Hamilton to get a sneak peek of The Well House a week before opening

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Hamiltonians can get a preview of The Well House Hotel on Nov. 9 before it opens a week later, but overnight stays won’t be available until Jan. 4.

But Hotel General Manager Catherine Rentschler said she’s hopeful that as Hilton assesses the progress, she would be able to start taking reservations for sooner stays.

“Every couple of weeks, Hilton will reassess to make sure our progress is moving forward, and we’ll push that arrivals date back ... ,” she said. “Ideally, it would mean we’ll be able start taking for the 14th the week before we open.”

The mid-November date is not the only milestone on the calendar for the hotel at 10 S. Monument Ave. The weeks of Oct. 14 and Oct. 21 are key shipment dates. The hotel will first receive the fixtures, furnishings and equipment, then it will receive the guest supplies, like safes, hair dryers and coffee makers.

The Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is hosting The Social Exchange from 6 to 10 p.m. on Nov. 9, a 1920s-themed party at the hotel.

“It means a lot to us, from a history perspective, because the chamber was one of the players in getting the hotel built to begin with,” said chamber President and CEO Dan Bates.

The Well House is Hamilton’s third hotel and the first since Spooky Nook’s The Warehouse Hotel opened at the North B Street complex. It will also not be the last as there are three to four more planned over the next few years.

“One of the challenges we have coming into the town for all the events at Spooky Nook and other events is they stay outside the city because there’s not enough beds for us,” Bates said. “That costs us dinners and things like that. If somebody comes into Hamilton for Spooky Nook or another event, but their family is staying in Fairfield, they’re going to go back to Fairfield.”

Bates said by keeping people in Hamilton, it will be “a huge driving force for our economy, but even more I think it’s exciting because the Well House is going to be a unique offering.”

Rentschler said her first two management hires will focus on building out the team, and she had already started to build an onboarding schedule and a list of candidates to interview.

“We as a small team, the construction guys are going to be finishing up punch list items, but my strong but mighty team will be in there, rolling our sleeves up and getting the rooms ready,” she said. “It’s one of the times I really enjoy working for a reopening because you bond so well together with your team.”

The hotel’s attached restaurant, The Lucky Well, will be operated by Tony Cafeo, who also operates other restaurants in Greater Cincinnati, including Billy Yanks in Hamilton. The restaurant, Rentschler said, is also on pace to open in mid-November.

For reservations, visit tapestrycollection.com/thewellhousehamilton.

About the Author