September 2022 Digital Issue

Rendering of the Central
Hotel in Whitefish, Mont.
F&B
HOTELS ARE REBOUNDING AFTER BREAKFAST WAS TOAST
of the restaurants were run by a single
operating group. It had an oyster house,
a piano bar and an outdoor crabshack.
Guests could choose their experience
for the night — and try all of them
throughout their stay. The restaurant
owner had the ability to close down
venues during a slow season on different
days, so staff was always busy and
guests always had at least an option. In
Keystone, Colo., this same concept is
occurring. One group owns several of
the F&B venues, with each providing
a unique experience for guests. In
Whitefish, Mont., we are working on
several properties for the same owner.
One will have a less formal market
concept for guests on the move, one has
a lively lakeside tiki bar and a familyfriendly
and fine-dining restaurant,
and the last has fresh local fare — all
sourced from Montana.
Architectural Character
As resorts that were constructed in the
1960s and 1970s begin to think about
refreshing their existing buildings,
they’re paying a lot of attention to the
architectural character that makes that
resort special (or sometimes changing
the character to make that resort feel
more of-the-place).
Many local planning departments are
now putting guidelines in place that are
meant to encourage architects to think
about the local vernacular as changes
The Westin
Riverfront in
Avon, Colo.
to existing resorts are made, thus
eventually helping to strengthen the
brand of that resort or community.
Vail, Co. for example, has many
condominium properties and hotels
that are planning updates to modernize
materials, efficiencies and even
programming. The Town of Vail has
thoughtfully written guidelines for Vail
Village and Lionshead to ensure that the
Vail identity is not lost. All changes to
buildings go through a design review board
for approval. This board is comprised of
locals who understand the area’s unique
sense of place and are passionate about
preserving what is special about Vail.
The Wellness Wave
Finally, when it comes to programming,
right now wellness-focused amenities
are a high priority. From chooseyour-own
adventure spa complexes
that allow guests to curate their
own experience, to indoor-outdoor
experiences and nature-focused
wellness excursions, there is seemingly
an endless appetite for supporting
the mental and physical wellbeing of
guests. Aspen is soon to welcome a
new and improved Aspen Club into
the community, which will create a
world-class wellness destination with
a limited number of luxury rooms, and
exceptional service and amenities.
Whether existing resorts incorporate
one or all of the trends above, the
main takeaway is the importance
of consistently looking to embrace
and enhance what makes each resort
experience unique – a sense of place,
brand identity and architectural
character. Sharing those special
identifiers with guests in meaningful
ways is where we find the most
inspiration for enhancing guest
experience.◆
Rebecca Stone is the managing
principal at Denver, Co.-based
OZ Architecture
CHRIS MCLENNAN [THE WESTIN RIVERFRONT]
BY ROBIN ROBERTS
IT
may be the most important
meal of the day, but at the
height of the pandemic,
hotel breakfast was not
all it was cracked
up to be. Guests
woke up not to the
tantalizing smell
of sizzling bacon at a vast, bustling buffet,
but to a cold, pre-packaged muffin. Or
nothing at all. Scrambling to comply
with a rash of regulations, some hotels
packed up the chafing dishes and
prepared only âầla carte served strictly
by staff — hands off the tongs, please.
Others plastic-wrapped their meagre
offerings within an inch of their life.
Some didn’t even brew coffee, so as to
eliminate e and crowding. Breakfast, for
a time, was toast.
SO LONG, SUMPTUOUS SPREADS
(FOR SOME)
Prior to the pandemic, many hotels felt they
had to keep up with the competition by beefing
up their breakfasts, adding omelette bars, pancake
and waffle stations, fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, as
well as healthier options such as smoothies, Greek
yogurt, fresh fruit, oatmeal and avocado toast. Some
properties topped out at 40 items, straining the foodand-beverage
budget, not to mention grappling with
the resulting waste of all that leftover food.
“The cook-to-order breakfast buffet is the brand
standard for Hilton Garden Inn,” says Perry Singh,
general manager of Hilton Garden Inn Saskatoon.
“So, you had to have the buffet, all the self-service
42 | SEPTEMBER 2022
hoteliermagazine.com hoteliermagazine.com SEPTEMBER 2022 | 43