Anniversaries are something to be proud of and this anniversary is certainly something our whole community can celebrate. October marked a decade since the purchase of the hotel Bentley by local businessman, Michael Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins spent the first five years renovating and restoring the property and the last five years showcasing it to our community. Mr. Jenkins’ commitment to the development of downtown Alexandria is well known, but not as many know all that is required to restore and maintain the cherished Hotel Bentley. The Hotel has a lengthy history of ownership, a prominent presence in our state history and has welcomed numerous special guests over the years.
In 1933, Bentley added a massive eight-story wing fronting Third Street to his hotel, adding more than 80 rooms. The extension was constructed by a local firm, Tudor-Ratcliff. Bentley ensured the hotel could also serve as his personal residence. He carved out a large apartment on one of the top floors and installed a personal elevator; both the apartment and the private elevator remain today.
Throughout the 1950s, the hotel continued to flourish, but by the late 1960s, the hotel closed for business for nearly a decade. On November 15, 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In the early 1980s, Buddy Tudor, a local developer, purchased and renovated the shuttered hotel. After millions of dollars in repairs, it was reopened to national acclaim in 1985. Mr. Tudor remained as owner for nearly 15 years until the late 1990s when he sold the hotel to a group out of New Orleans, and less than a year later, they sold the hotel to Bob Dean who eventually closed its doors in 2004.
The lobby also houses a World War II accredited mini exhibit. The exhibit introduces the timeline of the Hotel Bentley’s presence in the planning of the Louisiana Maneuvers. It features original artifacts, photos, and uniforms from the era. With the hotel’s historic involvement, Mr. Jenkins initiated the repair of the flagpole atop the property. The pole and mechanics were in disrepair and required a crane service to complete the project. The hotel once again proudly displays the American Flag and POW flag, the second highest in downtown Alexandria. The flag project also followed flag etiquette and required the installation of a base light to illuminate the flag at dusk.
A building the magnitude of The Hotel Bentley requires ongoing preventative maintenance as well. The Bentley is constantly upgrading or replacing vital components, most of which go unnoticed to guests and visitors. One example is The Bentley’s 38 pumps that move water throughout the property for various systems. These pumps run 24 hours a day and require constant care. Some are original from the purchase, but most have been replaced. The hotel currently has six backup pumps in the event of a failure. The pumps come with a hefty price tag. The hotel is equipped with two traction elevators, which have been completely upgraded and modernized to meet today’s demand. While the guest cars are original, the two, 29-horsepower electric motors have been modified with modern controller components to ensure a smooth and safe ride. The Bentley has also increased the number of wireless access points and internet bandwidth to provide a smooth WiFi experience while navigating the property. The hotel’s network also allows for management to remotely monitor all systems of the property and make adjustments as necessary, bringing the historic property’s infrastructure into the modern day.
Another notable improvement and requirement due to Hurricane Laura was the replacement of the main structure and lobby roofing. The project spanned over 13 months and required a complete removal and replacement of over 20,000 square feet worth of roofing system. The Hotel Bentley hired local roofing contractor Dixie Roofing to complete the project. Dixie Roofing worked with hotel management as to not interrupt the flow of business and completed the project on time. The project involved removing the damaged system to the Bentley’s concrete base and installing a new system, complete with upgrades to make the property more efficient. As a result of the quarter of a million dollar project, the Hotel Bentley is again watertight.
A second natural disaster, the ice storm of February 2021, resulted in several mechanical breakdowns relating to cooling towers, sprinkler systems, and HVAC controls. The scope of work included custom fabrication of a cooling tower that serves 1/3 of the hotel rooms and upgrading all exterior exposed plumbing to a product suitable to withstand below average cold temperatures in Louisiana. The custom-built cooling tower took nearly eight months to build. All the time, the Hotel Bentley leased a temporary unit to keep the affected guest rooms in operation. This project cost nearly $120,000 and has been completed.
Effective January 1, 2022, Mr. Jenkins installed a board of directors to serve his properties in Rapides Parish. The properties consist of The Hotel Bentley of Alexandria, LLC, The Diamond Grill Restaurant LLC, Diamond Thrill, LLC dba The Bentley and Mirror Rooms, The Alexandria Commercial Building, Loyd Hall LLC, and The Alexandria Masonic building. Combined, these properties employee over 135 hospitality and service-related professionals. Michael Jenkins remains highly engaged in the operations of the properties. He serves as CEO and Board Chair. The board serving the properties consists of Jennifer Jenkins, Rebecca Jarred, Christi Fisher, and Michael Jenkins II and meets regularly to review operation and ensure longevity and proper maintenance of the properties in coordination with Jenkins Companies President and COO, Scott Laliberte.
The Hotel Bentley continues to be a magnificent landmark under the care of Mr. Jenkins and his team. Jenkins’ devotion to the city and The Hotel Bentley are apparent. His devotion is inspirational, and we all should appreciate the time, energy, financial investment and effort he has put into preserving and improving our beloved landmark hotel over the last ten years. Happy Anniversary to Mr. Jenkins on his tenth year of ownership and to his team that constantly showcase Central Louisiana hospitality from the shining jewel of Cenla that is the Hotel Bentley!