In 1994, feeling there was both a need and an opportunity to enhance their relationship with the Holland community, Hope College began working on plans for a hotel and conference center. These plans, soon fueled by a generous combined corporate/family donation to the "Hope in the Future" campaign from Haworth Inc. and the Haworth Family, began to take shape as the Haworth Inn and Conference Center at Hope College.

Before there could even be a ground-breaking ceremony for the new center, a location had to be settled on and ground had to be cleared. By the beginning of 1995 it was decided that the Haworth Inn and Conference Center, now being joined with the new Cook Residence Hall, would be built just back from College Avenue, between 9th and 10th Streets, extending from the Admissions building down to Gilmore Hall.

The choice of this location necessitated moving or removing nearly 20 homes. The College decided to move the more historic homes, about ten, to new sites near the campus. In moving the homes the college had two purposes: to save the homes and to improve older, run-down areas near the college. The historic homes, once moved, replaced deteriorated homes as well as some run-down buildings formerly used by the railroad.

Creative Dining Services of Zeeland, MI, a full-service catering and dining operation, was engaged to manage the new Haworth Inn and Conference Center, with Chuck Melchiori serving as the new facility's Executive Director.

The Haworth Inn and Conference Center opened its doors to business on January 13, 1997, with fifty guest rooms and twelve conference rooms covering 10,000 square feet. Groups up to 350 can be accommodated in the conference rooms, while the hotel rooms can house up to 172 people. A ribbon cutting ceremony on January 21 marked the grand opening of the Haworth Inn and Conference Center with Richard Haworth, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Haworth Inc., G.W. Haworth, Founding Chair of Haworth Inc., Hope College President John H. Jacobson, and J. Kermit Campbell, Chair of the Hope College Board of Trustees, all cutting the ribbon.

Since its opening, the Haworth Inn and Conference Center has attracted state and regional associations, and has hosted everything from week long business conferences to a luncheon for Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, Hope College Alumni gatherings, Tulip Time visitors, family reunions and more.

We invite you to learn more about us, the staff of the Haworth Inn and Conference Center, our hotel accommodations, and our social and business services by checking out the broad links above or the more specific links below. Please click on the Guest Comments link to see what some of our previous guests had to say about their time at the Haworth Inn and Conference Center. Thank you for taking the time to read about us.