The Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown will welcome its first guests on Wednesday, February 3. Among the first to check in will be a group of retired Indianapolis fire fighters, who are being honored for their service to the city.

“We’re thrilled to be opening for business and welcoming guests into our hotel, and we are particularly happy that we can use this occasion to honor such a deserving group and their families, who’ve given so much to Indianapolis,” said Kim Meyerholtz, general manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown.

The Fairfield Inn & Suites is targeted to business and leisure travelers who are looking for reliable service, exceptional value, and amenities like complimentary breakfast and wireless Internet service. The hotel is the first property to open in the $450 million Marriott Place complex that is changing the face of downtown Indianapolis.

With 168 comfortable guest rooms and 34 spacious suites, the Fairfield Inn & Suites features contemporary decor incorporating bright lime green and orange, in concert with shades of blue and turquoise. The lobby welcomes guests with a large check-in area, and a breakfast area where each morning guests will find complimentary Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, cereals, fruit, juices and freshly brewed coffee.

In addition to the opening of the Fairfield Inn & Suites, February 3 also marks the reopening of the popular TGI Friday’s, which has undergone extensive remodeling since closing nearly two years ago. Guests staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown will be able to order room service from TGI Friday’s, and can enjoy the restaurant for lunch and dinner. In addition to their stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, the honored fire fighters also received gift cards to have dinner with their families at the newly remodeled Friday’s.

“We are so excited to be a part of the downtown Indianapolis landscape, and invite visitors to Indianapolis to come in and experience all that we have to offer,” said Meyerholtz. “We’re steps away from attractions like White River State Park, Circle Centre Mall, the NCAA Hall of Champions and the Indiana State Museum. We also offer a variety of packages that will appeal to travelers interested in everything from sports, to art, to shopping.”

Wilhelm Construction Co. Inc., of Indianapolis was the general contractor on the Fairfield Inn and Suites Indianapolis Downtown, as well as the attached TGI Friday’s restaurant.

The project combined renovation with new construction. Working with CSO Architects, Wilhelm retained the structurally sound frame and roof from the Courtyard by Marriott hotel that had been on the site, saving time and construction costs in building the new Fairfield Inn & Suites and TGI Friday’s.

Demolition of the old structure was complete in February, 2009. Headed by Wilhelm project manager Mitch Davidson and superintendent Tim O’Brian, about 25 contractors completed the new Fairfield Inn & Suites Indianapolis Downtown by replacing the building’s facade and rebuilding the interior. A new kitchen for TGI Friday’s was included in the project. The hotel was completed in mid-December. Trim carpentry, furnishing, decorating and staff recruitment and training took place in January.