The Inn at Middletown, which opened on Oct. 28, 2003, has experienced remarkable success in its first year of existence. Located at the south end of Main Street, the hotel and conference space have received a steady flow of visitors over the past year.

“We had a very good year,” said Marie Risk, Director of Hotel Sales and Marketing. “We actually met the budget […] and we’ve had numerous sold-out events and weekends.”

According to Laura Falt, Director of Sales, a large part of the Inn’s success has been the University’s presence. During special events such as Homecoming and Commencement, the Inn is completely booked.
The Inn attributes its popularity in the community to its unique location.

“It is the only downtown hotel property between New Haven and Hartford,” Falt said, adding that the Inn is within an hour’s drive to Bradley International Airport.

Over the weekend of Nov. 4-6, the hotel helped Wesleyan host the third annual Shasha Seminar for Human Concerns. The hotel provided dining services and meeting space for sessions in addition to overnight accommodations for attendees.

“Our goal is to continue our great relationship with Wesleyan University and really just keep the hotel filled,” Risk said.

The Middletown community has also contributed great support to the new inn.

“The city has been very supportive of the restaurant,” Risk said. “It has now developed a very good reputation.”

The hotel’s guests vary greatly depending on the time of year and time of week.

“We draw clients from business all over Middletown,” Risk said. “We have guests from Etna, Pratt and Whitney, Mortgage Lenders and Middlesex Hospital. And then the weekends are more social.”

The Inn offers amenities such as a heated indoor pool and whirlpool, fully equipped fitness center and valet parking. The Inn also houses a restaurant that derives its name from the building’s history: the Tavern at the Armory.

“We do all kinds of functions from 10-person meetings to 100-person dinner parties,” Risk said. “We do a lot of weddings; guests often stay here for the weekend [to attend], and we usually host the dinners or receptions.”

The Inn also has a rich history. In 1810, the president of the National Bank of Middletown built the two wings that comprise the original building. After World War I, the City of Middletown bought the property and converted it into the National Guard Armory, which the building functioned as until 1996 when Terry and Babs Weitzman purchased the property from the city.

Despite this convenient location less than a five-minute walk from the University campus, Rachel Finkelstein ’08 said that her parents appreciated the amenities but would have been as happy at a less luxurious hotel.

“Well, my mom didn’t really take advantage of any of that [the amenities]; she stayed there for WesFest last year. She decided not to stay there anymore though because there are places that are cheaper that are basically the same, and since she’s driving anyways, five extra minutes doesn’t really make a difference,” Finkelstein said.

With over 4,500 square feet of meeting and event space, three conference rooms and nearly one hundred rooms, the hotel hopes to continue to have the same success for years to come.