After a month-long shutdown, the Hamilton Inn will re-open for business under the control of the Colgate Inn, but an apparent lack of information by those involved has left many loose ends. The Hamilton Inn, one of the few lodging locations in the village of Hamilton, closed in late August under curious circumstances. The phone rang endlessly, and the abruptness of the closure caused some controversy among patrons who arrived for dinner to find the Inn closed.

By Thursday of last week, the Hamilton Inn appeared to be re-opened for business. The phones were up and running and the lights were on.

“The Colgate Inn is now running the Hamilton Inn … I believe it is a permanent change,” a Colgate Inn employee said. “It happened a couple weeks ago; we [the employees] were only made aware of it after it had gone through.”

The employee was unsure when or why the management change occurred, but was able to offer a date for the Hamilton Inn’s reopening.

“I’m not completely sure [why the Hamilton Inn agreed to the takeover]. All I know is that the management company that runs the [Colgate] Inn with the university now manages the Hamilton Inn.”

“The Hamilton Inn is now taking room reservations and the dining room will reopen October 15th,” the employee said, declining further comment.

However, some concerns remain. The Maroon-News sought an interview with a representative of the Hamilton Inn, and after agreeing to an interview, a representative from the Inn said they “were going to have to cancel and don’t have a reschedule date until future notice.”

The Hamilton Inn was no longer listed on the Colgate University’s list of options for lodging, and thehamiltoninn.com, the Hamilton Inn’s website was down, replaced with a timer counting down to 9:00 a.m., October 1. The only words on the site are:  “Under Construction. Stay tuned for news and updates.”

The Inn itself appears unchanged. A visit to the Inn found it devoid of cars and people, but prepared for winter with a wheelbarrow of road salt piled up on the side of the Inn. The grounds were well maintained and everything appeared intact: all the furniture was visible and the Inn appeared inhabitable.

However, a note on the doors read as follows: “For the time being, we ask that you check in at the Colgate Inn in downtown Hamilton,” followed by directions to the Colgate Inn and an apology for the inconvenience, though the sign still claimed to be “serving dinner weekdays.” It is unclear whether the Hamilton Inn was redirecting patrons to the Colgate Inn, which is currently under renovation, merely to check-in or to seek a room.

The closure of the Hamilton Inn has limited accommodations for visitors in Hamilton ahead of the busy Parent’s Weekend. The Colgate Inn, a popular residence for parents, is operating at limited capacity due to extensive renovations. The town of Hamilton has 19 options for lodging, 13 of which are small bed-and-breakfasts establishments.