Hamilton House Inn: Historic West Monroe bed and breakfast offers Southern charm, comfort

A local bed and breakfast offers Southern charm and comfort in the heart of historic downtown West Monroe.

The Hamilton House Inn, located at 318 Trenton St., features a first-floor reception hall and five quaint suites on the second floor, each with its own flair.

Thom and Tonya Hamilton purchased the inn, formerly known as the Rose Lee Inn, from the previous owner Kathryn Huff in 2010. The couple spent a year and a half renovating the space and reopened it as Hamilton House Inn in 2012.

"We owned the store next door," Tonya Hamilton said. "It's a little jewelry store that's next door and the lady that owned this, she was an insurance agent and she was really ready to retire. She would ask me to watch it for her when she was going out of town or needed to do something, and it kind of happened."

The couple talked about owning and operating a bed and breakfast for years, Hamilton said, but didn't think that they eventually would.

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The quaint inn is operated as a family business by Tonya Hamilton and her son.

Each room is named for a member of the Hamilton family, each featuring exposed brick but decorated with their own charm. Room amenities includes a private bathroom, cable, iron and board, complimentary hi-speed Internet, towels and high-speed Internet. Complimentary breakfast is served daily in the kitchen.

There is a bit of history in the building, as Elvis Presley is rumored to have stayed in it, Hamilton said.

The Arrington Room, which is named for Hamilton's maiden name, is decorated in warm colors and features two recliners and a claw foot bathtub as well as a separate shower. The Alexis Room features chandelier sconces, dreamy cream colors and a claw foot bathtub. The Delia Room is decorated in taupe and grey, and features a queen-sized bed and a bathroom with a large vanity and double-headed shower.

The Renate Room features a king-sized bed and is decorated in grey tones with a touch of purple and whimsicality. Its bathroom features a double shower and mica studded slater tiles.

The bed and breakfast attracts a variety of guests, from people in town on business to married couples celebrating their anniversary. Hamilton said some guests are either attracted or turned off by the inn's location.

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"I think most people like it," Hamilton said. "I lot of businesspeople stay with me so a lot of times their wives will travel with them. Maybe they've got a meeting from down south and she'll come up. She'll stay shop all day and hang out."

Hamilton said the inn being in the heart of downtown West Monroe with restaurants and shops helps business.

The pandemic briefly affected business back in 2020, Hamilton said, but when several natural catastrophes occurred in Ouachita Parish, it brought business back into the bed and breakfast.

"We had that tornado that came through on Easter Sunday and that displaced almost 300 families," Hamilton said. "Red Cross couldn't put them in shelters like they used to so they ended up putting most of them in hotels, and Red Cross stayed with me. They were here for almost five weeks. Then we had the hurricane."

Prior to COVID-19, business during summer months would be steady but would peak in the fall and early in the new year, Hamilton said. She said since the pandemic and sports championships within the area, rooms have stayed occupied throughout the year.

"We're running about 80 percent occupancy," Hamilton said. "It's been kind of quiet this week. I had five empty rooms this week."

Room rates are $130-$150. To reserve a room, visit hamiltonhouseinn.com or call Hamilton at 318-366-2412.

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This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Hamilton House Inn offers Southern charm in downtown West Monroe