A Towering Beacon on Wells’ Skyline
New Hampton Inn & Suites offers a meeting place for the community and a respite for weary travelers
By Dianna Troyer
You don’t have to check-in as a guest to see the new Hampton Inn & Suites. At four stories, it is the tallest building in Wells.
“We love to have people drop in and check it out,” says Stacey Strong, general manager of the hotel that opened in September. “No matter what road you’re on when you’re coming into town, you’ll see it.”
The 81-room hotel dominates Wells’ skyline near the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 93. It features a swimming pool, fitness center, meeting room, business center, guest laundry, and breakfast area.
“OMG, it’s a beautiful building and an asset to Wells,” says City Manager Jolene Supp.
The hotel is owned and operated by Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores and is adjacent to Love’s.
Stacey says the hotel was built because Love’s “is committed to highway hospitality and being your partner on the road— whether you need fuel, food or lodging.”
A discount is offered to professional drivers.
Stacey—who worked eight years as operations manager at the Wells Love’s Travel Stop—says she is excited to manage the hotel because it benefits the community and can be used for local events.
“We’re proud to be part of the community,” she says. “Being in the hospitality business is rewarding to me personally. I absolutely love my job and team and Love’s corporate culture of servant leadership. The company’s philosophy is to give generously because it values the towns in which employees and guests live and work.”
In early December, to be a good neighbor and town leader, the hotel hosted the annual Wells Tree Festival—a popular annual fundraiser for the Family Resource Center. Stacey provided the 532-square- foot meeting room for free.
“It was a great way for local residents to see our hotel,” she says. “They were supportive and impressed with the beauty of the building and how it’s furnished.”
Stacey plans other community events with local COVID-19 guidelines in place.
“We’re brainstorming,” she says. “We’d consider hosting prom in spring if local mandates allow and having a breakfast for senior citizens the first Monday of the month. We’d love to see mining companies and their contractors use the meeting room, too.”
The hotel’s patio area and meeting room can be rented for birthday parties and other family gatherings. Hotel guests can also use the pool for parties.
Stacey anticipates Nevada Quarter Horse Association members will rent rooms when they compete at a show May 8 at the B-M Arena.
To welcome participants at the annual Wells Fun Run Car Show and Cruise the last weekend of July, Stacey plans to invite vendors to move their booths from the city park to the meeting room at night.
“That way, the car show can continue even though it’s dark,” she says.
When the hotel opened in the fall, Stacey was uncertain how busy it would be, considering coronavirus concerns and travel reductions.
“So far, our guests have been mostly through-travelers—the ones who see our sign from the interstate and tell us they can’t drive another mile,” Stacey says. “At night, the top of our building seems to glow with white and gold lights. It’s really pretty.”
This summer, she expects travelers to stay for several days to explore Angel Lake, trails in the East Humboldt Mountains, and Great Basin National Park.
“The hotel is a good base for outdoor recreation in the area,” she notes.
The building was designed with energy efficiency and recycling as priorities.
“We have motion sensor lights in certain areas to conserve electricity,” Stacey says. “We also clean, recycle and donate soap to be used in hygiene kits and given to those in need.”
The hotel’s décor is a nod to the pinyon and juniper forests and mountains surrounding Wells. The dining room’s centerpiece is a 20-foot-long table made from a smooth, continuous piece of live edge maple from Live Edge Design. The stain and varnish highlight the wood grain. The flooring is tile that resembles wood. Windows at the pool and in many rooms frame snowcapped mountains.
“It’s an attractive building and showcases northern Nevada’s scenic beauty,” Stacey says. “We welcome everyone to see it. We love to show it off.”
The Hampton Inn & Suites is at 1091 Cobre St. Call (775) 752-2099 for more information.
