LEWISTON — Tom Hulsman was planning a trip to Androscoggin County — his daughter and grandchildren live in Turner — so Lewiston’s new Hampton Inn seemed like the right spot to stay.
“My daughter said this place was scheduled to open up the very day (I was) coming in,” Hulsman said. “So, here I am, the second visitor.”
Officials from Hilton inspected the brand new Lincoln Street hotel and gave it the OK Wednesday, and the hotel opened its doors for its first guests at noon. Manager Allison Reed said Hilton inspectors went over the new hotel’s rooms, safety features and books Wednesday.
“They make sure it’s all ready to go and up to Hampton standards,” Reed said.
Work on the $12 million, 93-room hotel began a year ago. The hotel is located in the heart of Lewiston’s River Front Island, on Lincoln Street near Main Street — the former location of the R.I. Mitchell building and the Vincent Fruits building.
A formal grand opening is scheduled later this fall.
The four-story hotel is built right up to Lincoln Street, with parking and support between the street and the river. The bulk of the rooms face north toward the Great Falls.
The hotel has 93 bedrooms — 65 with two queen-sized beds, 25 with one king-sized bed, and three suites with an expanded sitting area, one king-sized bedroom and two queen-sized beds in an adjoining room.
Sales Manager Amanda Theberge said the hotel was expecting a few more guests Wednesday and a few more later this week. They expect to be sold out later this month as the Dempsey Challenge rolls into town.
Guests who arrived Wednesday for the hotel’s first day received high-fives from the staff and gift bags with stickers and local products.
“They’re all local items, things from local businesses,” Theberge said. “Ricker Hill cider, Maine apples, pumpkin whoopie pies from Grants Bakery, stickers for the Dempsey Challenge and Baxter Beer — keeping it local.”
Theberge said the Hampton Inn brand is a “focused-service hotel,” a step below the “mid-scale full-service hotel” like the Hilton Garden Inn brand. That means the Hampton Inn does not have a full-service restaurant but does have hot breakfast service downstairs for guests. It also has a guest computer area, a meeting room and a full exercise area with an adjoining a pool.
“A lot of our guests are business travelers on the road five to seven days per week,” Theberge said. “For them, being able to get a good workout is absolutely important.”
Hulsman said he figured his grandchildren would be more than happy to break in the new pool.
“That’s one of the big treats for them when I come. My grandkids love the pool,” he said. “They get a nice indoor pool downtown in the city. That’s a treat.”
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- The Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street in Lewiston opened on Wednesday.
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- The Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street in Lewiston has a pool, fitness center, conference room and breakfast area.
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- The Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street in Lewiston has a fitness center, pool, conference room and breakfast area.
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- Tom Hulsman of Florida is one of the first guests to check in at The Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street in Lewiston. He is visiting “grandbabies” in Turner.
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- Standard room with two queen beds at the Hampton Inn in Lewiston.
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- Photographs of the Twin Cities by Dan Marquis of Lewiston hang on the walls throughout the Hampton Inn.
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- The Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street in Lewiston has a fitness center, pool, conference room and breakfast area.
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- Suite at the Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street in Lewiston.
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