BURLINGTON, VT——Gemstone Hotels & Resorts assumed management of the 120-room, AAA Four Diamond Essex Culinary Resort and Spa here.
The resort is situated on 18 acres between Vermont’s Green Mountains and Lake Champlain.
“Essex Culinary Resort and Spa is a hand-in-glove fit with our growing portfolio of 18 luxury and upscale resorts and hotels,” stated Jeff McIntyre, principal of Gemstone. “Essex is smartly on-trend for today’s food-savvy, wellness-focused traveler, and our team has a unique understanding of the operational and marketing needs of one-of-a-kind resort properties. Gemstone specializes in creating and celebrating ‘brands of one’.”
“More and more, we see leisure, group and business travelers looking for an experience, not just a place to stay. The authentic, local experience that is the essence of Essex clearly resonates with their guests,” noted Thomas Prins, principal of Gemstone.
The resort’s culinary experience includes two restaurants, 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space and catering venues, and wedding location, The Ponds, as well as the in-house “Cook Academy,” where guests have the opportunity to learn from the resort’s chefs in special classes and daily samplings. The school and the resort’s food and beverage offerings are under the direction of master chef Arnd Sevier. The hotel’s restaurants, Amuse and The Tavern, are led by Chef Shawn Calley.
Essex Culinary Resort and Spa also features The Spa at Essex, with 10 treatment rooms, a fitness center, indoor lap pool, a seasonally available outdoor pool and hot tub and a full-service salon. The resort also is home to Vermont Tennis Vacations and 18-hole executive golf course.
The hotel’s recently renovated guestrooms and suites, some with fireplaces or in-rooms spas, are outfitted with flat-screen, high-definition televisions, in-room coffee featuring locally-sourced Green Mountain coffee, and iHome audio systems. The hotel is pet friendly and serves house-made treats along with a cold bowl of water to its four-legged guests.