Having undergone an $18 million brand transformation, the Roanoke Plaza Hotel in Roanoke, Va., has reopened with 320 guest rooms and 17,000 square feet of meeting space as the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel & Conference Center, Sheraton owner Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced this month.Located beside Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, the Sheraton Roanoke is part of a massive revitalization of its Sheraton brand by Starwood, which plans to have added 50,000 new and renovated guest rooms to its North American brand portfolio by the end of 2009."Sheraton Roanoke Hotel & Conference Center is a delightful addition to our expanding portfolio in the southern United States," Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Senior Vice President Hoyt Harper said in a statement. "We invite travelers to make connections in an atmosphere that is both welcoming and relaxing, while enjoying personalized service and the full suite of Sheraton signature services and amenities."Added to the newly refurbished hotel during the course of its renovations were a new on-site restaurant and Sheraton's new "Link@Sheraton" lobby concept, which includes high-tech public spaces where guests can check their e-mail, research local attractions, print boarding passes and engage in social networking."Our vision was to create a product that complements Roanoke's vibrant culture," said Navin C. Dimond, president and CEO of Stonebridge Companies, which owns the property. "We chose to work with Sheraton Hotels because they are in tune to what today's travelers look for in a premium hotel property."