HA401 RESORT MANAGEMENT
RESORT HISTORY
The Greenbrier in West Virginia – 1778
The Greenbrier has been an American resort hallmark for over 200 years. It has grown with the times and been able to successfully balance it’s unique history and culture with the modern resort expectations of today. The Morrow book of American Resorts introduces the Greenbrier as follows:
“The Greenbrier is dazzling – 6,500 acres of beautiful parklike grounds at the foot of the blue Ridge Mountains. The hotel itself is mammoth, and the facilities are apparently infinite: once you’ve finished playing one golf course, there’s another, and another. What holds it all together is the dignity of the Georgian architecture, the elegance of the formal gardens and huge public rooms, of crystal chandeliers, hand-carved wall ornaments, colonnades, and the atmosphere, everywhere, of the Old South.”
“The Greenbier prides itself on having at least one employee for every guest, and this personalized service, along with the scaling-down effect of the careful interior design work done since the war, gives it comfort that matches its splendor. It is a charming giant.”
Following is a public relations release from the Greenbrier titled “The Finest Resort Hotel in America for Over 200 Years.
This grand old lady will offer an interesting comparison for the modern resorts built in the last 20 years. Which resort experience do you think you will prefer? As you read about the resorts that follow, make notes to yourself about the advantages – disadvantages of each. Think in terms of the memorable experiences they will make for you, your family, your company.
The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia – 1764
Morrow introduces the Homestead as “The epitome of Southern hospitality with superb service, this is one of America’s grand old resorts. The first hotel was built at the springs in 1764, but the present handsome brick building with white trim was constructed after a devastating fire in 1901. You approach along a curved landscaped drive to a white-columned entrance under an imposing tower topped with a cupola. The south wing, an ultramodern structure in brick that angles around a lawn and large outdoor pool, provides many rooms and duplex suites with recessed private balconies. Sparkling white cottages, set rather closely together behind the inn and the road, are the most expensive units. Public rooms are immense, with high ceiling, and impeccably furnished.”
The Homestead was one of the first “resorts” associated with the hot springs and mineral baths discovered in the mid 1700’s in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Travelers would visit these locations for the alleged healing effects of the hot springs and mineral waters. Originally accessible by horse and carriage, these resorts were the home to the wealthy that could afford extended stays.
PRESS RELEASE
The Breakers is the first and oldest resort in the southeastern United States. It first opened in 1896 when Henry Flagler’s railroad made it to the Florida coast. It combined a mild winter climate, the fantastic Florida beaches, and the warm Atlantic ocean. The Breakers has an interesting history and development having to overcome several disasters to finally emerge in 1926 in its current form.
The award –winning Breakers in Palm Beach is a Mobil Five-Star, AAA five diamond resort that has established itself as one of the finest in the world. The 569 room, Italian Renaissance-style hotel is located in the heart of Palm Beach and resides on 140 acres of oceanfront property. Founded in 1896 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel recently completed a $100 million revitalization and expansion effort that has given the landmark property a casually sophisticate appeal. It now features two 18-hole golf courses, 10 tennis courts, a 20,000 square foot luxury spa, a Mediterranean style beach club overlooking one-half mile of private beach, an ocean view fitness center, and extensive program of family and children’s activities and a variety of water sports. The Breakers also features an outstanding selection of restaurants to suit casual or elegant preferences, as well as an array of on-site boutiques to fulfill travelers’ interest in shopping.
Following is a description of The Breakers found in Morrows :
“As long as this truly palatial hotel stands guard at the end of its tree-lined private drive, Palm Beach cannot be said to have lost its class. Worth Avenue is still the most opulent of main Streets, U.S.A. Cool white Bentleys and Rolls-Royces park by the side of the palm-shaded street lined with boutiques and galleries. Presiding over the scene, a lawn-protected walk away, is The Breakers, America’s best try at a perfect match of renaissance magnificence and dignity.”
“The stucco and concrete building is all imposing symmetry; two flag-topped bell towers flank the arches and Ionic columns of the handsome portico, and two C-chaped sings branch off the façade. Step inside and you find yourself in an enormous lobby, a grand hall with vaulted arches, hand-painted frescoes, and floor to ceiling windows, furnished in a style suggestive of the Italian villas after which the building was modeled. The 526 double rooms and 41 parlor suites all have views of either the ocean or the gardens”.
Following is a public relations release from The Breakers titled “An Historical Look Back on 100 Years of History.”
The Breakers
This historical resort serves as a good example of early resort development that relied on railroad transportation and opened up the Florida beaches to the rest of the United States. Can you imagine vacationing at The Breakers in the original Palm Beach Inn at the turn of the century, or at the opening of the current Breakers in 1926, or at the current Breakers at the turn of the 21st century? Again, think in terms of memorable experiences they will provide for you, your family or your company.
The Cloister in Sea Island, Georgia – 1928
Morrow introduces The Cloisters as “one of the country’s foremost resorts and certainly one of the most beautiful. The Cloister is a study in good taste and extra-cordial service. As might be expected from the name, the oldest buildings here have the look of a Spanish monastery, complete with red-tile roofs and arched porticos. The resort extends back from the sea across 12,000 landscaped acres with formal gardens, fountains, palms, and moss-draped live oaks, marshes and meadows. A major attraction is the five-mile, snow-white beach, with good swimming. But there is also a beach club with freshwater pools for swimming and diving.”
Sea Island is a private, five-mile long coastal Georgia resort island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and separated from St. Simons Island by wide salt marshes on the west. It lies halfway between Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida. Located on Seal Island is the legendary Cloister Hotel, which has welcomed guests from the world over since 1928. Sea Island serves as a seasonal and year-round community for many residents. Golf, which has been a primary draw since the beginning, has recently been significantly upgraded as the centerpiece of a resort master plan to transform Sea Island into an unrivaled resort destination.
Following is a public relations release entitled “Sea Island and The Cloister: A Historical Perspective”:
Sea Island
The Cloister can offer an interesting comparison to the Breakers as the premier resort destinations in the southeastern United States. What similarities and differences do these resorts have? Which would you prefer if you were vacationing in the southeast? Why?
The Broadmoor in Colorado – 1918
The American west was the focus of the next resort destination development. The beauty of the Rocky Mountains provided a natural setting that has produced many resort destinations. Originally based on beauty and skiing, these resorts are now year round destinations. The first of these was the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
Morrow writes of the Broadmoor as follows: “The Broadmoor opened in June 1918 with a cast of the titled and the monied and has been one of the most popular luxury resorts in the country ever since. Few hotels boast a more spectacular backdrop: bold Rocky Mountain peaks – including Pikes Peak – rise dramatically beyond the manicured lawns and gardens, lake and fairways. Somehow the nine-story Italian palazzo with its pink-stucco facades and red roofs seems perfectly at home in this setting.
Marble staircases, ceilings with intricate tile and plasterwork, alcove and ceiling frescoes in Wedgwood blue and white, and crystal chandeliers are the kind of details that Penrose insisted upon and that make the Broadmoor one of the grandest hotels in the country. Guest rooms and suites are large and opulently furnished in a variety of styles.”
Chuck Y. Gee writes about the design and development of the Broadmoor in Resort Development and Management: The Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs, provides an early example of careful planning. This contemporary grand resort hotel was the result of an architectural contest; six sets of plans were submitted by architectural firms throughout the contry in response to an advertising campaign to “build the finest hotel in the United States.” Spencer Penrose,who bought the land for the hotel in 1916, faced the problem of building on what was then essentially open and undeveloped land. Everything had to be provided: water supplyu, roads, power, light and heat plants, telephones and a ticker tape, nto to metion a little theatre and golf course. Developed from a detailed plan, the Broadmoor was ready to open by June 1918; the whole project had taken a little more thatn 13 months.”
Following is a description of the Broadmoor contained in the Premier Hotels & Resorts spring 1996 publication:
Page 41-43
How does the resort experience at the Broadmoor in the west compare to it’s sister resorts in the east and southeast? What advantages/disadvantages does it provide?
Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho - 1936
“Well recognized as one of America’s premiere resort areas, Sun Valley offers a full spectrum of four-season luxury vacation fun. The Sun Valley Inn and Sun Valley Lodge are set among some of the loveliest scenery Idaho has to offer. Most of the luxurious rooms havfe splendid views of the surrounding sage and snow covered knolls at the base of towering Mt. Baldy. The grounds are landscaped with sweeping lawns and winding aspen and pine shaded pathways…Sun Valley’s shining reputation is perhaps even more the product of its exceptional winter sporting facilities. With après-ski food and entertainment in any of the several local nightspots, Sun Valley is most definitely a full-service luxury resort.”
The above description from The Morrow Book of American Resorts describes the resort complex at Sun Valley. It is perhaps the best example of combining a unique natural setting with transportation to create s world renown resort destination. From Resort Development and Management, we recount what it took to establish Sun Valley:
“Sun Valley Idaho became the first large-scale, self contained ski resort in the United States, thanks to the effors of a European count, a railroad executive, and a publicity man. In the mid-1930’s, Averill Harriman, chairman of the board of Union Pacific Railroad, decided that the best way to draw more passenger traffic west aboard the company’s trains was to create a ski resort. He commissioned a friend and skiing expert, Count Felix Schaffgotsch, to look for the best location in the West…He liked Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but rejected the site because the state would not commit to keeping Teton Pass open in the winter.
Schaffgotsch was prepared to head back east when he took someone’s suggestion and visited Ketchum, Idaho, an old mining town with a population of 270. After touring the area, he sent the following wire to Harriman: “The valley contains more delightful features for a winter sports center than any other place I have seen in the United States, Switzerland or Austria.” Shortly thereafter, Union Pacific purchased the 4,300 acre Bass Ranch outside Ketchum and budgeted $3 million for the resort.
Next, Harriman hired Steve Hannagan, a publicity expert who was responsible for the success of Miami Beach. Hannagan’s first impression of the area was not good too cold and too much snow. Then, the sun came out, forcing Hannigan to take off his coast and vest and to notice that the sun’s bright rays did not cause the snow to melt. Hannagan talked Harriman into calling the area Sun Valley. Thus, Idaho’s legendary Sun Valley was born.”
Consider the introduction to the public relations brochure for the Sun Valley Resort:
Welcome To The Sun
And everything under it
“As tourists, both domestic and international, rediscover America and American style, one original stands out: Sun Valley. Since 1936, Sun Valley has defined the American winter vacation. Readers in both Conde Nast Traveler and Ski Magazine recently vote Sun Valley the “number one ski resort in the U.S.” Sun Valley can satisfy a wide range of tastes, yet remain true to its own singular nature. It’s a place to experience luxury, while feeling at ease with oneself. No other place is quite like Sun Valley. And no other place can call itself the original American winter resort. Sun Valley is the real thing.”
The warm, dry climate of the Southwestern United States offers a very attractive resort destination. In addition to a favorable winter climate, the Phoenix, Tucson, and Palm Springs areas offered an escape from the hustle and bustle of big cities. With the development of affordable air travel and the invention of air conditioning, the desert became a very attractive resort destination. Phoenix and Tucson had major airports with service provided from major airlines. Palm Springs was two hours from one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Despite the depression of the 1930,s these resort destinations were primed for growth and development.
The first resort that opened the southwest desert as a resort destination was the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the only Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired hotel in the world. It was crowned “The Jewel of the Desert” at its grand opening in February, 1929. One of its most interesting design features is the “Biltmore block” which features a geometric design inspired by the trunk of a palm tree. More than 250,000 concrete blocks required for construction were made and dried on site.
The 39 acre resort is in the heart of Phoenix’s Biltmore area and include three outdoor spas, five outdoor swimming pools, and a 92 foot water slide. Guest can choose from two 18 hole championship golf courses, an 18 hole putting course located in the resorts main lawn and fountain area, and 8 lighted tennis courts. The Biltmore Athletic Club offers all the amenities of a world class spa.
The Biltmore successfully integrated the classical design of Frank Lloyd Wright with the rugged beauty of the southwest deserts. The elegance and sophistication of the resort catered to the needs of even the most demanding of cliental. The formal restaurants, extensive meeting space, formal lawns and gardens, and wide range of recreation including swimming, golf, tennis and spa were in marked contrast to the stark but beautiful Sonoran desert. The dry winter climate offered a luxurious environment to escape the harsh winters experienced in much of the United States.
Following is an article from Resorts and Great Hotels on the Arizona Biltmore:
ARTICLE
The Arizona Biltmore was the first major desert resort and put Phoenix on the map as a winter resort destination. How has it held up to the newer resorts built in the Phoenix Scottsdale area in recent years? Would you prefer its historical elegance or the modern experience of the new Phoenix resorts? Why?
Camelback Inn is a special place that evokes the feeling of days gone by, a time when life was simpler and Arizona was a canvas of untouched desert. Camelback Inn is a place that began with a dream, a vision of an inn that would entice people seeking to experience all that was unique about the Sonoran Desert and all that was unique about this special hacienda 12 miles down dusty roads from what was then downtown Phoenix.
Jack Stewart at the age of thirty two without a building in sight, set out to create a one-of-a-kind inn where memories were made. To make Camelback Inn a reality, Stewart persuaded a few investors to finance construction. Designed by a local citrus grower/architect, the Inn originally accommodated 75 guests. Rates on opening day were $10-16 per nigh single, and $18-25 double deluxe, including meals. Jack’s wife Louise was the social hostess of the Inn. She organized grand costumed events such as the zany Gold Diggers’ Ball and the Cattle Rustlers’ Ball. She developed one of the hotel industry’s first and longest running children’s programs, Hopalong college.
Jack Stewart personally greete thousands of visitors during the 33 years he operated Camelback Inn. J.W. Marriott, Sr., and his family shared the Stewart’s love for Camelback as they vacationed at the Inn since the 1940’s. When Jack Stewart retired in 1967, he sold the Inn to his longtime guests, who seized the opportunity to add Camelback Inn to their emerging hotel portfolio. The Marriott’s proudly made Camelback Inn their first resort. Adding more guest rooms, meeting space, championship golf and a world-class spa, it’s Marriott’s dedication and commitment to quality that has preserved and enhanced Camelback Inn’s renowned Southwest charm.
Following is a remembrance from Alice S. Marriott about the early Camelback days:
“Camelback Inn has been a great influence on the lives of our family. We have been going there together for two weeks every March since 1948. Our first time we traveled by train to Phoenix, as they had no Planes flying there. We had two small rooms, cheaply furnished, And two tiny bathrooms and wondered why we were paying New York Prices for such accommodations. But when we stepped outside into the Glorious sunshine and breathed the pure, clean air, with no cars Whizzing by, we knew. Their was a stable on grounds and their father went riding In the desert almost every day. There wasn’t a house in sight and no fences or wires to hinder them. They could ride in any direction and all the way around Mummy Mountain if they were ambitious. Every evening there was a square dance, with an expert caller and someone To teach the newcomers how to keep step. Everyone wore their fanciest Square dance clothes and it was great fun.
Following is an article in Resorts and Great Hotels on Camelback Inn:
ARTICLE
How did the growth and development of Camelback Inn compare to it’s sister desert property the Arizona Biltmore? Which one would you prefer in the fifties or now? Why?
