After several years of construction, two Hilton-branded hotels are finally nearing completion on Market Street. 

Work on the Tru- and Tapestry-branded hotels at 5001 Market St. has moved into its second phase, according to Seraj Patel, vice president of developer CN Hotels. Both hotels are expected to open for guests early this summer.

A hotel on the site previously operated as an AmeriStay Inn and Ramada Inn until Greensboro-based Seraj Enterprises Inc. purchased the building and surrounding four-acre lot for nearly $3.2 million in 2017, according to property records. 

The project received building and renovation permits from New Hanover County in 2020 and work on the site has been ongoing ever since. Once open, the two hotels will have a combined total of 207 rooms.

The Tru brand features “efficiently designed modern guestrooms” at an “affordable price,” according to Hilton’s website. A Tru-branded hotel recently opened its doors in Leland at 1462 Olde Waterford Way while another is in the works near Mayfaire at 1010 Ashes Drive.

Hilton’s Tapestry Collection is a more boutique brand that offers guests “unique style and vibrant personality, encouraging them to connect to their destination and enjoy authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences,” Hilton’s website states. Downtown Wilmington’s Hotel Ballast is part of the Tapestry Collection. 

According to Patel, CN Hotels had been looking to expand into the Wilmington market “for some time.” The hotel aims to appeal to both business and leisure travelers, offer a relaxed atmosphere and “lean into the niche family-friendly category,” Patel wrote in an email to the Business Journal. 

The Tapestry-branded hotel will be called Hotel Lela and an on-site restaurant will be called Paloma’s. The restaurant will provide breakfast and dinner for guests and will also be open to the public. 

Hiring for the hotel’s staff kicked off this week. Management firm Mckibbon Hospitality hosted a hiring fair at the hotel from Wednesday through Friday. 

The company is hiring for various positions to staff Hotel Lela, the Tru hotel and Paloma’s. Jobs range from management and food and beverage positions to housekeeping, front desk, sales and maintenance. On Friday, the hiring event is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.