Hotel Boom in Orange County Highlights Gaps—and Risks—in Warwick’s Hospitality Landscape
By Kat Leslie
Virtually everywhere you look in Orange County, another hotel is being built.
Orange County is experiencing a hotel construction boom, with new developments rising rapidly to meet the demands of growing tourism and commerce. In Wallkill, the recently opened Candlewood Suites on East Main Street and the family-owned Home2 Suites on Route 211 are just two examples of how local municipalities are capitalizing on the surge in visitors.
According to Amanda Dana, Orange County’s Director of Tourism, weekend hotel capacity now reaches around 90%, driven by attractions like LEGOLAND New York, regional hospitals, large-scale warehouse operations, and proximity to New York City. In fact, visitor spending soared by 63% in 2021, outpacing both Hudson Valley and statewide averages.
But while towns like Wallkill and Newburgh expand their hotel footprints, Warwick—Orange County’s largest town—is still lagging behind.
Warwick: Growing Demand, Limited Hospitality
Yet, despite being the largest town in Orange County—and one of the largest municipalities in the entire state— not to mention its historical appeal, Warwick remains without a single traditional hotel currently operating. While two hotel applications are under review by the Town of Warwick Planning Board, the town is, for now, relying heavily on Airbnb and other short-term rentals to house its growing number of visitors drawn to events like Applefest, Jazz Festival, and access to the Appalachian Trail. Yet this patchwork solution is increasingly under scrutiny—not just for its economic implications, but now, for public safety.
Unlike hotels, short-term rentals often operate with minimal oversight and no consistent security protocols—raising concerns among local officials and residents alike.
Safety Concerns Confirmed: DA Hoovler’s Disturbing Announcement
This week, those concerns were tragically validated when District Attorney David Hoovler announced the arrest of Amado Gil, a resident of Flushing, Queens, on multiple counts of rape and endangering the welfare of a child.
As alleged in court filings and statements made during proceedings, Gil began communicating with a 13-year-old girl living in the Town of Warwick in 2022. Starting in November of that year, he is accused of driving to Orange County to pick the child up from school and bringing her to various locations in Warwick, including Airbnb rentals he booked, where he subjected her to repeated sexual abuse.
The abuse allegedly continued from January 2023 through January 2025, with Gil using local short-term rentals to facilitate and conceal the ongoing crimes.
In a stark warning to municipalities relying on unregulated rentals, Hoovler said:
“What happened here is a reminder that while platforms like Airbnb offer convenience, they are not a substitute for the safety and oversight that licensed hospitality businesses provide. We need to be aware of the gaps these rentals create—not just economically, but in public safety.”
Warwick’s Historic Charm—and Present-Day Challenge
Warwick is no stranger to tourism. Once a prominent weekend retreat in the early 1900s, thanks to rail-access, it was a thriving summer resort destination for city dwellers, with rail lines bringing weekenders to its village inns and mountain farms. That legacy continues today in the form of historic charm, outdoor adventure, and seasonal festivals.
More recently, the transformation of the former Mid-Orange Correctional Facility into Wickham Woodlands Park—home to breweries, corporate campuses, and cannabis testing labs—has positioned Warwick as both a recreational and commercial draw. These recent redevelopments have added business and event traffic, but hotel beds remain scarce. For now, Warwick remains without a single traditional hotel, even as it continues to attract thousands of visitors for festivals, outdoor activities, and weekend escapes.
But the lack of hotel infrastructure poses both a logistical and public safety challenge. Without regulated options to meet lodging demand, the town is leaning heavily on a system that cannot be fully monitored. The burden of lodging has fallen on a network of privately owned, often-unlicensed Airbnbs, which—while convenient—operate without the same inspections, safety protocols, or transparency required of hotels.
With tourism showing no signs of slowing, and high-profile incidents like the Gil, Arnaldo’s case making headlines, Warwick officials are taking proactive steps to both support the town’s growing hospitality sector and ensure it remains well-managed and safe for all.
With two hotel proposals advancing, Warwick may finally be poised to close the hospitality gap.
The Pulpit Rock Inn: Warwick’s Potential Hotel Anchor
One of most notable, and closely watched pending developments is the proposed Pulpit Rock Inn, envisioned by Warwick resident and local developer at the corner of West Street Extension and County Route 1. The plan includes a two-story central inn with approximately 62 guest rooms, plus six cottage units. Importantly, the design intentionally preserves the natural feature of Pulpit Rock while allocating about six acres as open parkland.
The project has undergone public scoping sessions and is currently under environmental review, with Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and SEQRa preparation process under Planning Board oversight. The Pulpit Rock Inn reflects the long-discussed need for regulated lodging in Warwick—and has elicited strong public interest over safety, traffic, and environmental concerns. Advocates argue it would provide much-needed infrastructure and local tax revenue, while opponents raise preservation questions.
What Comes Next?
The two proposed hotels currently before the Planning Board may offer hope for change—but for now, Warwick remains behind the curve in a county that’s otherwise surging ahead.
As tourism continues to climb across Orange County, the question for Warwick is no longer whether it can draw visitors. It’s whether it can safely and responsibly accommodate them.
