Couple buys Victoria Inn in Hampton for $1.5M
HAMPTON – The Victoria Inn has sold for $1.5 million, and the new owners say they plan to keep events going at the historic property.
The inn has been at 430 High St. since 1885. For the last 10 years, Tracey Dewhurst has owned the inn and operated it as a bed and breakfast. During that time, she upgraded parts of the building and increased its use as a wedding and event venue.
The business has grown, she said, and is poised to continue. When Dewhurst received an offer on the building for a good price this year, she decided it was time to take a break from the fastpaced wedding business.
“It’s not something I could do forever,” Dewhurst said. “It’s a really unique venue, and it’s been a lot of fun to get it back on the map.”
The inn was bought by Sweta Agrawal and her husband AK, who saw the inn as an exciting opportunity. They made the purchase April 24 under the name Victoria Inn LLC, according to town records.
The new owners also operate Ways Motel at Hampton Beach. They have since wanted to get into upscale hospitality like the Victoria Inn, which features seven unique rooms, a white linen cloth dining room and a service bar. It also features a pavilion in the back. The new owners said they plan to keep events going as planned and hope to collaborate with local vendors on future bookings.
Dewhurst is helping the new owners through the end of the season.
Dewhurst moving on to next chapter
Dewhurst said she plans to focus on her catering business, Victoria’s Kitchen, which she opened in 2015 on Route 1. She bought the inn in 2013 after years of working at Hampton Beach. Dewhurst and her late mother Sylvia owned and ran La Bec Rouge on Ocean Boulevard starting in 1991. She sold La Bec Rouge in 2008.
When Dewhurst bought the Victoria Inn, she said she was reluctant to take on a bed and breakfast just because she was not a “morning person.” However, she said she was amazed to find a painting inside the inn that was by her mother dated 1971. She took it as a sign that she should buy it.
Dewhurst also invested in the inn to make improvements, including adding a new roof, overhauling the bathrooms, adding a service bar and heating to the inn’s third floor. Her goal was to make the inn a more modern hotel without losing its quaint and historic charm.
“I brought it as far as I could,” Dewhurst said. “It was just time.”