Surfside Hotel Prepares To Open In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — The most charming beach house in Stratford just might be a hotel.

After two years in development, the team behind The Surfside Hotel is putting the finishing touches on its eclectic seaside decor, in the hope of opening by the end of the month.

The hotel-restaurant combination building at 10 Washington Parkway on the Long Island Sound was formerly home to Marnick’s, and partially reopened in September when Little Pub started serving customers in the dining space. The hotel was on schedule to open March 15, until work was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, according to owner Doug Grabe, who also operates the region’s five Little Pub restaurants.

“We were in the finishing stages of it and then COVID hit,” Grabe said. “… Nobody knew what was going to happen.”

Despite delays, work on the hotel continued. The space has been completely redone, with new air conditioning units and bathrooms, and top-of-the-line mattresses, according to Grabe, who is new to the hotel industry.

“We made a hotel that we wanted to stay at,” he said.

Decorative ship lap, porthole light fixtures and a vintage swimmer motif will remind guests that the beach is just a few steps away. The hotel was decorated by ELCO, a home decor company run by Grabe’s sister, Laura Grabe, who said she wanted The Surfside to feel like a beach house.

“We just wanted to be relaxed and casual and welcoming,” she said.

The majority of The Surfside’s 29 rooms have water views and a balcony or deck, Doug said.

Due to the pandemic, hotel staff will wear face masks and keep a safe distance from guests. Hand sanitizer and touch-free check-in will also be available.

Little Pub will provide room service, while visitors who want a sweet treat can enjoy Bridgeport-based Micalizzi’s ice cream, which is available at a renovated 1950s camping trailer parked outside the hotel.

Rooms will start at $200 per night, with up charges for waterfront rooms or a stay during the busy season. The Surfside will begin by opening one block of the hotel and then gradually expand the number of rooms available.

“We’re just excited to finally get the doors open,” Grabe said.

For more information, visit thesurfside.com.