Downtown Middletown has 2 new and unique hotel options. How are they doing?

Downtown Middletown’s two newest lodging options are already generating buzz — and business — not only for themselves, but also for other locally owned businesses.

Susie Hatton recently renovated an 1800s Italianate Victorian home at 68 S. Main St. to become The Cornerstone Manor, and Kevin Kimener took the fourth floor of Torchlight Pass at 1131 Central Ave. and created boutique hotel Indigo Pass.

Hatton and Kimener said both properties have already attracted guests nationwide.

The presence of both independent properties opens up “a ton” of opportunity in the Middletown area, according to Mary Huttlinger, executive director for Middletown Visitors Bureau.

MORE: New brewery coming to downtown Middletown

“They create a different experience and they create an immediate experience in that they’re in the heart of the downtown area where a lot of our independently owned shops and experiences are located,” Huttlinger told this news outlet.

Both locations complement “the full spectrum of a tourism experience,” she said.

“We have places to shop and to eat and to drink and we have activities and now they have a place to stay,” Huttlinger said.

Indigo Pass and Cornerstone Manor accommodate out-of-town guests coming to the city from locations nationwide for everything from reunions and weddings to getaways and bridal showers.

In doing so, the two lodging options encourage guests to check out downtown Middletown and everything the area has to offer, including places to dining, retail and entertainment options, Huttlinger said.

MORE: Host a party or a have ‘getaway weekend’ at this historic Middletown home

That includes telling guests about those options in advance, as well as leaving out Middletown Visitors Bureau’s promotional publications for guests to peruse during their stay.

“Both properties are partnering with other locally owned businesses to create multifaceted experiences,” she said. “Both Susie and Kevin are very good partners to the visitors bureau and our mission, having visitors not only come to Middletown but to stay overnight and to experience more than one attraction here.”

MVB, through its website, brochures and social media accounts, promotes all viable lodging properties within the city, but may include Cornerstone Manor or Indigo Pass in certain packages or as part of suggested itineraries, Huttlinger said.

Those visiting Indigo Pass and Cornerstone Manor may also spread word of local businesses and experiences back to friends and family in their hometowns.

MORE: New hotel space highlights multiple recent moves in downtown Middletown

For Indigo Pass that means guests from as nearby as Columbus and Indianapolis and from as far away as Seattle, Washington and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Since its late 2018 debut, The Cornerstone Manor has been rented by guests from Colorado to Pennsylvania.

About the Author