New Emphasis on Culinary Experiece Translates into Increased Revenue, Covers and Loyal Customers at Destination Hotels & Resorts Properties

Englewood, Colo. – Nov. 10, 2009 – In the last two years, Destination Hotels & Resorts put a renewed emphasis into the culinary experiences at its properties. After hiring a leader to oversee the company’s culinary efforts including a round of major repositioning and renovations, Destination puts the spotlight on dining – creating dining experiences that convey warmth and sustainability in distinctive settings. This philosophy has translated into loyal customers and an increase to the bottom line in many of the dining establishments throughout the collection.

“We give our properties autonomy to create a memorable guest experience and a menu that leaves guests wanting more,” said Mitch Mehr, vice president of corporate food and beverage for Destination Hotels & Resorts. “Destination differs from traditional brand properties – we don’t present turnkey concepts but give our local food and beverage teams a palate to start with and allow them to paint the picture.”

This recipe for success is best exemplified at KITCHEN1540 at L’Auberge Del Mar in Southern California where food and beverage revenues are up more than 50 percent since the restaurant renovated, rebranded, reconcepted and relaunched nearly a year ago. Executive Chef Paul McCabe has created a guest experience throughout the property’s three signature food and beverage locations that has made L’Auberge a local’s hot spot and won Chef McCabe a number of “best chef” awards including Ranch & Coast, Riviera and others.

Michael Bonadies and his team from Ace Hospitality worked closely with Managing Director Michael Slosser and Chef Paul McCabe to re-concept the dining experience at L’Auberge Del Mar.  From the welcome experience to décor, menu and guests service, KITCHEN 1540 shines among a sea of trendy health-minded eateries. Chef Paul McCabe’s menu is centered on organic ingredients and comprised of imaginative yet traditional creations, which guests savor under white vaulted ceilings in a contemporary coastal dining room.

The vibe that Chef McCabe has created also has made the resort’s Bleu Bar one of the hottest seaside locations. “The team at L’Auberge has created such a dynamic guest experience that the line at the Bleu Bar is usually four to six people deep every night,” added Mehr. “It’s a dynamic that has made the resort a destination for dining and nightlife in Southern California.”

Another unique case study within the Destination collection is VOICE at Hotel ICON in Houston. When Destination took over the management of Hotel ICON in 2006, they began to reconcept the restaurant to address the changing needs of the dining public. In conjunction with renowned culinary trendsetter Elizabeth Blau and her team at Blau & Associates, the management company set out to turn VOICE into a culinary destinations; not just a hotel restaurant.

The modern American dishes, which meld French techniques with a regional focus at VOICE recently landed Chef Michael Kramer on Esquire magazine’s list of “best new chefs.” The menu, concept and experience has translated into more revenue for the restaurant which has had a 30 percent increase in covers and the average check increased nearly 15 percent – a surprising statistic in today’s economic climate.

With Terranea Resort, Destination had an opportunity to create a unique and varied food and beverage experience from scratch. The resort, which opened in June, offers guests eight different culinary options from a quaint coffee shop to a casual seaside grill, as well as a signature restaurant.

“We’ve created a culture where our food and beverage professionals own the guests experience at Terranea,” said Mehr. And, the culinary team at mar’sel, the resort’s signature restaurant, have worked hard to perfect the guest experience. mar’sel is an elegant yet inviting location with stunning panoramic ocean views and a classic Southern California residential feel. The name mar’sel is derived from the Spanish term for sea, mar, and French term for salt, sel, and is certainly an indicator of Chef de Cuisine Michael Fiorelli’s modern interpretations of a classic California-inspired menu. Utilizing local, seasonal ingredients (some drawn from the herb and produce gardens on property,) Fiorelli’s bright flavors and attention to detail dovetail harmoniously on the plate and the palate.  

mar’sel has captured the attention of the media with Estates West calling the restaurant “a terrific place to watch the moon rise and the tide come in and out. It’s also a great place to enjoy an amazing meal of modern Californian cuisine and hand-crafted cocktail - oh, and a really great wine list.  Rating - 5 stars out of 5 stars.” Resort dining, led by mar’sel, has “exceeded” revenue expectations according to Mehr, which he attributes to the quality and diverse options available throughout the resort.

Mehr also admits it takes a special team and great on-property leadership to create experiences like at Hotel ICON, L’Auberge Del Mar and Terranea however the company is creating a high-energy culture that’s attracted great talent to its food and beverage team. The company has attracted great talent to relaunch signature restaurants at properties such as Atwater on Gore Creek at the Vail Cascade led by Chef Adam Votaw and Chef Brian Cooper who opened Luminaria at Inn and Spa at Loretto a year ago.

“It’s always an honor to get calls from great culinary talent in the industry who hear about what we are doing in the company,” said Mehr. “From our classic award-winning restaurants like T. Cook’s at Royal Palms in Phoenix and Carolina Crossroads at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill to the new jewels at L’Aurberge, ICON and even Stowe Mountain Lodge’s Solstice, we are making our way through the collection to enhance the overall guest experience one location at a time. So far these enhancements have positively affected the guests experience and each destination’s bottom line.”

For more information on the Destination Hotels & Resorts culinary collection, please visit http://www.destinationhotels.com/experiences/culinary/.

Destination Hotels & Resorts is consistently rated one of the top 10 independent hospitality management companies in the United States with more than 30 luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers. To protect and preserve the unique communities in which the company operates, Destination launched Destination Earth, an environmental sustainability program in 2008. New for 2009 is the 582-room Terranea Resort situated on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southern California, which opened to the public in June. The 102-acre ocean front resort features a 25,000-square-foot destination spa, three swimming pools, three ocean view restaurants and a Todd Eckenrode-designed par three golf course. In addition to Terranea in the greater Los Angeles area, Destination operates properties in key metropolitan areas and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Denver, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Palm Springs, Houston and Lake Tahoe. Destination is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based investment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises.  For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit www.destinationhotels.com or to join the company’s loyalty program for the best offers available, visit www.destinationdelivers.com

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