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Hotel Trundle expanding with new wing

Melinda Waldrop //July 12, 2022//

Hotel Trundle expanding with new wing

Melinda Waldrop //July 12, 2022//

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Hotel Trundle is expanding, adding a new, 2,500-square-foot wing on Main Street in downtown Columbia. (Photo/File)

Hotel Trundle, a downtown boutique hotel, is expanding with a new wing expected to open next spring.

The hotel, which transformed three vacant retail buildings at the corner of Taylor and Sumter streets when it opened in April 2018, is adding a block of five guest rooms, including a spacious bridal suite. The 2,500-square-foot Flutter Wing, situated at 1544 Main St. above Drake’s Duck-In, will also feature an outdoor patio.

The wing is designed to be a fusion of the hotel and Airbnb experience, Hotel Trundle co-owner Rita Patel told SC Biz News.

“It’s modern and dreamy, very similar to the hotel now but a different aesthetic. The same mood and vibe, but with different furnishings,” Patel said. “The opportunity was a good one and it’s a great way to expand hospitality in Columbia and another way of experiencing the city.”

After checking in, guests will be directed to a private entrance. They will have the option of a private parking space or valet services. Hotel amenities such as complimentary local craft beer or wine at check-in, complimentary hot breakfast and locally roasted coffee will also be available.

The Flutter Wing will be leased from building owners Matthew Bridges and Daniel Boan, who have been attempting to develop the space above Drake’s for several years. Architecture services will be provided by Architectural Concepts, while Don Blackstone Construction will perform the build-out. Pond & Co. will provide interior design services in collaboration with Patel and co-owner Marcus Munse, Patel’s husband.

Hotel Trundle co-owners Marcus Munse and Rita Patel are adding a new wing to their boutique hotel. (Photo/Provided)The Flutter Wing, which calls to mind a butterfly mural painted on the side of Hotel Trundle’s main building and is in keeping with the whimsical vibe of the unicorn-themed hotel, will feature original hardwood floors and preserved light wells. The bridal suite, which will overlook a tree-lined section of Main Street’s central business district, will include a separate vanity area with lighting designed to enhance makeup application.  

“It goes really well with what we are and what we represent,” Patel said.

Patel said bridal parties make up a steady stream of business at Hotel Trundle, which has a wedding party booked almost every weekend and once played host to six brides on a memorable Saturday.

“I’m so excited. It’s so nice to be growing,” she said. “There’s a big demand for leisure travel on the weekend with big weddings and big groups. This gives people an opportunity to rent a semi-private space.”

The Main Street building has housed businesses since around 1868, according to Janie Campbell, preservation consultant at Rogers Lewis Jackson Mann & Quinn. Duffie’s Bookstore occupied the space until around 1912. It was then home to two beauty salons, a shoe store and Marilyn’s Slipper Shop, located there around 1941.

“We’re expanding in response to the volume of special event and wedding guests we host consistently at Hotel Trundle,” Munse said in a news release. “These satellite rooms can cater specifically to those guests and fill a niche with high demand in our market. It also aligns with our model of adapting historic buildings and converting spaces that weren’t hotels into stylish, modern lodgings that are downtown and convenient to the venues and restaurants of the Main Street District.”

Hotel Trundle has drawn national attention since its opening. The 41-room hotel ranked No. 5 in USA Today’s list of the country’s best historic hotels for 2021, and it was featured in Southern Living magazine’s hotel collection, a curated list of 24 recommended hotels, inns and resorts across the South.

Last year, Columbia City Council issued a proclamation declaring Oct. 5 Hotel Trundle Day.

“Business is going great,” Patel said. “The summer is always slightly slower, but considering everything with COVID, we’ve had a great summer. We’re excited to see students come back in August. That’s our busy time. Main Street comes alive again.”

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