As the demand for lodging in South County increases, communities and hotel developers are trying to strike a balance between the region’s preference for smaller inns and bed-and-breakfasts and the growing market for full-service hotels.
State and regional tourism officials long have believed South County could use more hotels, and now, after long delays, a 100-room Hampton Inn is being built in The Village at South County Commons in South Kingstown, featuring a business center, a breakfast room, a lounge, a heated swimming pool, a spa and a sun deck.
The $10 million project, for which The Washington Trust Co. is providing $8.1 million in financing, comes on the heels of a more than $3 million upgrade to the 107-room Holiday Inn South Kingstown on Tower Hill Road, owned by The Procaccianti Group.
The company is also investing about $2 million to renovate the 100-room The Lighthouse Inn in Galilee, which it acquired in 2005, Marketing Communications Director Ralph Izzi said. (Procaccianti also owns the 32-room Ocean Rose Inn near Narragansett Pier.)
Both the Holiday Inn and the Lighthouse were built in 1965.
Julia Slom, senior vice president of Washington Trust’s commercial real estate group, said the bank felt the Hampton Inn was a good bet because of the area’s obvious need for more chain hotels. “With the beaches, golfing, Newport only two bridges away, it’s surprising there are no other hotels,” she said.
And while the region’s residents initially opposed the project, as they became used to South County Commons, she said, they were also OK with the idea of a large-scale hotel.
From Procaccianti’s perspective, Izzi said, additional development in the area is healthy. Others in the industry share that view, noting that while tourists may like smaller lodgings, business travelers, groups and others prefer the comforts of a hotel.
David C. DePetrillo, director of tourism at the R.I. Economic Development Corporation, said hotels benefit from being part of a cluster of similar properties.
“In an area with several hotels, people will understand there is sufficient supply, which will generate more interest,” he said.
Myrna George, president of the South County Tourism Council, said the construction of the Hampton Inn signals that larger franchises are welcome in South County. She stressed that the traditional backbone of the area’s hospitality industry, bed-and-breakfasts, are challenged by their seasonal schedules. Most are closed during the winter and even during the “shoulder” times of the late spring and early fall.
Izzi said the recent renovations at the Holiday Inn will help draw “shoulder” business. The hotel’s more contemporary appearance, along with a well-received new restaurant, reflects the growth of South County, said Izzi.
In the Holiday Inn’s case, the chain had a scheduled design update, and Procaccianti, which has owned the hotel since 1992, also took the opportunity to overhaul the property – changing and upgrading everything from the exterior skin, to the pool area, to the room furnishings.
The Lighthouse Inn is also undergoing a thorough renovation, and general manager Bryan Stovall said he hopes it will bring additional business. The opening of the Hampton Inn, scheduled for next March, may decrease the Lighthouse Inn’s overflow bookings, he said, but the continued growth of tourism in South County should keep the number of guests rising.
Last year, for commencement weekend at the University of Rhode Island, he said, the Lighthouse Inn booked 30 rooms. This year Stovall already has 60 reservations.
George said she believes the unique environment of South County, with its walkable villages and bike paths, makes the area a potential year-round destination. Because of that, she said, full-service hotels with spas and restaurants are a welcome addition.
Many of the area’s hotels and inns, such as the Winnapaug Inn in Westerly, have updated their rooms and services to raise their level of hospitality.
While complete numbers on vacancy rates are hard to determine because of the independent nature of bed-and-breakfasts and cottages, George said that many places are booked through next year because of high demand and return visitors.
As more and more travelers find themselves enjoying what South County has to offer, DePetrillo said, the area’s communities will keep finding themselves debating the relative merits allowing more large-scale hotel development.
“Some people don’t want hotels, and it’s not possible to put them up without local support,” he said. “We hope communities continue to include appropriate hotel development.”
