Resort positioned for growth with new leadership, $3.7 million refresh of guest rooms and main public areas
SKYTOP, Pa. (May 7, 2015)—Skytop Lodge has recently made significant investments in operational leadership and upgrades to its guest rooms and main public areas—two key areas of focus for the resort’s president and general manager as it approaches its 87th anniversary this summer.
A $3.7 million makeover of all 192 guest rooms includes enhancements to the rooms’ design aesthetics utilizing the history of the hotel and the flavor of the 1930s era. Guest amenities and in-room technology were also upgraded. The Pine Room lobby and library are being refreshed to accentuate the original woodwork. The final touches of this property-wide update are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
In order to enhance the guest experience and position the 5,500-acre iconic resort for continued excellence, Skytop Lodge President and General Manager Douglas Hustad says those investments allow the vision of the new and improved Skytop Lodge to become a reality while staying true to the resort’s rich history. “There is nothing more important to me and our team than the authentic experience each and every guest has when they step foot on our property and the memories they take home with them when they leave,” he said. “That experience is dictated by everything from the design of our guest rooms to the personalized service they receive throughout our resort.”
Pulling from local history and tradition, each newly remodeled guest room has been designed to tell the Skytop Lodge story. With three room designs (Water, Garden and Mountain), the color palette and design elements of each room reflect the natural beauty of the Pocono Mountains. Each guest room includes a hand-painted wall covering signed by the artist, Ann McGuire.
· Water: Inspired by the Indian Ladder Falls, these rooms incorporate blue and gray hues as well as original paintings by Ann McGuire.
· Garden: Inspired by the original 1927 landscape design of the Olmsted brothers who designed Skytop Lodge’s gardens, these rooms are bathed in muted tones with a nod to the local topography.
· Mountain: Using the deep red hue of the beloved West Mountain as inspiration, these rooms look out on expansive mountain views and incorporate rugged lines and hand-painted wall art.
Each newly refurbished guest room features classic furniture inspired by the 1930s era as well as updates to the bathrooms, with more shelving, countertop space and brighter lighting. In-room safes were added to each guest room, as were new “smart” TVs, bedside lamps and additional USB/outlet chargers. Suites are designed after iconic, historical figures who were instrumental in Skytop’s famed history, such as Samuel Packer, the resort’s first general manager; Harold “Mini” Callaway, the property’s original golf pro; and celebrated American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, best known for designing Central Park and whose sons later created Skytop Lodge’s landscape design.
“It was important that we stayed true to our rich history when we began this project,” said Hustad, who drew on his own experience managing rooms for several Ritz-Carlton properties, the Peabody Memphis Hotel and Biltmore Estate, which was named among the top 150 resorts in the world by Travel + Leisure. “We didn’t want to look like we updated the rooms for the sake of updating them. Our decisions and choices were very thoughtful and true to our history, because it is important that we deliver the authentic Skytop experience every step of the way.”
That commitment to provide guests with excellence and an authentic Skytop experience was central to Hustad’s desire to add to his powerhouse executive team consisting of world-class hotel management and guest service trailblazers. A new director of operations has recently been hired to join the team led by Hustad and Director of Sales and Marketing Jeffrey Rudder, who alone has 20 years’ experience in sales and food and beverage oversight at renowned hospitality brands including the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, among others.
Together, the three will lead efforts identifying opportunities to create, nurture and reward valued guests as Skytop Lodge gets ready to celebrate its 87th anniversary in June.
In his role as director of operations, Kevin Geanides will be responsible for overseeing various departments within Skytop Lodge, including food and beverage areas, guest services, front desk, housekeeping, security and retail.
Geanides was previously resort manager at Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, in Little Torch Key, Fla. Under his leadership, the resort was listed as America’s best beach hotel in 2013 by Travel + Leisure as well as the top resort in Florida in the Conde Nast readers’ choice poll in 2012-2013, among other accolades. His expertise is rooted in luxury-class culinary and food and beverage service with other properties such as Trump International Beach Resort, Turnberry Isle Resort & Club and Hotel Plaza Athénée in New York City.
Geanides attended the School of Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Atlanta and holds a degree from Florida International University’s School of Hospitality Management.
