With summer time quick approaching, many conventional lodges have began gearing up for an anticipated improve in each occupancy and actions at their properties. However for seasonal resorts like The Inn at Diamond Cove, such efforts have been in place for months and are important to make sure a profitable summer time.
The resort—which is situated off the coast of Maine on Nice Diamond Island in Casco Bay and might solely be reached by ferry or boat from Portland’s Outdated Port district—opens its doorways in late Could and closes in mid-October. Nonetheless, in between there’s no scarcity of deliberate actions for company.
Previously military barracks that had been a part of Fort McKinley—a army base constructed between 1891 and 1907 to defend Portland Harbor through the Spanish American Warfare—the Inn first opened in 2015 after being restored with consideration to historic element. It contains 42 condos—the vast majority of that are suites—with kitchens and balconies, wood porches, a swimming pool, and cabana bar.
Basic Supervisor Erik O’Brien emphasised the significance of successfully ramping up transient employees for the resort, which is managed by Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Colwen Resorts and is a member of Historic Resorts of America.
“One of many issues that we need to do from a buyer engagement standpoint is usher in our workforce a little bit earlier so we may give them the proper coaching as a result of it takes time. I’ve put collectively a program to coach anybody that may transfer to the island for the season, and we’ve already employed them in order that they’re able to go when the lights activate for us,” he stated.
O’Brien identified that lots of the employees on the resort, and notably its waterfront restaurant Diamond’s Edge, are worldwide college students which are secured by means of the J-1 and H2B Visa packages.
The resort “takes satisfaction in taking part within the J-1 program,” in line with O’Brien. He additional emphasised the range of the workforce.
“It’s for overseas change college students, and these college students come from wherever so far as Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, in addition to Columbia, Argentina, and Peru. We attempt to work with a whole lot of the South American nations and European nations,” he stated.
In the meantime, O’Brien famous the H2B program represents a distinct sort of visa, “which is basically professionals from different nations.”
He continued, “Plenty of our cooks, cooks or housekeeping [workers] come from the H2B program.”
O’Brien touted the advantages of those packages and acknowledged he’s placing an enormous give attention to creating group actions, akin to a baseball recreation, for these employees to maintain them engaged.
“Once you’re remoted on the island you might be restricted in what you are able to do. So, we’re engaged on a extremely nice exercise schedule the place each month we do one thing as a workforce, and we take them out. I’m working [on building a schedule] to maintain our worker engagement up and to understand them as a result of they do a whole lot of work for us through the time that they’re right here,” he stated.
O’Brien—who famous July and August are peak months for the resort—talked particularly about a number of the actions which are being added to the resort’s annual occasion calendar. Some examples embody Trivia Tuesdays within the foyer of the resort, film night time by the pool, which features a BBQ, and a Fourth of July parade with embellished golfcarts that concludes on the resort. As well as, company have entry to strolling trails, secluded seashores, tennis, yoga, kayaking, and paddleboarding.
O’Brien touted the resort as a novel getaway for company to depart all of it behind, whereas acknowledging that cellular phone service generally is a little bit of a difficulty.
“I wish to market this as a small inn the place you possibly can fully unplug. It’s a real place to essentially really feel such as you’re far-off, however you’re not as a result of it’s a 20- or 30-minute boat trip into city,” he stated.
Lastly, O’Brien famous that the resort is anticipating a busy season with advance bookings outpacing final yr presently. He additionally famous there was a concerted effort to drive charge again as much as pre-COVID ranges. For instance, he famous a collection throughout peak season will now garner roughly $750 an evening, which continues to be significantly lower than different close by places, in line with O’Brien.
“In some unspecified time in the future we’ve to interrupt away from [COVID rates] similar to every other resort. So, we’re attempting to work by means of that by saying, ‘What else can we offer for our company this yr?’ I feel the market has modified the place we don’t have to low cost charges anymore,” he stated.
Lastly, O’Brien estimated that roughly 60 % of the resort’s company are return guests, together with many from the West Coast of the US.
“We’ve had a whole lot of return company final yr and this yr that had been company earlier than COVID. Individuals are beginning to really feel extra comfy now, so that they’re reaching out and sharing how a lot they love the island,” he stated.
