Stay a day, stay a year—you can do it here

Residence Inn by Marriott first extended stay hotel for county

BY KATHY KAHN

If the road becomes too long and too winding, travelers have a new option in Rockland–the county’s first extended stay hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott on Rt. 303 in Orangeburg, adjacent to Loew’s and Stop n’ Shop.

On Thursday, February 20, Marriott franchise owners RD Management held an open-house the community, showing off its luxurious extended-stay suites along with several other amenities designed to make hotel living a lot more homey.

The 129-suite hotel offers studios to two-bedroom apartments with complete kitchens along a host of amenities that can make the most jaded traveler feel like kicking back and relaxing.

Guests have the use of an indoor swimming pool, fitness room, a business center and a meeting room that holds up to 40 people to either mingle or teleconference via Skype. They can opt to do their own laundry or use the hotel’s valet services. With Stop & Shop just down the road, guests can either do their own marketing or take advantage of the store’s door-to-door delivery service. Three nights a week, a complimentary light dinner is served. From Monday through Friday, Colwen Café offers a full bar with a light bar menu for out-of-towners hunkered down for the short-or-long haul. There’s also a café where quick meals or snacks can be pickup up at any time. And good news for animal lovers– pets are welcome.

When the snow’s gone, an outdoor fitness court, along with a barbeque pit area and tables, are available to guests.

Susan Griffin, owner’s representative for RD Management in New York City, said the company acquired 16 acre parcel in the early 2000s and had some preliminary talks with the town. “Then the Recession hit, and that put negotiations off track for some time,” said Griffin. “We got our final approvals and broke ground in 2012, opening the hotel in November, 2013. We couldn’t be more pleased with the way it’s been designed–Colwen Management focuses solely on architecture and interior décor for all our properties. They’ve done a spectacular job.”

The $24 million project still has enough land that’s shovel ready for an additional hotel and two pad sites. “We’re hoping to put get a full-service restaurant to take one of those sites,” said Griffin.

Al Rossi, Vice President of RD Management, said the hotel is already “exceeding our expectations…local business have been very receptive, and we are landing some corporate accounts. Rockland is booming, and with the new bridge being built, we’re hoping to be on the radar for those engineers and others who will be relocating to the area once the construction is in full swing.”

As Westchester prices continue to climb and available space becomes pricey, Rockland’s looking better to businesses all the time. “This particular parcel was a long-dormant site that needed a lot of remedial cleanup,” said Griffin. “We think it was worth every penny and couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.

“This is a great location for travelers and for those who want the comforts of home without the inconvenience of renting one. It’s also a great spot for weekenders as well, families who really need a kitchen and something closer to ‘home’ than a traditional hotel room.”

If you want to check out the hotel’s website visit www.residenceinnorangeburgny.com.