New GrandStay Hotel in Morris welcomes first guests

MORRIS — Morris’ newest hotel, the GrandStay Hotel and Suites, opened last Friday, May 15 at 5:15 p.m. with a small ceremony to congratulate the staff, management and construction firm for meeting the goal to open for business seven months after breaking ground last November.

The hotel was financed by Superior Industries under a new business name, SI Hotels, and is managed by Blue Sky Hospitality, a hotel management company with 10 hotels across Minnesota and South Dakota.

“Now that construction is over, Superior has stepped back and handed the gauntlet over to us,” said General Manager Brandi Ross. All of the staff members at the hotel work for Blue Sky Hospitality, and the hotel is a franchise of GrandStay.

A hotel that opened in Glenwood last year is also a GrandStay franchise, but because it’s owned by a different management company guests can’t transfer reservations between the two.

Both Ross and Amber Meyers, regional director with Blue Sky Hospitality, said they felt the values of all three companies were well-aligned in making sure guests had a positive experience at the hotel.

“One of GrandStay’s mottos is ‘Every guest, every time,’ and I think that ties in extremely well with Superior’s outlook,” said Meyers. “We really feel we are an extension of Superior in that.”

The hotel has 51 rooms in nine different floor plans that offer a range of options, from two queen beds to executive suites designed for business clients staying in the area for an extended period of time. The suites have a separate bedroom, office and kitchen.

In addition to guest rooms, the hotel has a swimming pool, fitness room, business center and open breakfast room that can be reserved by the general public for parties or group events and used by hotel guests throughout the day.

“We decided not to go with meeting rooms, but we will be able to utilize this after breakfast is over — we’re going to be hosting birthday parties and bridal showers,” said Ross.

In addition to Ross, the hotel employs six front desk staff members, six housekeepers, and one breakfast attendant. Most staff members are new to the hotel business, but Ross offered high praise to the training they received through Blue Sky Hospitality and the GrandStay franchise.

“The training that was offered to us to be able to accommodate the needs of our guests and excel in our customer service, I think that’s going to set us apart from any other place that you would stay,” she said.

Ross grew up in the Morris area and is a graduate of Morris Area High School. While living in the Twin Cities, she spent 12 years in property management. When she returned to Morris with her family, she spent five years in banking before accepting the job at the GrandStay Hotel.

Like other businesses that have opened recently in Morris, the GrandStay’s first weekend was even bigger than expected, about 25 guests on the first night. All of the guests were walk-ins or word of mouth, since the hotel isn’t accepting reservations from major online travel sites until the end of the month, said Meyers.

There is a grand opening celebration planned for Thursday, June 18 when the hotel will be open for the entire community to come visit, but Ross emphasized that community members are welcome to stop by any time.
By Kim Ukura