Kennebunkport, USA Hotelier Invests $20M in Historic Southwest Harbor Hotel

Main Photo: The Claremont Hotel

Date: April 2021

Location: Southwest Harbor, Maine, USA

Name: The Claremont Hotel – re-opening end May 2021 – Memorial Day

No. of Keys: 24 rooms in the main hotel, six rooms in the Phillips House, and 14 housekeeping cottages on a 6-acre parcel overlooking Somes Sound.

Seller: The hotel was sold September 2020 by the Claremeont Inc. It was built by a retired sea captain and dates to 1884 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The Claremont was owned by the McCue family for 52 years and went on the market in September 2019 for $6.95 million. The pandemic resulted in a price drop to $5.975 million. The final purchase price was not disclosed.

Buyer: Renovations are underway at the Claremont, an historic hotel in Southwest Harbor dating back to 1884. By the time renovations are completed on the hotel that changed hands last September, total investment in the property, including the purchase price, is expected to be $20 million.

Claremont Hospitality LLC, led by Kennebunkport hotelier Tim Harrington, bought the hotel.

The extensive renovation includes replacement of bathrooms, windows, elevators, heating and ventilation systems, and paint; installation of air conditioning, a swimming pool, two restaurants and a spa; and seven acres of new landscaping.

Harrington is a partner and creative director of the Kennebunkport Resort Collection boutique luxury hotel group. His Kennebunkport hotel projects include the Tides Beach Club, Cape Arundel Inn & Resort, Hidden Pond Resort and Sandy Pines Campground, with nine hotels in all. Harrington’s other businesses include Batson River Brewing and Distilling. Kennebunkport was acquired by EOS Investors LLC in February 2020.

In 2010, President Barack Obama and his family had lunch there. Author John Updike was a long-time guest. A number of previous employees plan to return, Harrington said. Tim Harrington said he arrived to view the property by boat.

“The family decided to sell it,” he said. “So I went up and stepped onto the property and said, ‘I feel like I’m home. I’m definitely buying this’ — before I ever went inside.”

THPT Comment: Great to see this historic hotel being refurbed in such a sympathetic style. Well done.

First Seen: Mainebiz

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