Bon Aire section and other exterior changes to Hotel Breakers

samosuband said:

This will probably sound stupid, but is Bon Aire the section closest to Soak City?

Don't worry, I had the same crazy question back last month.

I don't have much knowledge about Hotel Breakers and I haven't kept up on it but why aren't they just remodeling that Bon Aire section? I feel like the park wouldn't want to lose rooms.

Probably the amount of work needed doesn't make it cost effective. The building is probably in bad enough shape that it would need a total reconstruction much like what they did to the rotunda wings.

That and the project is already $60 million. What's the chance they decided that it wasn't worth spending more than that at this time to refurb Bon Air?

Does anyone have an arial view photo/diagram with the different sections labeled? I know what the Tower section and the (I think) Rotunda are but not so sure about the rest. Twin? Bon Aire? East?

What are the two "wings" that come of the front of the rotunda called?

Those two wings are considered "Main" section. As to Bon Aire...that building is circa 1926 and I just don't think there is any redeeming quality to keeping it. Sooner or later it will need to come down...so why not do it now before investing any more mony?

Being off on one end of the hotel, I'd guess it can be demolished with minimal impact on the building or guests.

I think Breakers East was/is a layout and design mistake, poor long-term planning really.

The Tower however always struck me as being the first, not the last expansion of the hotel. I Looked at the design and immediately thought they could or would build another, mirroring in a modern way the manner in which the old wings fit together. Looking at the picture provided above, I could see another tower being built on comparatively little space north-west, off the end of the current one. Heck, you would still have a net gain in parking.

In any case Bon Aire is a very old wood-framed hotel building. The cost of renovating to modern standards and safety would likely be far more than desired, especially if you can replace it with a new wing years from now.

Why do you feel East has a poor layout/design? I think it looks nice from the boardwalk and frames the pool nicely, while having a lot of rooms with a pool/beach view.

Breakers East was one of the best modern modificatons made to the hotel, offering updated lakefront rooms. It replaced two aging and deteiorated wings that were in the condition as the Bon Aire.

I should have a sticky note to remind me where I'm posting.

Let me expand my comment some.

I'm not saying Breakers East is "bad." In and of itself it is fine and good. However when the tower went-up not long after I think it made Breakers East stand-out as having been too limited in the long-term. They could well have mirrored the symetry of the orgional wings with towers on either side of Main. Larger capacity, more room for better conference space and facilities on the ground floor, etc.

I still think they could build another tower next to the current one in this manner.

It's possible that a West wing similar to the East side was planned, but then changed as the idea for a tower offering more lakefront rooms was more appealing.

I have always wondered if a "Breakers West" was ever planned, however tentatively.

I think East is perfect, very close to the pool and more intimate and convenient than the tower. They are probably happy with the number of rooms they have, that's why East was planned the way it was. It's a nicer place to stay then the tower for what my tastes are.

Got to give those construction guys a lot of credit for the work they do. It is snowing pretty hard today and these guys are out on the scaffolding and roof structures doing their work. They really earn their money.

I agree with the above comment, I checked this afternoon and cant see alot. Cam #1 seems to be half way iced over. Cam #2 is showing little icicles. Cam #3 looks like everything is super foggy or just a blustry day in Sandusky...cant hardly make much movement out at all.

Thanks to the crews that are working! ~May will be here shortly

So last season during part 1 of the renovation I noticed they added a roof onto the top of the tower instead of it being just flat.

Anyone know why?

ALSO, I noticed when booking reservation for next summer some of the rooms have "glassed in patios". Have these been there before?

The roof is there to make it look nice.

I don't believe there were ever glassed in patios, though the suites in East and Tower from the 2nd floor up have screened in balconies.