DoubleTree Bethesda hotel to become The Bethesdan hotel

Just after the demolition of its Bethesda Court Hotel, developer Bernstein Companies has announced its other hotel up Wisconsin Avenue will revive a vintage Bethesda motel moniker next year. By the 2nd Quarter of 2019, the DoubleTree Bethesda will become The Bethesdan, which was the Bethesda Court Hotel's original name when it opened in the 1950s.

H&R Retail's rendering shows the new
lobby-level retail space highlighted
in orange

The renovated and rebranded hotel at 8120 Wisconsin Avenue will still be in the Hilton Hotels portfolio. But it will be moved to the Tysons-based hotel giant's Tapestry Collection of hotels. The Tapestry Collection, unlike DoubleTree's warm cookie greeting or Courtyard by Marriott's standard business hotel model, doesn't duplicate one predictable concept across the whole brand. Instead, each hotel is supposed to have its own unique design and personality, and appeal to travelers who like unique experiences and making their own choices.

Bernstein is promising 270 completely-overhauled guest rooms, a re-imagined lobby and meeting space, new food and beverage concepts to replace the current offerings, a new 3000 SF fitness center, and new exterior glass and outdoor canopies. The biggest addition echoes a change made recently at the nearby Hyatt Regency Bethesda - a new 2090 SF retail space will be added at the front of the hotel on the ground floor. H&R Retail is handling the leasing for that space, and now has it on the market.