Better Booking Options, Visibility Lead Inn to Change

By WYDaily Staff Saturday, April 09, 2011

As it heads into its 40th year in the lodging business, The Quarterpath Inn has a new name and affiliation.

Owner Doug Pons announced that the Quarterpath, which he took over from his father Don Pons, is now the Knights Inn, a Wyndham Worldwide hotel. The Knights Inn brand is known as a reliable choice for the budget-minded traveler. Knights Inn offers the best rates and rooms guarantees guests seek.

Pons said he hasn't sold the 130-room Quarterpath, but instead bought into the Wyndham Knights Inn franchise. His family will still run the motel, located on York Street within walking distance of Colonial Williamsburg and the downtown area.

"Our hope is with the affiliation of the franchise we'll get all of those intangibles that come along with it: brand recognition, some consumer confidence," Pons said.

Another important benefit, he said, was the ability of the property to become better connected with the booking engines like Hotels.com and Expedia. That access, he hopes, will help sell more rooms to an increasingly choosy traveling public.

The change takes effect immediately, and it's one Pons admits tugged at his heartstrings a bit when he was covering the Quarterpath Inn sign to make way for the Knights Inn logo.

"I certainly grew up here...it's been part of the family forever," Pons said. "Change is with a heavy heart, no question, but if you don't grow you die."

Pons was elected to the Williamsburg City Council in November. Until recently he was president of the Williamsburg Hotel Motel Association, and has also served as a Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce board member.