By. Merilee Kern
“It’s a dedicated team and one that maintains the highest professional standards,” notes the incredibly affable and gracious General Manager, Scott Craver, with whom I chatted throughout my stay. “We cross-train staff throughout the property. We truly have little departmentalization, so that anyone can craft the specialty cocktail, prepare a guest room for arrival, or support a guest request.” It’s a progressive approach to hospitality that is yielding favorable results, Relais & Châteaux membership aside. I left the hotel feeling utterly catered to, appreciative for the many individual staff members who provided assistance—or even just genuinely warm smiles—throughout my stay. Modern Methodology A modern and elevated approach to hospitality is not exclusive to personnel. The individual hotel rooms, property-wide interior design, and overall architecture are extraordinarily contemporary, with above-and-beyond design elements and creature comforts. The building exterior is a vivid white apropos of a beach venue and features beautiful curves along with strong vertical lines. Huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows provide plentiful natural light and a remarkable view of the beach and ocean. Large swaths in the building’s interior seem to emulate the appearance of a high-class yacht: Italian marble on the floors (that I’m told was the inspirational material all else was designed around), natural wood on the walls and splashes of leather in just the right places. Other premium interior touches, from lighting and other fixtures to furnishings to original wall art and décor items, also exceeded expectations, far more reminiscent of a professionally-styled apartment than a hotel accommodation.
