A 'Hotel Hell' in Bucks County gets TV makeover
The Brick Hotel is the latest setting for the Fox TV show.
The long-anticipated episode of Hotel Hell profiling the 250-year-old Brick Hotel in Newtown, Bucks County, and hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, will air Tuesday night at 8 on Fox.
"They contacted us and we agreed to it," said Verindar Kaur, owner. "We were struggling a bit and we needed some help."
Ramsay and his team redid the menu, spruced up the rooms, and renovated the entrance, she said.
Back in November when the show was filmed, locals tried - and failed to see Ramsay in action.
In the show's recent online preview, Ramsay appears to pull a fire alarm and threatens to shut the hotel down. Owner Verindar Kaur was "blind to the various problems at play" and Ramsay would help her take back control, according to the promotional material.
Ramsay, a British chef owns a string of successful restaurants including the Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill in Atlantic City. As the star of TV shows like Hell's Kitchen and Master Chef, Ramsay has a reputation for being, well, direct. His style is a mix of drill instructor and coach.
"His style is unique," said Kaur.
"It's a show and he is doing his job to make the show sensational," she said. "On the other side he is a nice guy."
For Bucks residents, it is clear any publicity will be good publicity. Even the mayor got in on the action, according to a Bucks Local News website story.
"I'm hoping it will be good for Newtown as it is for the Brick Hotel," said own Borough Mayor Corky Swartz, who, along with his wife, Jane, will be among the town notables expected to make appearances on the show.
The Brick Hotel has a long and storied history. Original owner Amos Stickland, a farmer, built the two-story brick house in 1763. He allegedly hosted George Washington and his officers in December 1776 as well as some Hessian officers.
The home was converted to a tavern in 1780 where it became a popular destination for wealthy Philadelphians, according to the online history.
"Hopefully people will watch the show and them come to check us out," Kaur said.