Hampton Inn Suites Earns Biggest Business Contract in History of Hotel

Effective Wednesday, Aug. 20, Hampton Inn & Suites in Colton landed their biggest business account in the history of their over 30-year-old local hotel. The client, Union Pacific, has signed a two-year contract with the hotel to rent rooms out for their workers originally from Bakersfield, in the area for work. When one rotation of workers leave, a new rotation will come, leaving the rooms, which amount to about 20% of the hotel's occupancy, rented 7 days a week for the foreseeable future. The workers take the train from Bakersfield and won’t have their cars with them, making the convenient location of the hotel (across from a market and walking distance from a 24-hour Denny's) that much more valuable. The workers were previously staying in a hotel in the Fontana/Rialto area, but would periodically stay at Hampton Inn & Suites in Colton when their usual hotel had no vacancies. These instances proved to be a major help in earning the Colton hotel the contract as the workers saw a distinct difference in the quality of service and care they received during their stay. The union pulled together, along with the union president, to make sure that their voice was heard when a decision was being made on whether the business would transition to the Colton area. Lesley Stevens, Sales Manager for Hampton Inn & Suites, was another driving force in pulling the business relationship together. After 16 months of hard work Stevens went through numerous inspections from supervisors and the union, along with a heap of paperwork to make this deal a reality. Upon signing, she couldn't wait to share the news with her community, staff and city leaders, that they had been awarded the business. She highlights the direct benefit this accomplishment will have on the Colton community, bringing business to local shops and businesses surrounding the hotel and throughout the community, along with the 10% transient occupancy tax from each room rental that goes directly to the city in a general fund to be used as deemed fit by city officials on community improvement and other projects. Stevens thanks Councilmember Susan Oliva who first brought up the idea of contacting Union Pacific when Stevens reached out to city leaders for help in filling the hotel and bringing business into their community. “Colton’s history is the railroad and for Union Pacific to trust this community and this hotel is a great thing,” Stevens said. Lesley Stevens thanks the community and Councilmember Susan Oliva for helping bring this positive accomplishment to the city of Colton.