Grand Dame Resorts

"A real hotel is for hospitality—and succor if a guest needs it. The best ones started that way. Unfortunately, too many people in this business have forgotten." So said Peter McDermott, the general manager in Hotel, Arthur Hailey’s famed novel.

Not all have forgotten, Peter. There still exist destination resorts where a guest’s every need is attended to. Sour economy be damned. These are resorts where service still reigns supreme.

Take The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which has been impressing visitors since opening its illustrious doors in 1918. There are 744 guest rooms and suites, including the brand new Broadmoor Cottages; 185,000 sf of flexible event space; three champion-ship golf courses; a tennis club; 25 retail shops; 18 on-property eateries, restaurants, and lounges; and a spa.

This resort is so confident in its service, it is guaranteeing its meetings 100 percent. In an unprecedented move, The Broadmoor is standing behind its service, staff, and facilities by providing a guarantee for new group business held this year and next. It’s simple. If your Broadmoor meeting doesn’t deliver superior value in service, facilities, and quality, the master account will be waived.

"We feel that in difficult times it is more important than ever to bring people together," says Steve Bartolin, The Broadmoor’s president and CEO. "At the same time, organizations want to be certain they are making a responsible decision in doing so. I can’t think of a better way to assure that decision than by guaranteeing the outcome, or the entire meeting is free. To my knowledge, this has never been done before and it demonstrates the confidence we have in our staff."

There is a whole lot of copycatting in the hotel industry. The bed war is just one of many examples. John Washko, The Broadmoor’s vice president of sales and marketing, says the fact that no other company has piggybacked on this guarantee proves how unique and daring it truly is.

"We are so confident in our product and service that we are willing to guarantee it. We are fortunate that we have ownership that lets us run our business this way," says Washko. "Other hotels may be cutting back by stopping all capital improvements but that is not the case at The Broadmoor. We’re moving forward, full speed ahead."

Similarly, with charismatic new owner Jim Justice, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, is undergoing a renaissance.

Set on 6,500 acres, the venerable resort features three golf courses, tennis courts, riding stables, a spa, a movie theater, and upscale shops. There are also more adventurous offerings such as The Greenbrier Off-Road Driving School and falconry classes. Ground was recently broken for a 50,000-square-foot "Monte Carlo-style" underground casino.

When Justice bought the iconic resort in May he promised he would lure a world-class golf tournament to play on one of its famed courses. A little more than two months later this became a reality. The PGA TOUR and The Greenbrier have entered a six-year agreement, whereby the resort will sponsor and host The Greenbrier Classic as part of the FedExCup.

Justice is a man who makes things happen and fast. "I think Jim dreams something at night and then the next day it becomes a reality," says West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin.

For more than 200 years, The Greenbrier has been known as America’s resort. Set against the beauty of the Allegheny Mountains, this grand dame of hospitality has welcomed kings and queens, presidents and politicians, luminaries and celebrities from all corners of the globe. With more 1,450 employees, many of whom are second-and third-generation, The Green-brier’s attentive staff usually outnumbers its guests.

Another destination resort that features impeccable service is the Skytop Lodge, a 1920s-era Poconos mountain resort in Skytop, Pennsylvania. This historic Lodge sits on 5,500 acres with wooded mountain slopes in their native wild state, a 75-acre lake, waterfalls, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, and an 18-hole golf course where deer often quietly graze nearby. The Lodge has 125 standard rooms or mini-suites; 10 four-bedroom cottages; and a 20-room luxury inn that overlooks the golf course.

One of the great 19th-century mountain resorts in America, the historic Mohonk Mountain House was founded in 1869 when Albert Smiley purchased 280 acres of land and a 10-room tavern in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley. Owned and operated by the Smiley family since its inception, the Victorian castle, which now has 265 rooms, continues to impress. Mohonk offers access to 85 miles of hiking trails, tennis, midweek golf, lake swimming, boating, ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

The Sagamore on Lake George has been extending hospitality to visitors of Bolton Landing for over 100 years. The Sagamore promises a tranquil backdrop for gatherings in the heart of New York’s Adirondack Mountains. The property’s new owners, Ocean Properties Ltd., have made $20 million worth of improvements to the retreat including the addition of a 10,000 sf lakeside pool, 37 new guest rooms in the main hotel, a completely transformed dining room, and a new 14,000 sf event center.
—Nielsen Business Media