The Modern Hotelier #186: Classic Luxury & Charm with Modern Amenities at The Warwick Melrose | with Michael Cole
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Michael Cole: The hotel actually built a new ballroom, a spa, and an outdoor pool. So what we were able to do is incorporate the old with the new blends seamlessly with our outdoor pool, our full service spa, and our new 5,500 square foot ballroom. No matter what type of event you're looking at, or stay you're looking for, we can make it happen.
David M.: We are here with Michael Cole, the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Warwick Melrose Dallas. Welcome, Michael. 
Michael Cole: Thank you for having me. Thanks for being here. 
David M.: So let us know, how did you get started in hospitality? 
Michael Cole: So I was attending my local college or university from my hometown, and I had to get a job as you do to pay for college.
Right? I got a job at the local holiday in holiday back in the day as a banquet captain. So, believe it or not, you know, I went to college or university to get a degree in political science with a minor in business. But once I started in the hotel industry during my time there, yeah. 32 years later still here. 
Steve Carran: Yeah. Here we are. So we're sitting in the presidential suite at the Warwick Hotel here. Can you give us a little bit of history, not only about this suite, but at as a hotel in general? 
Michael Cole: Absolutely. So the Melrose was built as the Melrose Apartments in 1924, so we're celebrating our hundred and first year. This year they converted it in the fifties into a hotel. Um, in its current format, the presidential in particular is still in its original state as it was in 1924 as an apartment. So all the original cornine and trims that are in here are original to the 1924 apartments. 
Steve Carran: Wow. One of the cool things I noticed was the mail slot on every floor where you can, they could drop their mail and it goes to the lobby where it would be picked up by the post office. It's kind of those little things like that that I think add a touch of. Kind of hit the history here. 
Michael Cole: Yeah, absolutely. And believe it or not, during Christmas, we actually advertise that for kids to come and drop off their letters to Santa in the old mailbox.
David M.: That's really cool. And so tell us a little bit more about Warwick Hotels and then tell us about what's your favorite part about working at wor at this hotel. 
Michael Cole: Sure. So the Warwick name comes from the original Warwick with the current format. The way the company is, um, is the Warwick in New York City. Right. It was actually built, um, earlier than our hotel by William Randolph Hurst for his girlfriend, it's claim to fame as the Beatles stayed there when they started their tour of America. And so our owner purchased that one in 1984. I. And every hotel he's got from thereafter has been called Warwick.
A few of us have been able to keep our name like we're the Warwick Melrose, because since 1924, we were known as Melrose Apartments. So conversion to a hotel in the fifties to the Melrose Hotel we're the Warwick Melrose. So it blends itself well for the kind of hotels. Warwick is known, known for historic landmark, prominent hotels in the area.
Steve Carran: That's great. Very cool. Yeah. So we've had a chance to stay here, some very cool amenities. What's your favorite amenity here? 
Michael Cole: So what is really great about this hotel is during COVID, the hotel actually built a new ballroom, a spa, and an outdoor pool. These are things the hotel did not have prior. So what we were able to do is incorporate the old with the new or the historic because you are in the historic luxury part of the Warwick.
Melrose and then it blends, blends, blends seamlessly with our outdoor pool, our full service spa, and our new 5,500 square foot ballroom. So what are, no matter what type of event you're looking at, or stay you're looking for, we can make it happen. 
David M.: Awesome. So tell us when you touched on it, but tell us more about the history. So what have been the phases of the transition over the years with the property? 
Michael Cole: So in 1924 is the original apartments. It was called the Melrose Apartments and Hotel. Even though it wasn't a hotel, as we know, a hotel, right. They were full service apartments in that our crystal ballroom was the restaurant or cafeteria for the people who stayed in the hotel. So when you stayed here, you got meals included. Oh, wow. So it phased from the, then to the 1950s when it was converted to a full service hotel because Dallas was growing and needed hotel rooms at the time. So the conversion was done then. Um, it's 184 rooms now, but when it was converted, each room is completely different from any other room because they were apartments before and during the conversion. Each room has its unique feel and layout about it. Most recently, we had a full renovation done over the years of COVID, um, to our current state, to what you see now.
David M.: That's great. Well, thank you very much. We appreciate talking to you. 
Michael Cole: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Steve Carran: Thank you.