One of two hotels in a dual-branded development has officially opened in South Durango after more than six years of construction.
The Hampton Inn & Suites, located at 402 East Second Ave., opened ahead of the AC Hotel by Marriott – which is located in the same development.
“We are incredibly excited to officially open the Hampton Inn & Suites and welcome guests to downtown Durango,” Jeff Lamont, president and CEO of development company Lamont Companies, Inc., said in a Thursday statement. “This project has been a tremendous milestone for our company, and we are looking forward to completing the AC Hotel by Marriott later this summer to fully bring this vision to life.”
The six-story hotel includes a parking garage, a meeting space, a fitness center and access to “shared resort-style amenities,” the statement said. Most rooms are priced between $200 and $250 per night on the hotel’s website, depending on dates and room type selected.
The development also includes a pool and hot tub, but both will be closed until Aug. 30 for maintenance purposes, according to a notice posted on the hotel’s website.
The AC Hotel, once complete, will bring a “modern boutique-style hospitality experience to downtown Durango, featuring upscale accommodations, stylish social spaces, and elevated food and beverage offerings,” according to the statement.
The hotels will offer a combined 202 rooms.
The long-term construction has caused frustration among some residents and business owners, who say the work has been disruptive to their jobs and lives.
Brennan McManamon, who co-owned Gazpacho Restaurant, located across the street from the development, blamed the May closure of the New Mexican-style eatery in part on disruptions and added costs from the nearby construction.
George Hassan, owner of Southwest Book Traders, told The Durango Herald in October that the noise and street closures had cost him around 20% of his income in the past four years.
Some residents living in the neighborhood adjacent to the construction zone petitioned City Council to shut down the development earlier in the process, saying the noise and debris was a nuisance and the hotels would block mountain views.
The city of Durango originally approved the site plan in November 2014, according to a city planner. The area was excavated in 2019, then construction stalled, leaving a large hole in the ground near East Second Avenue for four years.
A foundation permit was granted to Lamont Companies, Inc. in January, 2021, but work was once again delayed due to COVID-19, contractor problems and supply chain issues, the developer said.
Work began once more in 2023, and has continued since.
The statement described the dual-branded development as a “major investment in downtown Durango.”
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