Considering a staycation this summer? Or maybe you’ve got out-of-town family or friends coming for a visit who are looking for a fun place to stay?
You now have a brand-new option in the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel.
Located in Downtown OKC at 100 W. Oklahoma City Blvd., the 17-floor hotel features 605 guest rooms, including 29 suites, with well-appointed furnishings, regional influences and dramatic views of Scissortail Park and the downtown skyline.
Upon first entering the hotel during a recent visit sponsored by Omni, I was struck by the size of the lobby, the gas fireplace that stretches the length of the lobby, and the plentiful and comfortable small-group seating options, as well as the attention to detail.
Steve Keenan, Omni OKC Hotel general manager, notes that the lobby, food and drink establishments, other common areas and guest rooms draw inspiration from Oklahoma’s pastoral landscape, including earth and sky. Rustic, earthy tones predominate, representing the prairie and sunset. Common areas, guest rooms, ballrooms and spa also embrace textured walls and components of wood, metal and chevron patterns that pay homage to the local industry; Oklahoma’s state bird, the Scissor-tailed flycatcher; and the economy of the city and its surroundings. Several paintings showing the state’s wide-open spaces with striking clouds by local artist David Holland adorn the guest room corridors.
The Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park are among attractions located a short walk away, and the Oklahoma City Streetcar (OKCStreetcar.com) has a stop just caddy-corner to the hotel, allowing visitors to roam much of the city’s most popular attractions for a minimal cost without resorting to their personal vehicles.
Other hotel highlights include:
+ Currently, the hotel houses four food and beverage outlets (open to both hotel guests and the public): Basin Bar, OKC Tap House, Bob’s Steak & Chop House, and Park Grounds. Three other venues are slated to open soon: Seltzer’s Modern Diner, Catbird Seat (the poolside bar) and Double Double Burger Bar. At OKC Tap House, we ordered one of their signature pizzas, along with two sandwiches—the Pork Banh Mi, a Vietnamese-inspired sandwich generously topped with fresh cilantro, and the Chicken Teriyaki—both were quite tasty. Before leaving the next morning, we sampled the delicious coffee at Park Grounds, which is billed as a “neighborhood espresso bar, ice cream shop, bakery and deli”; the shop features everything from micro-roasted artisanal coffee drinks and locally sourced ice cream to fork-and-plate pastries and savory sandwiches. Stance Coffee, points out Keenan, is the hotel’s own, responsibly sourced brand.
+ A full-service Mokara Spa, open by appointment to both hotel and non-guests, provides a tranquil relaxation lounge featuring head-to-toe treatments, a revitalizing sauna and pampering nail services. Its design pulls inspiration from the state’s important commodity—cotton. It’s already drawn local praise; at the time of our visit in early February, it had already been fully booked for Valentine’s Day.
+ The hotel also offers a 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness center. The center, which is complimentary to hotel guests, features Peloton exercise bikes and views of the city.
+ In season, guests will be able to relax poolside while taking in the scenic views of Scissortail Park from the hotel’s expansive rooftop pool deck terrace, located on the third floor. Private cabanas are available for rent to provide a shady reprieve from the sun during the day. As the sun sets, unwind to the dancing flames and relaxing vibe of the poolside fireplace. The pool bar, Catbird Seat, features an inventive menu of refreshing craft cocktails and delectable food selections, while sliding glass doors allow for year-round enjoyment.
Room views, especially from the higher floors, allow for breathtaking panoramic views of either Downtown OKC or Scissortail Park, depending on which side of the hotel your room is situated. During our recent stay, we were ensconced in a room on the 17th floor overlooking the downtown—and the view, especially at night—was, indeed, beautiful.
We found courteous, helpful associates everywhere we went at the Omni, which didn’t surprise Keenan, who noted that Omni Hotels & Resorts (a family-owned chain of convention, downtown and resort hotels located throughout North America and based in Dallas) maintains a philosophy that includes treating staff as family, encouraging mentorship and advancement.
The hotel chain also believes in giving back to those less fortunate in the communities in which they are situated through their Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative. Their nonprofit of choice is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Feeding America (FeedingAmerica.org), which has food banks located throughout the United States. (Here, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is the beneficiary.)
Omni Oklahoma City Hotel adheres to the Omni Hotels & Resorts’ Safe & Clean program, an initiative that includes extensive cleaning guidelines, processes and procedures to ensure the health, safety and comfort of guests and associates. It is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and also meets the “Safe Stay” initiative set forth by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Situated between the new convention center and Chesapeake Energy Arena, Omni Oklahoma City Hotel serves the city’s revitalized downtown area, which in addition to the convention center and Scissortail Park also houses the Chesapeake Energy Arena, home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
Omni Oklahoma City Hotel is expected to become a nationwide destination for meetings and events. All 76,000 square feet of meeting space are located on the second floor, with the exception of an outdoor event lawn on the third floor and an exclusive boardroom located on the 17th floor that can be used as a convenient and private meeting space for visiting NBA teams. The hotel boasts a 20,500-square-foot Oklahoma Station Ballroom and 10,222-square-foot Five Moons Ballroom, as well as 12 additional breakout rooms.
Keenan said Omni Oklahoma City Hotel will greatly enhance OKC’s ability to attract more large-scale conventions to the metro.
The office of Oklahoma City Mayor Holt proclaimed Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, as “Omni Oklahoma City Hotel Day.” At a privately held ribbon-cutting event, Holt read the proclamation, which states, “The opening of the Omni in Oklahoma City is a continuation of an exciting chapter in downtown Oklahoma City’s ongoing transformation. In partnership with the MAPS 3 convention center, Omni helps further propel our city to bring in new visitors, tax dollars and more.”
Omni Hotel Oklahoma City
100 West Oklahoma City Blvd.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73109
405.438.6500
