Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell gets rousing welcome at debut. What to know about new hotel

Neal Simon, Hornell Evening Tribune
Updated ·2 min read

It may have taken place two months after opening, but the first business class hotel in Hornell finally got a rousing sendoff.

Located on state Route 36, next to the high-traffic Hornell Plaza, the four-story, 80-room Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell quietly began welcoming guests in August.

The quiet is over.

Wednesday was a day for celebrating as hotel staff and executives, along with Hornell government and business officials, put a check mark next to a long sought goal: placing a business class hotel in the city.

The event included a ribbon cutting by hotel developer Indus Hospitality Group, which has a lengthy association with the Maple City where it has developed other businesses.

During the ribbon cutting, Indus leaders stood side by side with nearly a dozen local officials, including Mayor John Buckley, Hornell IDA Executive Director Mike Nisbet, Hornell Partners for Growth representatives and others involved in the $12 million-plus project.

Dr. Kripal Mehta, mother of Indus CEO Jett Mehta, wielded the oversized scissors and snipped the ribbon.

Jett Mehta lauded all the entities that came together to make the hotel a reality.

"Some of the projects we are most proud of start with the community reaching out to us. Saying (the city) supported us would be an understatement," Mehta said. "You rolled out the red carpet for us. This is truly a public-private partnership."

Mehta said the hotel workforce will be 30 to 40 employees.

A look at the indoor swimming pool at the new Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell.
A look at the indoor swimming pool at the new Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell.

Ground was broken in December 2021 with the COVID-19 fallout impacting construction schedules, project costs and supply chains.

But Buckley noted the project persevered through a pandemic and Indus never wavered in its "commitment to the City of Hornell."

Former Hornell Mayor Shawn Hogan reflected on the long journey to get the hotel in the city.

"I first met the Mehta family in 1987 and we have had a strong partnership and trust all that time," Hogan said. "When they got into the hotel business they said they wanted to put one in Hornell. They were just waiting for the right spot. This is the right spot."

Another peek at a room in the new Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell. The four-story hotel was developed by Indus Hospitality Group.
Another peek at a room in the new Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell. The four-story hotel was developed by Indus Hospitality Group.

Guests who attended the ribbon cutting were treated to tours of the hotel, which features outdoor seating, a conference room, a fitness center and a heated pool, among other amenities.

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A hotel meeting room is named for Hogan.

The company agreed to a 20-year PILOT offered by the City of Hornell Industrial Development Agency. The PILOT included sales tax exemptions for construction materials, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

There are smiles all around as Indus Hospitality Group and Hornell officials take part in a ribbon cutting for new the Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell on Oct. 11, 2023.
There are smiles all around as Indus Hospitality Group and Hornell officials take part in a ribbon cutting for new the Hampton Inn by Hilton Hornell on Oct. 11, 2023.

The IDA said the Hampton by Hilton brings a “different scale” to Hornell's lodging options.

"We have never had anything like this. It's beautiful," Nisbet said on Wednesday.

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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: New Hornell hotel takes spotlight: Hampton Inn by Hilton debuts