$60M luxury hotel planned for this SC city will offer stunning mountain views. Here’s what to know
Krut Patel has had much business success in the 10 or so years since he dropped out of the University of South Carolina’s international business school.
He reimagined and streamlined VGO Holdings his family’s chain of gas station businesses, started a company to sell LED lighting, formed the Divine Group, which soon became a multi-million-dollar real estate development company.
Now comes a new challenge: a $60 million, 150-room hotel on Paris Mountain north of Greenville that will be part of the Marriott Tribute Portfolio, It will be the first in South Carolina for the international hotel chain.
“Growing up in Greenville, I remember the only ways to enjoy the views from Paris Mountain were to either scale fences and rocks at the top or have a friend with a house on the mountain,” Patel said in a news release announcing the project.
The company will file a request to annex and rezone the 40 acre site into the city of Travelers Rest in March. A public hearing will be required as well as approval by the city’s Planning Commission before going to Travelers Rest City Council.
The Divine Group has also scheduled a general information session with company executives, architects and others involved in the development for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Younts Conference Center at Furman University.
Called the Inn at Altamont, the four-story hotel will be positioned to take advantage of the surrounding views of downtown Greenville and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
It will include a ballroom and event lawn for large events, farm-to-table dining experiences, a resort-style pool and spa, and upscale bars.
“Our design prioritizes environmental stewardship,” the company says on its website. “The architecture preserves the mountain’s natural silhouette, ensuring that the views from within are matched by the untouched beauty of the mountain when viewed from afar. We’re committed to sustainable practices that respect and preserve the natural environment.”
A 20-acre public nature preserve will be developed on the property with walking trails and picnic areas that will be donated to the city of Travelers Rest. A voluntary fee from hotel guests will help fund the park maintenance for 10 years.
Up to 100 jobs will be created. If approved, the inn would open in 2030.
Travelers Rest has received a lot of attention from various travel magazines in recent years for its redevelopment and especially for its vibrant restaurant scene, from a creperie to fine dining and most everything in between..
The renewal began when the bike and walking path known as the Swamp Rabbit Trail from downtown Greenville to Travelers Rest opened.
Then the city undertook one project after another — downsized Highway 25 from four to two lanes, updated sidewalks, planted trees and other landscaping, built Trailblazer Park with an amphitheater and space for gatherings, a new fire house and million City Hall.
In all, about $14 million was spent and the city’s investments paid off. Just about every downtown building has a tenant, a mix of restaurants, boutiques, a bookstore, a place that makes and sells honey, bees and beekeeping equipment.
Travelers Rest population is estimated to have grown from 4,570 in 2010 to just under 10,000 this year.