NEW BEDFORD, MA – September 29, 2026 — Lafrance Hospitality celebrated the grand reopening and ribbon cutting of the New Bedford Harbor Hotel and 222 Union Café, Restaurant & Bar, marking an exciting new chapter for the downtown property acquired earlier this year. The celebration brought together local leaders, community...
MANSFIELD, MA — September 17th, 2026 — After opening its doors and welcoming their first hotel guest on June 12th, 2026, the XStay Suites Mansfield celebrated with a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Celebration this past Thursday, September 17th, 2026. The event was well attended by team members and...
NEW BEDFORD, MA – July 2026 – Lafrance Hospitality is pleased to announce the reopening of 222 Union Restaurant & Bar, welcoming guests back to its dining room after completing a thoughtful reopening process following the company’s acquisition of the New Bedford Harbor Hotel and 222 Union Restaurant & Bar...
New Bedford, MA – June 30, 2026 – Lafrance Hospitality is proud to celebrate the completion of Elmwater Landing, a thoughtfully restored residential community in the heart of New Bedford’s historic waterfront district. The project transformed a former window manufacturing building into 19 modern apartments, including 15 one-bedroom and...
New Bedford, MA – June 23, 2026 – The recipient of this year’s Catherine Crapo Bullard Award is Lafrance Hospitality for their, a transformative adaptive reuse project at 18 & Union, at the entrance to New Bedford’s historic downtown core. This award is given to extraordinary individuals or organizations who have followed...
MANSFIELD, MA — June 12th, 2026 — Lafrance Hospitality proudly announces the opening of XStay Suites, a new affordable extended-stay hotel located at 30 Reservoir Street in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Designed for travelers seeking the comforts of home without the commitment of a lease, XStay Suites offers spacious apartment-style accommodations...
New Bedford, Massachusetts — May 7, 2026 — Lafrance Hospitality is pleased to announce the acquisition of the 70-room New Bedford Harbor Hotel, a landmark property situated along the historic waterfront in New Bedford, Massachusetts. This addition marks another step in Lafrance Hospitality’s continued growth and commitment to delivering...
Dover, NH – May 4, 2026 – Homewood Suites by Hilton Dover has completed a $2.5-million renovation to its 88-room all-suite property, located at 21 Members Way, Dover, NH 03820. The renovation project led by Granite State Contract Furnishings included a complete property refresh. All guest suites, hotel lobby, guest...
Plymouth, MA – August 19, 2025 – Hampton Inn & Suites Plymouth is excited to announce the completion of a $4-million renovation, culminating in a grand reopening ceremony attended by local dignitaries and VIPs, including members of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a...
New Bedford, Ma – May 15, 2025 – Preservation Mass is pleased to announce that 18 & Union in New Bedford is the recipient of a 2025 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award. The 18 & Union project at the entrance to New Bedford’s historic downtown core involves the...
Westport, MA | Jan. 18, 2024 – Lafrance Hospitality, a leading hospitality management company, is pleased to announce the promotion of Tim Burkhardt to the position of President of Hotels. Burkhardt, who previously served as Vice President of Lodging and Development, will assume his new role effective immediately. As...
North Conway, NH | May 23, 2023 – Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott North Conway welcomed local dignitaries to help celebrate the hotel’s grand opening on Tuesday, May 23rd. The celebration included tours of the property, a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, free raffle giveaways, with drinks and snacks....
11th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Honor the Top Wedding Professionals Across America WESTPORT, MA / February 16th, 2023—Bittersweet Farm is pleased to announce that they been inducted into The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame from The Knot, a leading wedding vendor marketplace and planning authority...
15th Annual Couples’ Choice Awards Honor the Top Wedding Vendors Nationwide and Abroad Westport, February 16, 2023. — Bittersweet Farm was announced as a winner of the 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, an accolade representing the top wedding professionals across the board in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism reviewed...
15th Annual Couples’ Choice Awards Honor the Top Wedding Vendors Nationwide and Abroad New Bedford, February 16, 2023. — Waypoint Event Center was announced as a winner of the 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, an accolade representing the top wedding professionals across the board in quality, service, responsiveness and...
North Conway, NH | February 15th, 2023 – The 88-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in North Conway, NH situated at the base of Cranmore Mountain Resort opened their doors to the public today. Located at 165 Skimobile Rd, North Conway, NH, the Fairfield by Marriott will operate...
Wilton, ME (May 20, 2022) – The Comfort Inn & Suites hotel of Wilton, ME has once again been recognized with a prestigious 2022 Platinum Award from Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), franchisor of the Comfort Inn brand. For several years the Comfort Inn & Suites Wilton has...
WESTPORT, MA – December 15, 2021 — If you live in the SouthCoast, you’ve probably been to White’s. Lafrance Hospitality, known across the region for the mainstay event hall White’s of Westport, celebrated 75 years since its founders launched their first business venture with a holiday party on Monday....
Fort Myers, FL – October 13, 2021 – Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers has completed a significant renovation of its 126-room hotel located at 12600 University Drive in Fort Myers. As part of the renovation, updates were made across the entire property such as the hotel lobby and common...
Mansfield, MA – Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Mansfield welcomed local dignitaries to help celebrate the hotel’s grand opening on Tuesday, September 21st. The celebration included tours of the property, a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, free raffle giveaways, and drinks and cocktails provided by the hotel’s Lobby Bar...
Lee County E-Awards The E Awards are named for Elaine McLaughlin, a longtime tourism advocate who retired in 2000 as executive director of Lee’s visitor bureau. This year’s event had a well-suited Roaring ’20s theme — and there were plenty of roars, applause and table-pounding for the nominees, honorable mentions and...
Mansfield, MA – July 14, 2021 – The 108-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Mansfield, Massachusetts is now open today, Wednesday, July 14, 2021 with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calmness while traveling. Located at 50 Reservoir Street directly across...
Wilton, ME (April 26, 2021) – The Comfort Inn & Suites hotel of Wilton, ME has once again been recognized with a prestigious 2021 Gold Award from Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), franchisor of the Comfort Inn brand. For several years the Comfort Inn & Suites Wilton has...
BITTERSWEET FARM NAMED WINNER OF THE KNOT BEST OF WEDDINGS 2021 15th Annual Best of Weddings Awards Honor the Top Wedding Vendors Across America Westport, MA – January 11, 2021—Bittersweet Farm is pleased to announce that they have has been selected as a 2021 winner of The Knot Best...
Lafrance Hospitality Donates $576 to Westport Grange 181 Food Pantry Following Fundraising Campaign on Saturday December 19th, 2020. Lafrance Hospitality restaurants in Westport, MA pledged to donate 10% of all takeout sales for the business day of 12/19/20 to Westport Grange 181 Food Pantry. Lafrance Hospitality also offered the...
Westport, MA – November 19, 2020 – Marriott International’s TownePlace Suites by Marriott Fall River Westport is now open for business. The new 90-room all-suite hotel is built for travelers looking for an effortless and friendly place where they can settle-in, keep their routine, and easily connect to the...
Manchester, NH – November 12, 2020 – Tru by Hilton Manchester Downtown welcomed local dignitaries to help celebrate the hotel’s grand opening. The event included tours of the property, a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, and a reception with food and drinks from Common Man Restaurants, who will soon operate...
Manchester, NH – Oct. 15, 2020 – Hilton’s innovative hotel brand, Tru by Hilton, today announced the opening of its latest property, Tru by Hilton Manchester Downtown. The 126-room hotel, located at 135 Spring St. Manchester, NH, is owned by Bedford Lot Venture, LLC and managed by Lafrance Hospitality....
Local Residents Help Clean Lake Noquochoke (May 27, 2020) – This past Memorial Day Weekend, friends and neighbors of Lake Noquochoke in Dartmouth, MA coordinated a clean-up of the lake spearheaded by local residents Dave and Joyce Sheridan. When Lafrance Hospitality found out about the lake clean-up, they were...
MANCHESTER, NH – February 21, 2020 – Tru by Hilton Manchester has named Molly Mulholland as General Manager. Mulholland will be in charge of leading all aspects of hotel operations, including guest services and satisfaction, hotel administration and overseeing marketing efforts. Mulholland has over 20 years of experience in...
Fourteenth Annual Best of Weddings Awards Honor the Top Wedding Vendors Across America (Westport, MA) December 2, 2019—Bittersweet Farm located at 438 Main Road in Westport, MA is pleased to announce that they have been selected as a 2020 winner of The Knot Best of Weddings, an accolade representing...
Lafrance Hospitality will see a project payback of less than two years for LED lighting and Energy Management System efficiency upgrades (November 14, 2019) HINGHAM, Mass. & PLYMOUTH, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fairbanks Energy Services, a full-service design/build energy efficiency firm and developer of comprehensive commercial and industrial projects, today announced the...
November 8, 2019 Lafrance Hospitality Donates $682 to the American Cancer Society Following October Pink Bracelet Campaign. Throughout the month of October Lafrance Hospitality restaurants sold pink bracelets for $2 each with 100% of total proceeds being donated to the fight against breast cancer. The restaurants included Bittersweet Farm,...
Fort Myers, FL (September 20, 2019) – The Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers has completed its management transition and will now be owned and managed by Lafrance Hospitality. The Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers will be the 15th hotel currently under the Lafrance Hospitality umbrella with hotel properties spread...
DOVER, NH (September 20, 2019) – Staff members from the Homewood Suites by Hilton Dover read and donated Lewis the Duck books to disadvantaged woman and children at Lydia’s House of Hope on Thursday, September 19th from 6-7pm. Homewood Suites by Hilton and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) have partnered...
Westport, MA (August 22, 2019) – Lafrance Hospitality and Opechee Construction Corporation have broken ground and began construction at the site of the 90-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Westport, MA. The hotel site is conveniently located on State Road immediately off Interstate 195 alongside the Lafrance Hospitality owned...
Westport, MA (August 15, 2019) – Providence Business News nominated Lafrance Hospitality as a finalist for the 2019 Fastest Growing Private Company in Rhode Island and Bristol County. The results were based on revenue growth from 2016-2018. Lafrance Hospitality is honored to be named a finalist, and will use...
Marriott’s Root Beer Float Sales Help Local Children’s Hospital Plymouth, MA – July 31, 2019 – Root Beer Floats are sure to win over the hearts of Plymouth residents come August, as the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Plymouth is set to host an annual fundraiser in support...
Wilton, ME (May 6, 2019) – The Comfort Inn & Suites hotel of Wilton, ME has been recognized with a prestigious 2019 Gold Award from Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), franchisor of the Comfort Inn brand. The Gold Award designation goes only to the top ten-percent of...
Dover, NH (April 9, 2019) – The Homewood Suites by Hilton Dover has recently completed a $2 million renovation project to its 88-room, all-suite, hotel property. The project was led by Granite State Contract Furnishings and included a complete refresh to the property, both inside and out. All the...
Plymouth, MA – March 14, 2019 – The 108-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Plymouth, Massachusetts is scheduled to open on Friday, March 22, 2019 with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 16 Plaza Way, the...
WESTPORT, MA (December 12, 2018) – Lafrance Hospitality is overjoyed to welcome Liz Swider back to the hotel division, in her new role of Revenue Manger. Liz is no stranger to Lafrance Hospitality as she started her hospitality career in her college days working the front desk at the...
November 7th, 2018 – Peter Flotz and Kent Gregory of Bedford Lot Venture, LLC have appointed Lafrance Hospitality to manage the Tru by Hilton under construction in Downtown Manchester, NH. Peter Flotz and Kent Gregory have been working diligently on getting the Millyard area site approved since 2016 for...
WESTPORT, MA (September 24, 2018) – Since April, Southcoast Health and Fun 107 have been partnering with different restaurants in the Southcoast area to host their Food for Tots campaign. Lafrance Hospitality was thrilled to participate in the 6th Food for Tots event held on September 20th. Participating restaurants...
Westport, MA – June 7th, 2018 – Hampton Inn by Hilton Fall River/Westport located at 53 Old Bedford Road in Westport, MA has completed renovations to its 130-room property. The 6 month, 3.5-million renovation project, led by Granite State Contract Furnishings, includes a refresh of the interior and exterior...
New Bedford, MA (June 7, 2018) – The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, located in Downtown New Bedford at 185 MacArthur Drive, has completed a $2 million renovation to its 106-room property. The project was led by Granite State Contract Furnishings and included a full refresh of the...
Middletown, RI – May 1, 2018 – The Holiday Inn Express Middletown/Newport, located at 855 West Main Road, announces the completion of a full property renovation. This is the first renovation to the 117-room, three-story hotel since it was acquired by Lafrance Hospitality of Westport, MA in 2016. ...
WESTPORT, MA (March 27, 2018) – Lafrance Hospitality Company is in the early stages of building a 90-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Westport, MA. This will be Lafrance Hospitality’s second hotel in Westport – the first being the Hampton Inn Fall River/Westport, which was the first hotel built,...
August 30th, 2017 – The Dover Chamber was pleased to congratulate Homewood Suites by Hilton Dover on the completion of their renovations with a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony. Homewood Suites by Hilton Dover, located at 21 Members Way, recently completed renovations to their public spaces. Their renovations were part...
By Michael Bonner, mbonner@s-t.com NEW BEDFORD — A new restaurant will be arriving in a prime location in the downtown historic district as the building that once housed the National Club pub changed hands in January. Franklin Hospitality Group, which falls under the jurisdiction of Richard Lafrance and Lafrance...
By Matt Sheley, sheley@newportri.com MIDDLETOWN, RI — A major player in the hospitality industry has purchased the Holiday Inn Express in Middletown. Lafrance spokesman Matthew Shaffer said the Westport, Massachusetts, group is behind the deal for the hotel, which represents the firm’s first property in Rhode Island. Lafrance’s cornerstone...
May 8, 2017 – Lafrance Hospitality recently received an award from Marriott International for the successful opening of their Courtyard Marriott hotel in Littleton, Massachusetts. Marriott International awarded Lafrance Hospitality a “Best Opening” Award, honoring the company at Marriott International’s best Courtyard hotel opening company-wide since January 2016. Marriott...
Lafrance Hospitality of Westport, MA announces the recent acquisition of the Residence Inn by Marriott® in North Conway, NH from True North Hotel Group. With a portfolio of 11 hotel properties in New England, Lafrance Hospitality is a well-established and highly successful business that is founded on family values,...
Lafrance Hospitality celebrated the grand opening of their Fairfield Inn & Suites Plymouth, NH hotel on Tuesday evening with a ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony. Richard Lafrance, President and CEO of Lafrance Hospitality, welcomed local businesses, residents, guests, and government officials to the property, which opened nearly one year after...
May 16, 2016 – Courtyard by Marriott Boston Littleton is scheduled to open its doors in Littleton, Massachusetts today. Featuring an innovative lobby space as well as Courtyard’s latest contemporary room design, the new hotel provides flexibility and choices that allow guests to optimize and elevate their travel experience....
June 16, 2016 – Lafrance Hospitality Company recently awarded the 2016 Roland ‘Aime’ Lafrance Scholarship to Alexa Isabel of White’s of Westport and Kevin Newell of Hampton Inn Fall River-Westport. The scholarships were awarded at the annual Fall River Scholarship Foundation presentation ceremony, as the Scholarship Foundation selects the...
May 12, 2016 – Lafrance Hospitality Company is the co-sponsor for the Tom Rush concert at Westport River’s Vineyard on Saturday, July 16, celebrating the Westport River Watershed Alliance’s (WRWA) 40th Anniversary. The celebration honors the WRWA and their efforts in protecting, sustaining, and celebrating the Westport River and...
WeddingWire, the leading global online wedding marketplace, named Lafrance Hospitality Company as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2016! The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2016 recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness, and professionalism....
December 16, 2015 – Lafrance Hospitality Company and the new TownePlace Suites Wareham Buzzards Bay hotel have been recognized by Marriott International as achieving the best TownePlace Suites hotel opening company-wide since June 2014. Marriott sets strict guidelines and goals that need to be met in order to adhere...
December 14, 2015 – The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Wareham Buzzards Bay hotel and Rosebrook Event Center helped to make the season bright for local families in the region. The hotel hosted a food drive on behalf of the Hunger Commission of the United Way of New Bedford and...
November 12, 2015 – Lafrance Hospitality Company Wednesday was recognized by the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce for their investment in a new hotel and event center in Wareham, MA. Lafrance Hospitality Company was selected for the award based on the job growth and investment at their new...
October 20, 2015 – Lafrance Hospitality Company was recently named the Southeast, MA Silver Award winner of MassEcon’s 12th Annual 2015 Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards. Lafrance Hospitality Company was selected for the award based on the job growth, investment, and facility expansion at their new 85-suite TownePlace Suites...
October 2, 2015 – Lafrance Hospitality Company hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking at their newest hotel endeavor in Plymouth, NH. Standing on freshly paved asphalt, and addressing a small crowd at the foundation of the building, Richard Lafrance, President and CEO, Lafrance Hospitality Company, welcomed local, regional, and state businesses...
August 22, 2014 – On Monday August, 18th, 2014, the Hampton Inn Westport/Fall River, adjacent to White’s of Westport on State Road, celebrated their 25th Anniversary. Past and current employees and hotel guests were invited to a lobby reception on Monday evening to celebrate the hotel’s milestone achievement. Richard...
May 26, 2015 – Lafrance Hospitality Company is proud to announce that all eight of their eligible hotel properties received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award for 2015. Now in its fifth year, the award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great...
June 10, 2014 – Lafrance Hospitality Company has announced that all eight of its hotel properties have received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award for 2014. The accolade, which honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor. Establishments awarded the Certificate...
April 2, 2015 – The 85-suite TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Wareham, Massachusetts is scheduled to open tomorrow, April 3, 2015. Located at 50 Rosebrook Place, the TownePlace Suites WarehamBuzzards Bay will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Lafrance Hospitality Company ofWestport, Massachusetts. “We are pleased...
January 7, 2015 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading online wedding marketplace, named Lafrance Hospitality Company as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2015 for Wedding Venues in Southeastern Massachusetts. The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2015 recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire...
We’re proud to announce that we have been featured in Leisure and Hospitality International’s Fall 2014 magazine! See the digital version of the magazine here: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/phoenix/lhi_2014fall/#/88 Online article can be read here: http://lhimagazine.com/index.php/sections/staying-there/2032-lafrance-hospitality-co Thanks to A.D. Makepeace Company, SYSCO, and Granite State Contract Furnishings for their support!
January 17, 2014 – The Fairfield Inn & Suites New Bedford is proud to announce they were recently awarded the 2013 Silver Hotel Award by Marriott International. The Silver Hotel Award is given to those properties who achieve and maintain near perfect Guest Satisfaction Scores (GSS) throughout the year....
January 13, 2014 – In January 2013 Lafrance Hospitality Company (LHC) launched a brand new health and wellness initiative for the company’s 500 employees. LHC owns Christian’s Catering and five restaurant/banquet facilities: White’s of Westport, Ten Cousins Brick Oven, Rachel’s Lakeside, Bittersweet Farm Restaurant and Tavern and the Waypoint...
WESTPORT, MA. (December 20, 2013) – Lafrance Hospitality concluded their 2013 Toys for Tots drive on Sunday, December 15th, at their annual Breakfast with Santa event. Over 350 new, unwrapped toys will be distributed throughout the local community this holiday season. The drive took place throughout December at Lafrance...
NEW BEDFORD, MA – Lafrance Hospitality Company’s Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott has been named number six on the Huffington Post’s ‘Ten Best Hotel Room Views’ for the Northeast/East USA Edition. Travel writer Malerie Yolen-Cohen states that “this new hotel hard by the working docks took a big leap...
WESTPORT, MA. (December 3, 2012) – The South Eastern Economic Development Corporation has selected Lafrance Hospitality’s Fairfield Inn & Suites, located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, as the “Small Business of the Year” for 2012 from a pool of 350 candidates. The hotel is located in the New Bedford Harbor, just...
WESTPORT, MA. (November 14, 2012) –Downtown New Bedford Inc. recognized Richard Lafrance, President and CEO of Lafrance Hospitality Company, as their 2012 Person of the Year during the annual meeting, held at the Waypoint Event Center on October 24, 2012. The award is an annual recognition to a person...
WESTPORT, MA. (July 25, 2012) – Lafrance Hospitality Company has announced the opening of Ten Cousins Brick Oven, located at 977 Main Road, in Westport. Located in the former Fred and Ann’s building, the restaurant underwent a complete renovation and is now open for business. Ten Cousins features an Italian...
MILFORD, MA. (March 26, 2012) – Lafrance Hospitality Company announced today that it has purchased the 117 room Holiday Inn Express in Milford, Massachusetts from Sagecrest Milford, LLC. This is the eighth hotel property that Lafrance Hospitality Company owns and/or manages at this time, and the first under the IHG...
Westport, MA (February 21, 2012) – Lafrance Hospitality today announced that Shelly Perry has been appointed Director of Sales for the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites hotel, located at 185 MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 02740. As Director of Sales, Ms. Perry will assist the hotel in all aspects...
August 12, 2010 – Lafrance Hospitality Company based in Westport, Massachusetts, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2010 New England and Massachusetts Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business award winner according to an announcement made by Bob Nelson, Massachusetts SBA District Director. The Family-Owned Small Business of the...
