Randi Milewski is the newly named general manager for Hammetts Hotel in Newport, a boutique hotel under construction at Newport Harbor. The new facility is expected to open in May.
Milewski is employed by Main Street Hospitality Group, which manages five hotel properties in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The hospitality company will also manage the Beatrice hotel in Providence, which is being renovated for a 2020 opening as well. Milewski, who lives in Cranston, spoke to the Providence Business News this week about her new role.
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PBN: You are the new general manager for Hammetts Hotel. Can you provide an overview of what the hotel will include?
MILEWSKI: Certainly. We are going to be in Newport, which is a premier destination. We’re incredibly excited to be a part of the city’s continued evolution. The hotel is a boutique property with 84 guestrooms, and on the waterfront. There is a blend of ‘modern yacht club’, a really authentic feeling throughout the building.
PBN: Who is the market for this hotel?
MILEWSKI: We’re aiming to be an inclusive hotel, inclusive of all guests, all travelers, and planning on being in an accessible price point within the Newport market.
PBN: Can you give us a range of rates? Will it be in the middle of the pack, so to speak?
MILEWSKI: We are planning to be in the middle of the pack, with rates ranging from about $105 to $200 in off season, [April to November]. [In peak season, per night,] our guest rooms will start around $400.
PBN: This is the first management contract in Rhode Island for Main Street Hospitality Group. The Beatrice hotel will also come under the company’s management. What attracted you to the Rhode Island market?
MILEWSKI: It is a real privilege for Main Street to head into the Rhode Island market. This is their first venture out of the Berkshires area, where we have several properties. With Hammetts and Beatrice, the locations are deeply rooted in the community and have a very deep, historic value, which is a natural fit for the culture and management style of Main Street Hospitality Group.
PBN: Have you always worked in hotel management?
MILEWSKI: Yes, I have been in hospitality management for 15 years now. Prior to taking the helm at Hammetts I was director of sales for NYLO Hotel in Warwick. The majority of my career has been in boutique hotels. This is a return for me to the Newport area. I was at the Hyatt on Goat Island prior to the conversion to Gurneys. I am a resident and homeowner in Cranston. I started my career with Compton Hotels, which mainly was a boutique hotel company. I started in the Roosevelt Hotel in California and opened a property [for them] in the Wall Street area of New York City.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
