Under the new owners, occupancy has been averaging around mid 60% this year, compared with low to mid 50% the last year it was open, Newcastle said. Last week, occupancy was 95%.
But perhaps the most noticeable change is the rooftop bar, known as the Top of the East, which offers panoramic views that on a clear day run as far as Mount Washington, about 80 miles away in New Hampshire.
The new owners doubled the size of the low-lit lounge, which offers snacks such as smoked swordfish bellies and panko-crusted goat cheese, to 2,000 square feet by incorporating areas that had been part of the roof.
New Castle President Gerry Chase is projecting revenue this year from the bar at $1.2 million, which would be more than double what it was before the renovation. April brought sales of $130,000, compared with previous years when that month had revenue of $15,000 or less, he says.
The bar's success is one reason the hotel's food-and-beverage revenue accounts for nearly half the property's overall revenue, Mr. Chase says.
