One of region's largest resort properties is getting a facelift.


Work will begin this summer on $20 million in upgrades at Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa & Convention Center on Galveston Island. The 428-room property completed in 1998 will see improvements in both guest rooms and common areas. Officials with the hotel say the renovation is necessary to maintain the AAA Four-Diamond rating.

The hotel and attached convention center are on the property of Moody Gardens, the 156-acre family attraction that includes an aquarium, rainforest habitat and waterpark among other elements.

Guest rooms will get a complete furniture and fixture makeover, along with new showers, sinks and tiling in the bathrooms. Some rooms will be converted to junior suites to suit the demands of VIP groups.

Common areas will also get a new look, with a dramatic renovation of the Terrace Restaurant, the hotel's lobby and the Lobby Bar, along with updates to Shearn's Fine Dining and the property's meeting rooms.

"Our ultimate goal is to provide the best experience possible for our guests," said John Zendt, Moody Gardens President and CEO. "Such enhancements allow Moody Gardens to fulfill a standard of excellence that guests have come to expect from our property for leisure travel and corporate business."

Plans call for work to begin in August 2012 with completion expected in June 2014.