HOW SUITE IT IS!: DRURY LOOKS TO INITIATE MORE ALL-SUITE OPERATIONS

Drury Inns Inc. likes what it sees in the operation of its all-suite hotel market in San Antonio, Texas; so well, in fact, that the corporation is looking at plans for other all-suite operations.

The new 139-room suite hotel was developed by Drury Southwest Corp., one of three hotel development branches of Cape Girardeau-based Drury Industries. Others include Druco Inc. of St. Louis and Drury Development Corp. of Cape Girardeau.

"Drury Suites, operated by Drury Inns Inc., has been open almost two months," said Robert A. Drury, president of Drury Southwest here. "The success rate has been great and we're already looking at plans for future all-suite hotels."

Architect Byron Faust, who is on the staff at Drury Industries in Cape Girardeau, designed the six-story, indoor-corridor hotel that was built by the Drury Southwest construction crew of San Antonio. Randy Grojean, who is from New Hamburg and is now stationed at San Antonio, was project manager.

"The hotel is uniquely styled," said Drury. "It offers one- and two-room suites that include work areas."

Drury described the full suite (two rooms) as having a private bedroom with king bed, telephone and television and a separate living area with chairs, activity table, telephone, TV and sofa that makes into a queen size bed.

Other amenities of a full suite include refrigerator, microwave and wet bar. The junior suite (one room) also has microwave and refrigerator and a choice of king bed or two double beds in an extra large room. It features a desk and telephone along with a recliner chair and sitting area with a sofa and two chairs.

The hotel, at the intersection of Interstate 410 and Jones-Maltsberger Road, includes a meeting facility, hot tub, outdoor swimming pool, and state-of-the-art handicap facilities.

Like all Drury hotel-motel operations, guests are treated to a free Quikstart breakfast consisting of hot and cold cereals, fresh fruits, pastries, toast, coffee and more. Free airport transportation is also offered and local phone calls are free.

Manager of the new hotel is Gordon Robaska. Luis Perez is assistant manager.

"To accommodate the Mexican traveler, all front-desk personnel are bilingual," said Prudy Stump, the Texas regional manager for Drury. She maintains offices on the fifth floor of the hotel.

"We selected San Antonio because we have good name recognition there and in the rest of Texas," said Bonnie Chiaurro, manager of marketing services for Drury Inns. "We wanted to try a new product in an area where we were already successful."

Drury Inns Inc. already operates four motels in the San Antonio area two Drury Inns, a Hampton Inn and a Thrifty Inn.

Drury Inns operates 60 hotels in 11 Midwestern and Southwestern states.