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Hotel Pommier
January 2026
Chariton Area Chamber/Main Street is proud to feature one of our local contributing businesses in the monthly Small Business Spotlight.
This month, we are featuring Hotel Pommier, an independent hotel located right here in Chariton.
What is your job title and role?
How long have you been in business in Chariton/Lucas County?
Pritesh Patel, Founder
My family has owned this property since 2005. I recently took over full operations to transition the hotel into its next chapter. In May 2025, we officially launched the new Hotel Pommier Chariton following a comprenhesive renovation of our guest rooms, common areas, exterior, and our new outdoor patio.
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Why do you do what you do?
My parents were approaching retirement and didn't have a clear succesion plan for the hotel. Selling would have been the easy path, but I saw the potential for this property to be something much more than a standard corporate franchise. I wanted to prove that a local, indepdent brand could offer a better experience than a big-box chain.
Describe your business
We provide high-quality hospitality for everyone visiting Lucas County. Chariton brings in a diverse range of travelers, from construction crews and corporate visitors to families here for wedding and graduation. We have a mix of standard rooms and kitchenette accommodations designed specifically for extended stays, ensuring our guests feel at home whether they are here for a night or a month.
What inspires you to keep at it each day?
The responsibility I feel toward our team. Our staff relies on this business for their livelihood, and that drives me to keep improving. It's about more than just making payroll, its about maintaining a property we can all be proud of and ensuring we can provide the benefits our team deserves.
What are your biggest challenges as a business owner?
Like many small business owners in Iowa, it's "wearing too many hats." Because we aren't a giant corporation, I'm involved in everything from high-level strategy to the daily details. The challenge is staying focused on constant improvement and never letting ourselves become complacent.
Was there a specific moment or realization where you made the decision to start your own business?
I spent years living out of a suitcase as a consultant, staying in dozen of hotels across the country. I realized very quickly that you can tell within the first thirty seconds of check-in if a hotel actually cares about your experience. I decided to take that "traveler's perspective" and combine it with my family's history in the industry to create a hotel brand that focuses on the details that actually matter to guests.
Why did you choose Chariton for your business?
While the hotel was orginally in the family, I have "re-chosen" Chariton every day since taking over. The community has immense amount of the grit, loyalty, and pride. That local character is the perfect environment for an independent brand like ours. In fact, our success here in Chariton gave us all the confidence to expand and choose Winterset as our third location.
What are your biggest rewards?
Nothing beats a conversation with a happy guest or seeing a psitive online review. Because Hotel Pommier is 100% independent, we don't have a corporate marketing machine behind us. Every personal referral and 5-star review from the community makes a massive difference for us.
What will people get from your business that they won't get anywhere else?
You get the modern amenities of a big chain, like fast internet and modern rooms, but with genuine local hospitality. We've added unique touches like our community patio, local photography, and and awesome game room. More importantly, you get a team that is personally invested in your stay. Hotel Pommier Chariton isn't just a place to sleep; it's a statement that local indepedent hospitality is alive and well in Iowa.
Hotel Pommier can be found here:
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