"You've Heard Of Five Star Hotels? This Is A Ten Star Hotel ... "

Tony DeLucia of Tony DeLucia Painting LLC stood outside the Madison Beach Hotel Friday afternoon, supervising work being done by his crew putting some finishing touches on the outside of the hotel in Sherwin Williams Nebulous White and Network Gray.

He says he's very happy with the way the outside of the hotel looks. And wait until you see the inside, he says.

"You've heard of five star hotels? This one is a ten star hotel," he said, talking with a small informal group of sightseers Friday afternoon, one of many who sometimes include Madison Beach Hotel on their daily walks or rides around town, just to see how things are going at the hotel.

The inside, DeLucia says, is a sight to behold. The circular stairway, the chandelier, the ballroom, and the guest rooms. He points to the balconies overlooking West Wharf. Not just rooms. Suites. With fireplaces, big screen TVs, huge sled beds.

On the inside of the hotel Friday, town officials were meeting with hotel officials and doing inspections.

Lou Carrier, president of Distinctive Hospitality Group, which is managing the hotel, said Friday he was "very pleased with the interactions with the town's fire marshal and building inspector."

"Everything is going as planned, we are still on for our May 1 opening," he said.

Behind the hotel, workers from Shoreline Paving in Clinton, CT were doing milling work, in preparation for re-paving work that will be done Monday, . Forecasters have called for heavy rain Sunday night into Monday, so some of that work may be postponed until Tuesday, said First Selectman Fillmore McPherson.

"Everything seems to be proceeding satisfactorily," McPherson said, after checking in with the town's building officials. "The final inspection is scheduled for Wednesday."