Published: November 18, 2008 09:07 am      

Local motels reserving rooms for people planning to attend inauguration

CUMBERLAND — The Queen City may be nearly three hours from the District of Columbia, but that doesn’t mean inauguration visitors aren’t seeking accommodations here.

“Our expectation is that we are probably going to sell out of rooms,” said Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort General Manager Tim Grambley.

It was early last week that word surfaced of D.C. hotels being sold out and visitors now seeking accommodations at points west.

Grambley seized the moment and contacted the District of Columbia Visitors and Convention Bureau to offer rooms at the Rocky Gap Lodge off Interstate 68 just east of Cumberland.

“We booked a bus tour Friday, a group of 45 people coming from Alabama,” said Grambley.

While D.C. rooms were reportedly booked at up to $800 a night with a five-night stay, unheard of bargains are available locally for the metropolitan visitors arriving for the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

At Rocky Gap, a two-night stay is required for rooms at rates in the $139 range.

“This is a good chance to sell out along with anyone else in the county,” said Grambley.

At the Best Western Braddock on National Highway in LaVale, no rooms are available Jan. 19, since 60 rooms are reserved for two bus groups from Indianapolis, according to Stephanie DuVall, guest service agent.

“They booked two weeks ago after doing a search of Best Westerns in our area. The lady actually came here yesterday to see the rooms. She said she was going to bring more business to our area,” said DuVall.

At a rate of about $100 a night, the Indianapolis group will reportedly stay at the Best Western, travel to D.C. the following day and drive back home that night.

“All our rooms are booked up. We have 40 rooms that night for Frostburg State University. We refer any more requests for that night to our competitors,” said DuVall.

The Hampton Inn at Frostburg is also sold out, due in part to inauguration visitors.

“We’ve been sold out since the end of last week. We booked a couple of groups at 20 rooms each plus a bunch of individual reservations,” said Hampton Inn General Manager Parika Andreassen.

The Hampton Inn received another group request for rooms Monday, seeking to book rooms at $104 night for a minimum of two nights.

“They faxed the requests to all the motels in the area. A lot of groups do that,” said Andreassen.

“It’s amazing and so unexpected. I’m fascinated that these people are coming here, three hours out from D.C.,” she said.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.