Inn Norwalk

 

The Norwalk's Inn location was notable long before there was a Norwalk Inn;  it was notable before there was a United States, even.

During the early days of the American Revolutionary War, Norwalk stood out as one of the most important Connecticut ports supplying
General George Washington's colonial army. In retaliation, New York's royal governor, William Tyron, . . .

. . . led some 2,000 British soldiers ashore on the evening of July 11th, 1779. After defeating a small band of local militiamen near
the Long Island Sound, Governor Tyron's forces set a massive fire and then, from an elevation known as Grumman's Hill,
the enemy witnessed an inferno which destroyed all but six of Norwalk's homes.

But happier times were ahead.

Over the following decades and centuries what was once a modest Grumman Hill trail transformed into East Avenue,
the most important artery in Norwalk's municipal road system. As the site of our Town Green,
the avenue was the eventual home to impressive Yankee buildings like the First Congregational Church . . .

. . . and the vicinity of many local attractions, including Stew Leonard's dairy store . . .

With the benefit of such a central location, East Avenue was, in 1955, the natural choice to be Norwalk's main entry/exit point
for the Interstate-95 highway. The new highway's visitors were considered so vital that they prompted an unprecedented, bold plan: 
town leaders decided to establish a community-owned lodging house less than a half-mile from the I-95 off-ramp.

'The Norwalk Motor Inn' proved successful in drawing visitors but, by 1985, three decades after its founding, the 99 East Avenue property
had seen far better times. As a result, the city sold the somewhat run-down motel to private investors.

Under the new ownership the renamed 'Norwalk Inn & Conference Center' soon underwent the first of several top-to-bottom renovations
to upgrade its 72 guest accommodations. The latest of the multi-million dollar overhauls took place only two years ago,
earning recognition as the Chamber of Commerce's 'Small Business of the Year' while also establishing new facilities . . .

. . . ranking it among the best of Fairfield County’s hotels.

The Norwalk Inn's most newsworthy renovation has yet to come, however.

In August 2010, the Norwalk Inn's owners publicly announced that, through an innovative agreement involving
the State of Connecticut and local preservationists, they would rehabilitate a neighboring home. The landmark 'Grumman-St. John Home',
dating back to the 1870's, will soon be fully restored to its 1920's-era appearance . . .

Closely tied to the $6 million preservation project will be a complete overhaul of the Norwalk Inn's existing exterior
and four square-acre grounds, one that will include an all-new building facade . . .

. . . parking lots, and landscaping. (More on the project can be found through our website’s ‘Inn the News’ page).

While the 2010-12 expansion project promises to take the Norwalk Inn to a whole new level, our hotel has long established itself
as one of southwest Connecticut's favorite destinations. Over the years, the Inn's 50+ employees have hosted
countless political debates, press conferences, fundraisers, and campaign headquarters . . .

. . . while also welcoming the likes of Senator John McCain and the Monkees (that would be the famed pop group, not the simians).
When Hollywood casts & crews were in town shooting feature films
like 'Revolutionary Road', 'Righteous Kill', and 'The Stepford Wives', they chose to stay with us.

The hotel has also been a traditional base for our home town's everyday life. We've held family events from baptisms to funerals.
Social events from engagements to golden anniversaries. Business events from networking get-togethers to award ceremonies.
School events from graduations to 50^th year reunions. At this point it's rare to come across a Norwalker who hasn't visited
the Norwalk Inn on multiple occasions and in multiple seasons.

We're proud of our unique history, our facilities, our place in our home town's civic life, all of it. But the thing we're most proud of?
An exceptionally long record of family ownership and superior guest service.

For more than 25 years, the Norwalk Inn & Conference Center has been owned and operated by the Handrinos and Katsaros families, Greek-Americans who first immigrated to the US during the 1960's. With God's blessing, we'll continue that family tradition far into the future . . .

 Today it's rare for a mid-sized American hotel to be run as an independent company rather than a corporate franchiser,
but we believe that status is tied to a superior level of client care. 

At the Norwalk Inn more enjoyable guest experiences aren't the stuff of a corporate mission statement-  they're our competitive advantage.

Clients don't deal with a faceless franchise-  they can speak to the owners, even share a drink with them.

We don't rely on billion-dollar ad campaigns, either-  we rely on the quality reputation we developed in the community over the last quarter-century.

The Norwalk Inn & Conference Center may not be as gigantic as some corporate competitors, but we're proud of the difference.
It's the reason we present an outstanding value for our guests.