shower rods.
All the roofs in the flat areas of the hotel were rehabilitated. The facade on the Jackson Street side of hotel that was damaged by the March 1, 2007 tornado has been repaired.
The verandah of the hotel has received new furnishings. The Americus-Sumter Room has received new carpet, artwork, window upgrades and wall coverings.
Lan Benton, the new sales director of the hotel, and Patel are making a push to get the local community to rediscover the magnificence of the Windsor. A scavenger hunt of sorts will be held at the Windsor’s “Business After Hours” Sept. 16.
Guests at the event will be able to scavenge and explore various areas of the hotel for tokens that can be redeemed for door prizes.
Benton said there are many Sumter County citizens that haven’t been inside the Windsor in a long time and she wants to change this pattern. For instance, she says many consider the Roosevelt Board Room one of the finest in the state, and many locals are not aware of this fact.