Madison Beach Hotel, Not Like It Used To Be

There are a few of us around town who have been saying the new Madison Beach Hotel is so big, so new, and that it doesn't have the quaint New England charm of its predecessor, which was torn down in October 2009 to make way for the new hotel.

There also is uneasiness and some anger left in the wake of the hotel's repeated promises that the work would be done when it wasn't. This is true of many construction projects, but that didn't make it any easier on the people who were counting on the hotel for an event or for their summer vacation. And, there is still the issue of the on the table, which has riled up some people in town.

Still in terms of the hotel itself, when I revisted it Sunday afternoon, I decided to put aside my notions of how it was and how it should be and just went and tried to see it with fresh eyes.

Maybe we should wait until it's done before we decide

The first thing that struck me is that it isn't done. This is not news to anyone in town. But how can we judge before it's done? And what is done appears to be first rate. No, it's not like it was. But I had family stay at the old hotel and while they too were struck by its charm, they were not too crazy about the musty rooms, the lack of an elevator, and the run-down decor.

The other thing that's true is that the hotel is not necessarily being built for those of us who live here. Sure, we'll use the spa and eat in the restaurant, but the rooms and the event spaces are being offered to the world at large. And what I saw Sunday afternoon was more in line with other world-class resorts I've seen.

With that in mind, I had to say that what I saw, I liked.

New hotel makes the most of the spectacular views

The landscaping is on its way to being beautiful. The lighting fixtures and the spiral staircase in the lobby were attractive. The views were stunning. You absoloutely can't beat the views and the new hotel makes the most of it, both from the public areas and it appears it will from each room as well.

And aren't we lucky to have all these happy smiling couples walking among us for their special day. For the wedding Sunday afternoon, the beautiful bride and her groom were from Middletown, and the extended family came from New York State. They were staying in local hotels, eating at local restaurants and shopping in local shops.

And, when the hotel is up and running, there will be jobs. My understanding is that there will be 75 to 80 employees and maybe more. In an economy like this, that can only be a good thing.

One thing hasn't changed and that is that it keeps changing

The hotel has come a long way since it was opened in the 1800's as a rooming house. A fire in 1978 forced the owners to rebuild, then it was renovated again in 1982. In October 2006 the Duques family bought it. They say right on their website that their boal is "to transform the traditional New England beachfront hotel into a world-class boutique resort, with luxurious amenities and small town charm."

It's well on its way to looking like a world-class boutique resort. It's also clear that the Duques family plans to offer amenities like a spa, several restaurants, and boutiques.

As for small town charm? I'm not seeing that right now, but I am willing to wait until it's done to see.