Before the INN at Gig Harbor opened its doors in 1997, the Maritime City had few places where tired business leaders could dock after a hard day of networking and planning. Now the hotel plans to add on a sixth conference room in 2003.

Its success has risen with the tide of Gig Harbor as a burgeoning and wealthy city.

Michelle May says it may also have something to do with what the Inn and its staff have to offer.

“We do it right the first time — and the tenth,” said May, the Inn’s director of catering and sales. “We have flexibility and are quick to respond to day-to-day changes.”

That flexibility comes with a recommended booking six months to a year ahead of an event. Smaller groups of 10 to 20 can usually be squeezed in with shorter notice, May said.

“Life stays interesting around here,” said May, who has been on staff about a year. “We can sometimes be holding three or four events at the same time and it can become a juggling act.”

And success begets success.

“We get most of our business, from word of mouth which is the best advertising,” May said, “and we advertise in business journals and corporate publications to keep our name out there.”

Its banquet room holds up to 240. Its meeting space can hold up to 150. There are 15 to 20 people on the catering staff and The Heritage Restaurant is inside the hotel.

“Our chefs are a big impact on our success,” May said. “That’s one of the biggest complaints from clients (around the industry), that the food service isn’t that great.”

With all they have to offer, even that is sometimes not enough. “We do run into overload problems sometimes, which is why we’re looking to expand,” May added.

The Inn labels itself “Gig Harbor’s premier hotel and convention center” and has few competitors who can argue. The Best Western-Wesley Inn on Kimball Drive does have three meeting rooms, though no restaurant or in-house catering staff.

“Corporations are definitely a focus of us,” May said. “We are centrally located; 15 miles from Tacoma, 30 miles from Bremerton and we’re a home away from home. It’s easy for people to reach us.”

May said local companies and civic organizations continue to be the mainstay of their business, though bookings come from all over the Puget Sound area.

(Editor’s Note: Temple A. Stark is a free-lance writer living in Port Orchard. Reach him at writer@harbornet.com.)