(Chicago, IL; September 25, 2015)— Charlestowne Hotels has announced luxury hotelier Matthew Barba as the new general manager of the Deer Path Inn, a historic English Inn located in Lake Forest, IL, a quaint town along Chicago’s North Shore. In his new role, Barba will oversee day-to-day operations, marketing and sales, and will manage a team of over 125 employees for the 57-room property that features nearly 8,500 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, a fine dining restaurant, a traditional English pub and more.
“Matt’s vast experience in hotel management and concentration in AAA Four and Five Diamond properties made him the ideal individual for the general manager position at Deer Path Inn.,” states Michael Tall, President and Chief Operations Officer of Charlestowne Hotels. “We are excited about this transition and look forward to seeing Deer Path Inn elevated to a world-class lodging and dining destination under Matt’s direction.”
With a career spanning 20 years in hotel management, Barba brings a comprehensive background in hotel, restaurant, and project management to his new role. Prior to Deer Path Inn, he served as Regional Director of Operations at Charlestowne Hotels and was responsible for overseeing the management of several properties in the portfolio and was at the helm of successfully launching the operations for some high-profile hotel projects. Most recently, he opened The Sewanee Inn, located on the campus of the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. The inn was ranked the #1 hotel in Tennessee on TripAdvisor within the first 10 months of opening.
Before Charlestowne Hotels, he held various escalating management positions, including project management, at a number of celebrated hotels. Most notably, The Waldorf Towers in New York, the Garden City Hotel on Long Island, the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island and the Walt Disney World Resort. Barba holds a degree in Hospitality Management and International Tourism from New York Institute of Technology.
“I’ve always been drawn to historic buildings and loved Deer Path Inn’s iconic manor house on my first visit,” said Barba. “The building’s charm and its relationship with the Lake Forest community made it an easy decision for me. The team and I are looking forward to reopening the Inn and welcoming our guests back again for the first time.”
Deer Path Inn is currently closed for a substantial renovation and will reopen at the end of this year, 2015. For additional information and periodic updates on the renovation and restoration progress, please visit TheDeerpathInn.com.
