A ‘new’ hotel that’s been in Port for 51 years

The Harborview hotel in Port Washington has been in the heart of downtown since it was built in 1972, but you would never know it by the way to looks today.

“We’ve had a lot of people who over the last 50 years got married and spent their wedding night here, who visited here with their families through the years,” owner Eric Lund said Friday.

“They’re amazed. To see the transformation — they’re blown away.”

The hotel has been renovated in its entirety since 2019. The first phase included work on the public spaces, including the creation of the Beacon restaurant, while the second phase, which cost about $2.5 million, included renovations to all of the 93 rooms.

During the process, all the mechanical systems have also been updated.

“Everything is brand new. It’s a new hotel,” Lund said. “The guts of the building are good — those are things we won’t have to change for another 50 years.

“Everything from the plumbing through the fixtures, furniture and equipment all got replaced.”

That includes the beds and mattresses, windows, lights, carpeting, desks and chairs, showers and vanities.

The result is a host of bright, airy rooms designed with a contemporary nautical theme that complements the hotel’s lakefront location.

“It was time,” Lund said of the renovations. “It had been a long time since the rooms had a complete renovation.

“Now we have something people in the community can be proud to say is in Port Washington. We’re proud to have people come here and stay.”

The rooms have pillow-top mattresses, new bedding and a 55-inch television,” he said, while the bathrooms feature large showers and backlit mirrors.

“What do you want when you come to a hotel? A good night’s sleep and a great shower in the morning,” Lund said.

In the standard rooms, the large closets were made smaller and the extra space incorporated into the bathrooms, which doubled in size, and all the tubs throughout the hotel were removed, Lund said.

“Bathtubs are one of those underused amenities in a hotel,” he said, adding that the whirlpools in some of the rooms were also removed.

In addition, the artwork in each unit reflects “things you see from your room,” Lund said.

The rooms also have air conditioning systems that operate much like a home unit, with a thermostat on the wall.

“It creates a real home-like feeling,” Lund said.

Even the hallway carpeting, which was installed during the 2019 renovation, and the elevators were replaced.

The renovations began in November, with the hotel closed throughout January and February, when the work was too intrusive for guests.

“With the extent of the work we were doing, it made sense,” Lund said.

The 57 standard rooms reopened in early March, while the larger suites opened in mid to late April.

The reaction has been everything he hoped for and more, Lund said.

“It’s not too over the top. It complements our customer base,” he said of the improvements. “We get a lot of couples, a lot of families — people who will come for Milwaukee Bucks or Brewers games or people coming for a getaway.”

There are also a number of fishermen who stay at the hotel, Lund said, noting the hotel leases two of its four slips to charter fishermen.

Anglers who catch a fish or two can have them cleaned and prepared at the Beacon, he said.

Lund added that one of the most common questions the staff members are asked is “What ocean is that?” as people check out Lake Michigan.

“They think of a lake as a place you can look across and see land, where you see houses around it,” he said. “They don’t realize how wide Lake Michigan is.”

The Harborview is a part of the Ascend Hotel Collection, a soft brand within Choice hotels, which gives the hotel the ability to remain independent while providing the support of a franchise.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” he said, noting the Harborview can be accessed on the Choice website and Choice points accrued and used by guests. “We have the freedom to be independent, to build a boutique experience hotel, but it has the power of a franchise behind it.”

The hotel has been affiliated with various groups throughout its history. It was a Best Western when Lund bought it in 1998, became a Holiday Inn in 2004 and went independent in 2019 before joining Ascend last year.

Business has been booming, Lund said, noting the international board of directors for the European and U.S. teams at the Ryder Cup stayed at the hotel.

“It’s a testament to Port Washington and the location and what we offer here,” Lund said.

The hotel is also booked for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next year, he noted.

Lund said the success for the hotel is tied to the success of Port Washington and all the area offers.

“There aren’t many hotels this close to Lake Michigan. Coming here is an experience. You’re right at the marina, at Rotary Park, in downtown,” he said.

“It’s a great spot for people. You can kayak. You can bike. You can go shopping. You can get great food. You can visit a lot of the great communities that surround Port Washington — there’s a lot to do.”

Lund said the Harborview is his favorite of the 10 properties he owns.

“I always get goosebumps when I come here,” he said. “It’s Americana. You have a hotel in the heart of a city where you can take in all the action. “