SANTA FE, NM? La Posada de Santa Fe was recently selected to serve as the flagship property of the Rockresorts hotel brand. Located here in Santa Fe, the property features 159 adobe-style suites. ?The hotel was built in 1930 and has been a part of the historical significance of Santa Fe. We used that to help us create an environment unlike any other in Santa Fe,? said Carlos Lopes, executive vp of Olympus Hospitality Group, the Scottsdale, AZ-based management arm of Olympus Real Estate Corp.?s hotel division. The resort was selected as the brand flagship because of its high quality standards along with its rich history, Lopes said. According to Lopes, the Rockresorts brand, which currently has four hotels, is looking to acquire more properties with unique construction and special services for guests similar to those at La Posada de Santa Fe. ?We want at least a four-and-a-half-star property that offers affordable accommodations but we want all of our resorts to be distinctive,? he said. ?We are prepared, when we acquire these properties, to add more facilities which will bring the properties up to meet the standards of the Rockresorts brand,? said Lopes.He noted that the 203-room Cheeca Lodge in the Florida Keys, another Rockresorts property, is currently undergoing renovations to add a spa. ?We?re going to grow the brand gradually,? said Lopes, who hopes to add between 25 and 30 more properties to the brand over the next five years. Even though most of the brand?s growth will come from acquisitions and management contracts, ?there is a high probability that we will do at least one property from the ground up,? he said. Lopes noted that prospective areas for new Rockresorts properties include Vermont; Cape Cod, MA; Aspen, CO; LaJolla and Carmel, CA; Scottsdale, AZ and Florida. ?By the end of July we?re hoping to be able to announce two more properties in the Rockresorts portfolio,? Lopes indicated. ?One thing that is important to us is size. You?ll probably never see a Rockresorts property with more than 200 rooms, since having a property larger than that really takes away from the personalized service and recognition we want our guests to receive,? Lopes said. Catering To Guests ?At our resorts, we try to meet and greet the guest to make them feel comfortable and let them know that all of the comforts are there. We go to great lengths to get our guests involved in activities such as yoga classes, cooking classes, spa orientation, hiking or horseback riding. But if they choose to sit by the pool instead, well, that?s okay, too.? La Posada Signature Services include a welcome beverage upon arrival; a manager?s cocktail reception where guests can meet the general manager and concierge to learn about hotel services and happenings at or near the resort; and daily turndown service including bedside chocolates. At departure time, a welcome mat, slippers, a robe and spring water are placed in each guest?s car. Weekend activities for La Posada guests are complimentary. Some of the more popular activities include a tour of the historic Staab House and its art collection and a recounting of La Posada?s history. Centrally located in Santa Fe, the resort is only minutes away from internationally renowned festivals, opera, art galleries and shopping.
