The Markham Hotel celebrates official reopening with ribbon cutting

GULFPORT, Miss. (WXXV) — After years of renovations, an iconic Gulfport fixture is now back to its former glory.

The Markham Hotel was established in 1926 as one of the premiere boutique hotels in the southeast. It was transformed into office buildings in the 1970s before suffering damage during Hurricane Katrina and sitting unoccupied for years.

Now, the city can officially celebrate its return.

“Seeing how much our community loves The Markham and how long everyone has waited, it’s been really moving,” Tessy Lambert, the Chief Marketing Officer of Lodging and Leisure Investments, said.

The Markham Hotel also offers far more than just a place to sleep, with hotel leaders hoping that some of its amenities can attract local visitors.

“We have 115 luxurious accommodations here on property [and] the Library Restaurant and Bar,” Lambert explained. “We have restored the Crystal Ballroom. We’ve brought the Crystal Ballroom back; perfect for weddings and events. We also have our upstairs bar with beautiful views of Gulfport’s harbor.”

The first guest checked into the hotel on Thursday night, with full operations beginning Friday. There are also plans for public events to be held at the hotel’s upstairs bar in the coming weeks.