Orange hotel in foreclosure to open with new name, owners - Culpeper Star Exponent
After almost three years, the Best Western in Orange has a new owner and a new name-Comfort Inn and Suites.
The property, located on U.S. 15 in Orange, was originally owned by George Thakor through Prav Lodging LLC and was intended to be a Best Western. However, it was put up for foreclosure auction in February and again in April, with Virginia Community Bank holding the opening and only bid of $2.5 million.
The bank then listed the property with the Mumford Company, a provider of hotel brokerage services that specializes in the sale of hotels, for $3.3 million.
Last week, Collico, LLC's Pamela and Timothy Collins closed on the property, shedding new light on a project that's been dormant for more than a year. The couple hails from Montoursville, PA and while they have other real estate holdings, Pamela said this will be their first venture in the hotel business, Collins said.
"We fell in love with Orange," she said. "There's a lot going on here. You have Montpelier, wineries, Civil War history and events. There's a lot to attract people here."
Collins said the couple likes the location of Orange and that it's served by major roadways like Routes 15 and 20. Plus, she said, there's only one other hotel here.
"We like the small town looking forward [idea]," she said.
Collins said she hopes the hotel will serve as a nice place for people who live here and for their guests to come in and stay.
"We hope they'll come in and spend money in Orange [and] use it as a home base and branch out from there," she said. "We hope it's a reason for them to stay and get a feel for Orange."
The Collins don't plan on moving here full-time, but Collins said they plan to be in Orange often, putting lots of "sweat equity" into their business. Richard Huff, also of Montoursville, PA has been hired as managing director of the hotel.
As for the affiliation change to Comfort Inn and Suites, Collins said both chains were evaluated.
"We felt Comfort Inn and Suites was a better fit for the community," she said. "It has a great reservation system and there are not any in the nearby vicinity."
The three-story Orange hotel has 58 rooms.
"The Comfort Inn and Suites will offer its guests a variety of amenities including a free hot breakfast, an indoor swimming pool and spa, fitness center, free wi-fi and wired high-speed Internet, a meeting room that accommodates 50 people, and much more," Timothy Collins said. "We plan to be a business that will make our neighbors in Orange proud. Right now our main focus is preparing for our opening. You'll be seeing a lot of action the next few weeks at the property as we move toward that goal."
Pamela Collins said the hotel may eventually employ up to 15 people, or more as necessary.
"We have to see how things flow," she said.
Currently, a late September opening is planned.
"Right now we're getting things delivered," Pamela Collins said. "There's a lot of work in furnishing a hotel. It's like furnishing 58 mini-houses."
Many in Orange have been waiting for the hotel to open since its inception in 2008. In October 2008, the Town of Orange Planning Commission recommended approval of the project site plan to the town council. It included tearing down the former DeVivi's motel and subdividing the plats between the Red Carpet Inn and the new hotel. The town also approved the site plan and construction began in 2009. A temporary occupancy permit was issued by the county in early 2010.
The project soon stalled, however, and sat for more than a year 95 percent complete, just needing furniture, fixtures and equipment.
17 Sep, 2011--
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