New Williams Inn to Open on August 15

Media contact: Gregory Shook, director of media relations; tele: 413-597-3401; email: [email protected]

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., May 2, 2019—The new Williams Inn, located at the corner of Latham and Spring streets in Williamstown, is scheduled to open on August 15. Owned by Williams College, the Inn replaces the current Williams Inn, which will continue to operate through July 31. Reservations for both venues are accepted online at www.williamsinn.com.

Inspired by architecture of local area farms, the new Williams Inn is built of stone and wood, with interior design that is reminiscent of a contemporary New England farmhouse. The Inn features 64 guest rooms, a fitness center, a full-service restaurant and bar, and a combined 3,200-square-foot meeting and event space that includes a 2,800-square-foot ballroom and an additional 400-square-foot space directly adjacent to the ballroom. The ballroom can accommodate up to 390 people for a cocktail style function, 180 people for a seated function, or 150 people seated with a dance floor. In addition, the space can be divided into three sections for smaller events, each equipped with audio/visual capabilities. Event space reservations are being accepted starting September 1.

The Inn’s restaurant, called The Barn, will offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant has 62 seats, which includes 10 seats located in the bar area, as well as two private dining spaces that can accommodate parties as large as 12. During prime weather months, outdoor seating will be available on the rear of the property.

“Our hope is that the new Williams Inn serves as a welcoming spot for locals and visitors alike to gather and enjoy the scenic atmosphere,” says Fred Puddester, vice president for finance and administration. “The Inn’s location at the base of Spring Street allows guests closer proximity to downtown shops and restaurants, and within walking distance of Williams’ campus, the Clark Art Institute, WCMA, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. In addition, the Inn’s restaurant offers an exciting new dining option in the heart of Williamstown.”

The property’s exterior features a 3,500-square-foot greenspace that can be tented for outdoor functions. The Inn will provide the tent and the necessary tables and chairs for functions occurring in the outdoor space.

The three-story building, which has approximately 58,000 square feet of interior space, has several energy-saving features, including a high-performing facade utilizing insulation and high-performance windows far exceeding energy code requirements. This envelope, coupled with highly efficient systems, will help to reduce energy consumption per square foot, by more than 40 percent compared to the existing property. The project will also incorporate a solar PV array to offset a portion of its energy consumption. In addition to energy saving features, one of the most notable site improvements effected by the new Inn includes the cleanup and remediation of an impacted site. There are also provisions for bicycle use and an electric car charging station on the property. The college will pursue a LEED Gold certification for the building.

The Waterford Hotel Group, which operates the current Williams Inn, will operate the new Inn.

Parking at the Williams Inn includes 101 spaces for guests and employees of the Inn. There are 30 spaces off-street directly adjacent to the Inn and another 71 spaces located directly adjacent to the public parking lot. Those 71 spaces will be controlled by automatic parking control devices that restrict entry into the lot.

For more information, visit www.williamsinn.com or call 413-458-9371.

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Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students’ educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions on U.S. applicants are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.

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Published May 2, 2019