PENSACOLA BEACH, FLA.—Innisfree Hotels has broken ground on two projects that reflect the company’s long-standing belief that a thriving hospitality business should create lasting benefits for the communities it serves.
The groundbreaking ceremonies this month marked the start of construction on the future Hampton Inn by Hilton Pensacola Beach and the new home of the Hive Arts Academy in Pensacola. With the anticipated 2028 opening of the hotel and the Hive Arts Academy opening next summer, both projects represent complementary investments in Pensacola’s future. While the Hampton Inn by Hilton will expand the region’s tourism economy, create jobs, and welcome more visitors, the Hive Arts Academy will provide local students with opportunities to develop creative skills and explore their potential.
Together, the projects underscore the belief of Innisfree’s Founder and Chairman, Julian MacQueen, and Dr. Kim MacQueen that the company’s success should be reinvested in initiatives that strengthen the communities where it operates.
“Julian and Kim have always believed that successful hospitality begins with investing in people,” said Ted Ent, President and CEO of Innisfree Hotels. “Every guest who chooses Pensacola Beach helps strengthen our local economy, and that success allows us to invest back into the community in meaningful ways. The new Hampton Inn will generate lasting economic benefits, while the Hive Arts Academy will help young people discover their talents and prepare for bright futures.”
Sixth Hotel on Pensacola Beach
The new 215-room Hampton Inn by Hilton Pensacola Beach will be Innisfree’s sixth Hotel on Pensacola Beach and seventh hotel in Escambia County. The addition will expand Innisfree’s Pensacola Beach portfolio to 1,194 guestrooms and suites, bringing even more family-friendly accommodations to the destination rated the No. 1 beach in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler readers.
The beachfront hotel will introduce Pensacola Beach’s first hotel waterslides and feature amenities including:
- A zero-entry lazy river with a shallow sun shelf for lounging;
- Two-level poolside bar and restaurant;
- More than 4,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space;
- Expanded Hampton breakfast dining area and buffet;
- Private event patio overlooking the Gulf and pool complex; and
- Direct beach access.
The hotel will employ about 150 community members, bringing Innisfree’s local workforce to over 825 teammates and helping the company’s Pensacola-area portfolio generate more than $16.6 million in expected annual tax revenues.
For Innisfree, the impact extends beyond the economy. Through the company’s philanthropic arm, the Hive Foundation, Innisfree reinvests a portion of its success into community programs. The Hive Arts Academy will provide a permanent home for the Foundation’s youth arts programming. Designed for students in grades 8 through 12, the Academy encourages young people to explore their creative passions while building skills that prepare them for lifelong learning.
Visiting Artist Series
The Hive Arts Academy will offer immersive instruction in visual arts, sculpture, culinary arts, sewing, fiber arts, engineering, and fabrication, complemented by educational field trips, workshops, and a visiting artist series in partnership with the Luna Fine Art Gallery. Students will also have opportunities to exhibit and sell their work at the Hilton Pensacola Beach through Brilliant Star, a Luna Fine Art Gallery.
The Academy’s campus will feature more than 6,000 square feet of covered space, including flexible studios, gallery space, a makerspace, a demonstration kitchen, and specialized classrooms. Located near an Escambia County Area Transit stop; the facility will also improve accessibility for students from across the community and is expected to serve as a catalyst for continued investment within Pensacola’s Eastside Urban Infill and Redevelopment Area.
Together, the Hampton Inn by Hilton and the Hive Arts Academy demonstrate Innisfree’s belief that hospitality can create benefits far beyond the guest experience. By growing Pensacola’s economy and reinvesting in opportunities for local students and families, the company continues to build a stronger future for the community it proudly calls home.
For more information, visit innisfreehotels.com.
