Olympia Hospitality

07/01/2024

In a recent interview on the New England Real Estate Journal Podcast with host Rick Kaplan, John Schultzel, Chief Growth Officer at Olympia Hospitality, shared his remarkable journey in the hotel industry and provided an in-depth look at Olympia's growth and innovations.

From his early days post-9/11 to leading Olympia's expansion to thirty-five hotels across the East Coast, Midwest, and as far west as Denver, John emphasized the importance of creativity and adaptability in today's market. He discussed how evolving traveler preferences drive the shift towards boutique and independent hotels, and how technology and flexible room configurations reshape the guest experience.

John highlighted Olympia's innovative approaches, including ground lease arrangements with retail owners and P3 partnerships with universities. These strategies not only enhance guest experiences but also bring sustainable and efficient solutions to the hospitality industry.

Check out the full interview for more insights into our journey and the future of hospitality!

Rick Kaplan host of NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews John Schultzel of Olympia Hospitality. John began his career working in hotels and restaurants after earn...

05/20/2024

We are proud to announce that our Chief Growth Officer, John Schultzel, will be a distinguished participant on the panel "Scaling Boutique Properties: Growth Strategies that Work" at the upcoming Boutique Hotel Investment Conference hosted by BLLA - Boutique Lifestyle Lodging Association in NYC.

🗓️ Date: June 5, 2024

⏰ Time: 4:15 PM

📍 Location: Florence Gould Hall, NYC

John will be sharing his insights and expertise alongside industry leaders:

- Ben Rafter, President & CEO of Springboard Hospitality
- Lily Hu, Executive Vice President, Business Strategy, Crescent Hotels & Resorts, and
- Ariela Goharik Kiradjian, Partner & COO, BLLA & Co-Founder, StayBoutique

As a headline sponsor of this prestigious event, Olympia Hospitality is committed to fostering innovation and excellence in the boutique hotel industry. We are excited to engage with our fellow industry professionals and share strategies that drive growth and success.

Join us at the conference to learn from the best and explore the future of boutique hospitality!

04/24/2024

Congratulations to Hotel Ursa, our newest addition to Olympia Hospitality, on their Grand Opening yesterday!

Located in Orono, Maine on the campus of the University of Maine, Hotel Ursa is more than just a hotel; it's a distinctly Maine experience where every detail has been crafted to create an unforgettable experience for our guests.

As we embark on this exciting journey, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated team and partners who have helped make Hotel Ursa a reality. Together, we are shaping the future of hospitality and setting new standards of excellence in the industry.

04/17/2024

Celebrating success at Olympia Hospitality!

We are thrilled to announce that Shannon Sikes, General Manager of the Hyatt Place Harrisonburg, has been honored with the prestigious Hyatt Place General Manager of the Year Award, representing excellence across all Hyatt Place hotels worldwide!

We are immensely proud to see Shannon's hard work and dedication recognized by the esteemed HYATT Hotels Corporation. His remarkable contributions have truly made a difference, elevating the guest experience and enriching our hotel community.

04/15/2024

At Olympia Hospitality, we take immense pride in our exceptional team members who continually raise the bar in the hospitality industry. Today, we're thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of our very own, Sandi Robinson, Director of Sales & Marketing at SOPHY Hotel.

Sandi's remarkable journey and outstanding contributions at SOPHY Hyde Park have been featured in a recent article by Rolling Out , showcasing her as a true luminary in hospitality. Her dedication to excellence and passion for philanthropy through Chi Gives Back, Inc. truly sets her apart.

Sandi Robinson, a luminary in hospitality and co-founder of the nonprofit ChiGivesBack, is a force to be reckoned with.

02/09/2023

A standing ovation for our hotels who received recognition in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report Best Hotels / Best Resorts categories!

✨Inn by the Sea: #3 Best Resort in Maine and #6 Best Hotel in Maine
✨The Alfond Inn: #3 Best Hotel in Orlando
✨SOPHY Hotel: #10 Best Hotel in Chicago and #11 Best Hotel in Illinois
✨The Glen House Hotel: #4 Best Hotel in New Hampshire
✨The Hotel at Oberlin: #16 Best Hotel in Ohio

12/12/2022

We are pleased to announce that Olympia has been selected to develop and operate a new hotel called The Crossroads Inn and its restaurant, The Salt Line, located on the campus of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The Crossroads Inn and The Salt Line are part of a new conference complex called The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts. The Vassar Institute will convene scholars and thought leaders from Vassar College, the local area, and around the globe. Reflecting the Vassar ethos of “going to the source,” the Institute will create a space for meaningful dialogue and lively debate.

The Crossroads Inn will include 50 guest rooms, a fitness facility, and two “Snugs,” serving as a shared living room for guests. The interior design of the 48,000-square-foot Inn is inspired by the Hudson River Valley, Poughkeepsie, and the Vassar College campus. The Inn is designed for guests that will include visiting academics, families of Vassar students, alumni, and weekend travelers to the scenic Hudson River Valley.

The lobby features an interactive art installation by American conceptual artist Mark Dion, celebrating the breadth and depth of the educational experiences available at Vassar College.

The Salt Line restaurant will sit adjacent to the Inn’s lobby and provide upscale, farm-to-table American fare. The space will include a 60-seat restaurant, the 24-seat Night Owls bar, a 14-seat private dining room, and a 36-seat patio. The name “Salt Line” refers to the northern salt line of the nearby Hudson River, where brackish water meets fresh water. Like waters meeting, the restaurant is themed as a place where perspectives will cross, and cultures will meet in the congenial atmosphere of a shared dining experience. Both the Inn and restaurant will provide daily access and amenities to the area.

10/27/2022

Olympia Hotel Management is delighted to announce being selected to operate a new hotel on the campus of the University of Maine (UMaine) in Orono. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 1, 2022, and the hotel is expected to be completed in early 2024.

The property is being developed by Radnor Property Group LLC, a real estate development company with a strong presence in higher education public-private partnership (P3) projects in the northeast, and Harrison Street, one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real assets.

Two historic University buildings, Coburn Hall and Holmes Hall, are being converted to create the new campus hotel. Both buildings were constructed in 1888 but have not been used by the University in 15 years. Holmes Hall was designed as an agricultural experiment station, while Coburn Hall housed a natural history museum, library, classrooms, and administrative offices.

The two buildings and a newly constructed addition will comprise a boutique hotel with 95 guest rooms and a bistro café. Located on Munson Road at the center of campus, close to the bookstore and library, the new property will provide UMaine with an upscale hotel for short and long-term stay options to support the university’s hospitality needs, collaboration efforts, alumni outreach, athletic teams, and new student recruitment. The project is expected to be completed in 2024 and the cost is anticipated to be $28 million.

Olympia, based in Portland, Maine, was chosen because of its experience with a diverse collection of campus hotel projects.

“This is a unique and complex endeavor,” notes Nick Allen of Radnor Property Group. “We are excited to have an operating partner with depth in both independent and campus-based hotels. Olympia’s understanding of this marketplace and history with the University is a real benefit to the project.”

“The University of Maine is looking forward to working with Olympia in this P3 project at the state’s land, sea and space grant university,” says University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “We will tap the experience and vision of this Maine-based company to provide a quality UMaine experience in our historically significant campus hotel facilities.”

As part of the P3 plan, the project hopes to offer job training and internship programs to students in collaboration with the University of Maine to help prepare and develop young professionals in hospitality. Maine is home to a thriving tourism industry in which one of six jobs in the state is part of tourism or hospitality.

“Our company story began in this region, and we are extremely excited to be working with the University of Maine, Radnor, and Harrison Street on this transformative project,” said John Schultzel, Chief Growth Officer for Olympia. “Campus hospitality is an important focus for Olympia, so the fit is really remarkable.”

10/04/2022

Continuous Improvement: We constantly seek out ways to improve ourselves and the services we deliver.

For our hotels to be recognized for those efforts and to be among great company in the 2022 Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards is an honor.

A celebratory round of applause to The Alfond Inn for being named a Top 10 Hotel in Florida, The Glen House Hotel for being named a Top 30 Hotel in the Northeast, Inn by the Sea for being named a Top 22 Resort in the Northeast, and The Hotel at Oberlin for being named a Top 15 Hotel in the Midwest.

09/19/2022

We are thrilled to announce that Olympia Hotel Management will operate the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel & Restaurant of Berea College located in Berea, KY.

The Historic Boone Tavern Hotel & Restaurant was built on the old Dixie Highway (U.S. Route 25) and opened in 1909 in the center of town. Named after the early Kentucky explorer, Daniel Boone, it was designed by architect J. C. Cady in the Colonial Revival style. The venerable property is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We are pleased to bring on Olympia Hotel Management to manage the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant, the centerpiece of our campus,” said Berea College President Lyle Roelofs. “Olympia Hotel Management has achieved great success in managing hotels on college campuses like Duke University in North Carolina; the University of Chicago in Illinois; Kent State University and Oberlin College in Ohio; and Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. We look forward to a long and successful partnership that will make the Boone Tavern a desirable destination in our region.”

The Boone Tavern Hotel features 63 guestrooms and six suites furnished with hand-made early American-style furniture made by Berea students in the College’s Student Craft program. The hotel has 8,552 square feet of meeting and event space spread across seven separate rooms, each space accommodating up to 150 guests for weddings, reunions, conferences, and other gatherings. The award-winning restaurant has served the legendary cornbread soufflé known as Boone Tavern Spoonbread at the start of every lunch and dinner for more than 75 years. It’s one of the many dishes made with regional “Kentucky Proud” ingredients.

Berea College was founded in 1855 as the first integrated, co-educational college in the South. It is home to 1,600 diverse and promising students with limited economic resources. Every student receives a Tuition Promise Scholarship that covers the cost of tuition, a paid on-campus job, and a high-quality liberal arts education – making Berea like no other college in the nation. Berea College has not charged students tuition since 1892. One of nine federally recognized Work Colleges, Berea hires every student to work at least 10 hours a week at campus jobs to support college operations – making it one of the first true work-study programs in the country. About 50% of the hotel staff are students enrolled at Berea College fulfilling the requirements of the school’s work program.

“It is an honor to partner with Berea College and add this distinguished, historic property to our growing campus hospitality portfolio,” said Sara Masterson, President, Hotel Management, for Olympia Hotel Management. “This hotel aligns perfectly with our expertise in managing campus properties that are successfully integrated into the community and have such interesting stories to tell.”

07/15/2022

The Director of Sales & Marketing oversees the members of the sales team, their work flow and all sales strategies. The DOS is responsible for managing the soft brand relationships, business opportunities. Also responsible for prospecting for new opportunities, setting rates, negotiations and maintenance of current accounts, new markets to possibly include Business Travel Accounts, tour business and travel agency relationships.

07/13/2022

We could not be more proud of the teams at SOPHY Hotel and The Alfond Inn at Rollins for being named in The World's Best Awards 2022 by Travel + Leisure readers.

SOPHY® Hyde Park was named one of The 10 Best Hotels in Chicago while The Alfond Inn at Rollins has been named one of the 15 Best Resorts in Florida.

“For an independent boutique hotel on Chicago’s South Side, this is an extraordinary moment,” said Anthony Beach, General Manager of SOPHY Hyde Park. “We are immeasurably grateful for the recognition from the readers of Travel + Leisure. I couldn’t be prouder of our SOPHY Hyde Park team for going above and beyond every day. This is a win for all of us and for the historic Hyde Park neighborhood.”

"Thank you to the readers of Travel + Leisure for voting The Alfond Inn as one of the Top 15 Best Resorts in Florida,” said Jesse Martinez, General Manager of The Alfond Inn at Rollins. “As the only hotel in Central Florida ranked among the Top 15, we are both proud and humbled. I take my hat off to our entire team for their ongoing work and dedication that made a prestigious recognition like this possible.”