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Successful enterprises are often built on a foundation of innovation and customer satisfaction. Each of the ventures of Orange County-based entrepreneur Robert E. Woolley exemplifies these characteristics. Of all his corporate endeavors, Woolley's creation of the all-suite hotel concept best illustrates his forward thinking philosophy.
Introducing the "hometel"
Woolley entered the real estate industry in 1969 by developing apartment complexes in Arizona. He soon recognized that a modified form of his apartment design would appeal to both business travelers and vacationers who wanted more space and comfort than typically found in a traditional hotel. Using the burgeoning Phoenix market as a laboratory, Woolley constructed a 75-room apartment building and turned it into what would eventually become the first in a chain of Granada Royale Hometels. The fledgling project met with immediate success and served to introduce...