Indigo Highway Hospitality Group has progressively constructed its portfolio in recent times; amongst different properties, the corporate has added Bridge Creek Inn in Clayton, Georgia, and Snowbird Mountain Lodge in Robbinsville, North Carolina. Nevertheless, till not too long ago, the Charleston, South Carolina-based firm’s assortment was lacking a resort in its hometown. Indigo Highway Hospitality Group marked this milestone with the addition of Lodge Richemont, and Founder and Chief Imaginative and prescient Officer Steve Palmer not too long ago advised LODGING that it was “large” as a result of Charleston is their residence.
Palmer defined that having the ability to welcome company to the property has been “heartwarming,” particularly given the way in which that the adaptive reuse venture was crammed with ties to Charleston. The in depth renovation of the 25-room property was complemented by a refresh of two adjoining historic buildings, and collaborating with Charleston-based firms was a strategic alternative, Palmer famous. “Charleston has such a powerful sense of identification, a way of self, particularly in terms of hospitality,” he mentioned. “It solely made sense for us to work with native builders and native designers.” For instance, the corporate labored with developer King & Society Growth and Betsy Berry, a designer based mostly within the metropolis.
In working with native firms, Indigo Highway Hospitality Group sought to protect the genuine sense of place that many vacationers search once they keep at boutique resorts. Likewise, Palmer said that this method drove their choice to open the Richemont relatively than a branded resort. “When individuals come to a metropolis with a wealthy historical past like Charleston, I feel they need to see and keep and eat in locations that really feel of that place. I don’t assume they’re seeking to keep at a Marriott and eat at a sequence restaurant, which is very true of all of the resorts and eating places we function in several markets,” he defined. “The explanation that we’re impartial and the rationale we’re boutique is that we wish these to really feel of the place. With Charleston being residence, it wouldn’t have made sense for us to open a branded resort. So, working with native builders and designers, it simply continues our model storytelling.”
Lodge Richemont’s distinctive choices embrace its Vietnamese-inspired restaurant, Two Bit Membership, together with its historic allure and preserved architectural particulars. Palmer famous that the historical past of the constructing and that of downtown Charleston aligned with Indigo Highway Hospitality Group’s model. The corporate was excited concerning the venture, even because it handled the inherent challenges that include growing previous buildings. Palmer referred to as such initiatives “a labor of affection,” highlighting how their richness and authenticity can’t be duplicated in newly constructed resorts. Palmer additionally mentioned that the completed product was value it, as preserving the main points of the constructing—like its uncovered brick and historic financial institution vault—was “doing the appropriate factor” from the corporate’s perspective.
Palmer expressed his confidence that nobody concerned with the venture would have finished something otherwise. He pointed to the distinctive options of the suites, together with vaulted ceilings and uncovered brick kitchens, and he mentioned that this sense of discovery makes the property particularly interesting for company. Palmer reiterated that company “crave authenticity,” which is why they search boutique resorts to start with, and Lodge Richemont is a microcosm of that.
“I feel vacationers come to Charleston as a result of it’s a one-of-a-kind place,” he mentioned. “So, I feel that the chance is to remain in a uniquely impartial resort, which is why you’ve seen such an explosion within the impartial sector. Individuals don’t need to keep on the Marriott Courtyard that they’ve stayed at in 5 different cities. Staying at a resort just like the Richemont creates an expertise that you simply can’t get anyplace else.”
