MEMORIES OF BILL HAHN

It was a quaint seaside hotel in Westbrook, Connecticut, and those who visited often and those who loved it best knew it by its owner's name - Bill Hahn.

Bill Hahn was a great humanitarian with a heart as big as life. He had a love for people and an appetite for fun. Bill Hahn was the consummate innkeeper.

For three unforgettable decades, Bill Hahn was the "host with the most" to many a work-weary vacationer seeking a seaside refuge away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Far from extravagant, Bill Hahn's was quite modest in appearance. Here, guests enjoyed a casual, friendly, if not family-like, atmosphere and that is exactly the way Bill Hahn wanted it. It was a place to unwind and be entertained. Bill Hahn "the showman" knew how to help guests do both. New Year's Eve, the 4th of July and annual charity celebrations - it did not matter. There was always a holiday or a reason for making special events happen. The hotel dining room often became a "Broadway" stage. Many a performer and not-yet-famous entertainer graced Bill Hahn's spotlight - unknowns such as Woody Allen, Art Carney and Barbara Streisand, to name a few. In his lifetime, Bill Hahn became the single, largest contributor to the American Cancer Society in the state of Connecticut.

That's the kind of man Bill Hahn was. His memory and famous hotel will be remembered.

The Bill Hahn was purchased by the current owner in 1981, and the legend continues and shines brighter as Water's Edge Resort and Spa.