It’s not very often that a hotel completely closes its doors, especially during the summer tourist season, but the Hyatt in Crystal City has done just that to allow for major renovations to the front of the hotel.
A reconstruction of the front entrance, the hotel lobby, and the parking garage entrance is underway. For major construction, it’s taking place at a speedy pace — the hotel is scheduled to reopen on Friday, we’re told.
Popular local cover band Gonzo’s Nose was the last band to play at the “old” Clarendon Grill. A restaurant rep says the new Grill will still host bands and have a dancefloor — but refused to divulge any additional details.
Clarendon Grill will remain under the same management, the rep said. It’s unclear whether it will retain its name.
Spider Kelly’s has quietly taken the paper off the windows and opened for business, attracting about 100 customers last night, its first night open since renovations began in December. What would have been a big crowd at a normal bar was well under a quarter of Spider Kelly’s certified capacity of 455.
Pool tables, shuffleboard tables, dart boards and arcade-style video games have been brought in to add “more fun” to the neighborhood hangout. The well-received, value-priced menu has been expanded (more on that after the jump). Outdoor sidewalk seating for about 32 people will be added once the weather is warm enough, probably by the beginning of May.
After acquiring two small, adjacent storefronts, Spider Kelly’s in Clarendon is aggressively expanding inside and adding sidewalk seating outside.
Based on a floor plan filed with the county (below), the new Spider Kelly’s will feature three pool tables, five shuffleboard tables, five video game machines, four darts stations, two old school basketball arcade games, a big island bar, sidewalk seating for 32 and indoor seating for at least 150.
