ST. CHARLES, IL— Hotel Baker will be re-launched today in downtown St. Charles. The 75-year-old riverfront landmark has been closed for nearly two years and is under new ownership, according to a report in the . The hotel has been revitalized, according to co-owner Joe Salas, who purchased the building four months ago for about $3 million along with his brother Sonny Salas, and business partner Dan Burns. Opened in 1928, the property was listed as a historic hotel on the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Salas noted. In renovating the Baker, Joe Salas said he wanted to preserve the buildings history and “old-world charm” while modernizing the facility. He has spent an estimated half-million dollars on the renewal, according to the report. The hotel’s Rainbow Room ballroom, Trophy Room restaurant, Charlemagne Lounge and 53 guestrooms were refurbished with new color schemes and updated decor. The woodwork was refinished and restained, and walls were repainted. New carpeting, bed linens and window treatments were ordered, the report said. Additionally, high-speed data lines were installed in the meeting rooms and are scheduled to be installed in all of the guestrooms as well. Exterior improvements included repair of the hotels Spanish copper tile roof and brick. Portions of the gutters and drywall also were replaced, and the building was repainted. Other planned renovations on the outside of the Hotel Baker include replacing the front awnings and additional lighting. The Hotel Baker’s Trophy Room restaurant and Charlemagne Lounge will open this morning. The hotel’s guestrooms are not yet receiving guests but Salas reported there have been many inquiries.
