ROCKLAND, Maine — One of the city’s oldest hotels has until Nov. 15 to correct a number of fire code violations or risk losing its lodging license.
It’s the second time the Trade Winds Inn has faced such scrutiny. In 2016, code violations at the hotel were broadcasted on national television when the facility was featured on an episode of the Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible.”
The hotel would be forced to close if it doesn’t fix problems that fire officials discovered, including a lack of sprinkler heads and holes in parts of the ceiling that put the 80-room facility at a higher risk for fire.
The hotel’s license expired Oct. 15, and the City Council refused to renew it this month after the 54-year-old hotel failed recent inspections from the Rockland Fire Department. City officials granted the hotel a temporary extension to allow the business to stay open while it resolves the issues.
Rockland Fire Chief Chris Whytock said his department and the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office have conducted multiple follow-up inspections at the hotel after electrical fires occurred there in May.
Some of those issues were resolved, Whytock said, however, sprinkler heads were still absent in parts of the hotel that had been renovated. Open areas in the ceiling were also discovered during recent follow ups, which can lead to fire spreading faster.
The fire chief said that extension cords, unlatched doors and general clutter also pose a risk but are easier problems to fix.
The hotel was in a similar position three years ago when it was featured on “Hotel Impossible,” a show that aims to help struggling hoteliers turn around their properties with hands-on help from renovation crews. One city councilor said the episode was an “embarrassment” to the town.
The Trade Winds was built in downtown Rockland in 1965 and has undergone several expansions. The facility features a health club, pool and a restaurant.
A message left for the hotel’s owner was not returned.
You can read TripAdvisor reviews of it here.