Guesthouse International Hoping to Reclaim Magic of Old Clarion

Reputations take years to build and only moments to destroy. Employees at the Guesthouse International Inn and Suites, formerly the Fayetteville Clarion Inn, learned that lesson the hard way.

In November, JGHG LLC — which lists Jasdeep Grewal as the registered agent — and Charles Wilkerson purchased the 197-room hotel for $1.5 million.

The problem was JGHG, which assumed management of the property, changed what had endeared the Clarion to locals and travelers. Instead of a focus on families and entertainment for the 40-something crowd, the new management catered to a much younger demographic.

The change was not well received. Longtime patrons of the Clarion went away, leaving the old hotel with a serious image problem. But Wilkerson took control of the franchise in May, and since that time, the wounds have started to heal.

“Things started looking up,” said Tryphina Renz, sales and marketing representative. “We had to start getting our customers back. It’s been easy because they were so strong with the Clarion and they wanted to come back.”

Guesthouse is well positioned for a revival. Located at 1255 Shiloh Drive at the intersection of Interstate 540 and Highway 62, the hotel is ideally situated for fans attending University of Arkansas sporting events, as well as visitors to Bikes, Blues & BBQ, reputedly the largest single event in Northwest Arkansas.

Renz said bookings are good this fall, but Guesthouse is still looking to round out its occupancy with wedding receptions, banquets, luncheons and business travelers.

Among the amenities offered by Guesthouse are a complimentary breakfast buffet, Sunday brunch, a separate wing of rooms for smoking and pets, and 5,000 SF of meeting space. New beds and flatscreen TVs are expected soon. 

On the horizon is a $27-million sports complex — if Fayetteville voters approve the bonds — on 200 acres just south of the hotel. Guesthouse could essentially serve as the de facto lodge for visitors in town for tournaments there, Renz said.

Still in the works is a proposed Bloody Mary and mimosa bar, a rekindling of the Friday night seafood buffet, and the grand opening of Rascal’s, a reinvention of the lobby lounge Bobbisox.

The renovation of the Bobbisox location was delayed when that part of the building suffered damage during a storm in May, said Rick Miller, Guesthouse’s restaurant and bar manager.

But when Rascal’s opens later this summer, it will feature a few staples from the Bobbisox era — music from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, and a ladies’ night. New additions could include karaoke and a fancy jukebox.

Miller said the goal is to do what the Clarion did — cater to an older crowd, not the Dickson Street crowd. He’s confident Guesthouse can reclaim the past while moving into the future.

“The name has changed but the magic is back,” Miller said.