On-site lodging allows club members to extend their daily visits and provides overnight accommodations for guests.
As more clubs expand their amenities and look to become truly all-inclusive properties, it’s becoming more common for facilities to include lodging space. Whether members choose to make a full day of it at the club and don’t want to drive home after hours, or wish to offer their guests a full-fledged getaway experience, providing sleeping rooms and other overnight services can optimize the value of a club by offering all of the comforts of home, without having to leave the property.
Summing It Up • Providing lodging facilities helps bolster and extend club and resort brands beyond the clubhouse. • Golfers looking to partake of club amenities after hours are a prime demographic for overnight stays. • Offering accommodations for non-resident members represents an untapped potential revenue stream. |
The Clubhouse Hotel
When Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., underwent a massive expansion last year (“Taking It All In,” C&RB, October 2015), adding eight guest rooms to its clubhouse was part of the package.
“It was recommended during the planning stages by our design team, given that we had the space available,” explains General Manager/COO Albert Costantini. “Eight rooms were the maximum we could fit in the new layout.”
At approximately 450 to 550 sq. ft. (including a private bath), each of the eight rooms is situated on the second floor, with sweeping views of the golf course. A contemporary design featuring a cream-based color scheme and accents of color complements the rest of the clubhouse. Artwork and photography repurposed from the old clubhouse adds a personal touch to wall décor.
“We had a long-term member who was an accomplished watercolor artist, and we have used many of those pieces,” notes Costantini.
Six of the rooms feature king beds, while the remaining two rooms have double queens in each. Full baths include showers with “rain shower” heads, sink, toilet, an HVAC unit with remote control, and a linen closet with a safe for guests’ valuables. Soft lighting is supplied by in-room floor and table lamps, with wall sconces in the bathroom. Additional room amenities include WiFi access, DirectTV, a Keurig coffee maker and mini-fridge.
“We decided against [including] mini-bars, due to potential liability issues,” Costantini notes.
While Canoe Brook didn’t start using its guest rooms until last November, Costantini has seen a higher occupancy since the spring.
“We sold out during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and when another local club hosted PGA championships this summer,” he notes. “There’s definitely a higher level of activity during the golf season.”
Adding this overnight stay service has been a plus for Canoe Brook, especially among non-resident members.
“We currently have three members booking rooms on a monthly basis and staying with us instead of at a hotel,” says Costantini. “We hadn’t thought about the business aspect of people who had moved away, but still had work in this area. It’s been a pleasant surprise.”
Home Away from Home
As an incentive for guests to take full advantage of its ever-expanding list of activities, the Houston Oaks Family Sports Retreat in Hockley, Texas, known as Tennwood Golf Club before a fire burned down the clubhouse in 2008, recently sought to fulfill a need for overnight accommodations.
“The goal was to create a space where family, friends and business associates alike could enter the gate and enjoy a variety of amenities as if it were their own private ranch,” says Marketing Coordinator Katie Park. “We wanted to offer our members the ability to truly enjoy all 900 acres in serenity.”
This led to multi-phase construction on the property, starting with the Legacy Lodge, a six-bedroom facility, in 2012. That was followed by four cottages: Azalea and Bougainvillea in 2013, and Camellia and Dogwood in 2014. The cottages, which range from 1,323 to 2,089 sq. ft. and are outfitted with fully functional kitchens, private outdoor showers, free WiFi and personal golf-cart service, are named after flowers native to Texas and reflect the property’s emphasis on natural beauty.
“Since 2008, we have planted over 9,000 trees for future generations to treasure,” Park says. Integrating the cottages and lodges into the plan has helped to achieve a treehouse-like effect, accentuating panoramic views of Houston Oaks Lake and its picturesque setting.
The larger Legacy Lodge, at 6,662 sq. ft., can accommodate multiple families and/or private parties looking to host intimate dinners, cooking classes, bridal showers or corporate retreats. Its six bedrooms can sleep up to 20 guests, while six full baths, two half-baths, private outdoor showers, a gourmet kitchen, outdoor patio with grill and personal golf carts round out the amenities.
Rules of the Room
When adding lodging facilities to a club, establishing guidelines for overnight stays and room maintenance is an important part of the master checklist. These rules are not only important for ensuring a smooth business flow, they are needed to present a clear set of terms upfront for both patrons and personnel to abide by. Room policies at the Houston Oaks Family Sports Retreat in Hockley, Texas mandate that only members (or those sponsored by members) may rent lodging space. “Weddings are the only exception, as we do allow non-members to host their wedding, as well as book lodging if available at that time,” says Marketing Coordinator Katie Park. Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., follows similar guidelines for hosting large gatherings. “Wedding parties can book a block of six rooms ahead of time and if the other two rooms are still available a month before the date, then those can be reserved as well,” notes General Manager/COO Albert Costantini. Generally, different rates and length-of-stay policies apply to members and guests at Canoe Brook. Because all charges go through the member account, members may decide what services guests can partake of. “The only amenity not available to a guest without a member present is golf,” Costantini says. When and how often to offer room upkeep is another issue to take into consideration. At Houston Oaks, room refreshes are available for multi-day stays, while a 24-hour, on-call service can handle emergency needs. The fully staffed resort also offers full housekeeping services, laundry service and babysitting services. Canoe Brook also offers daily room refreshes for multiple-night stays, while single-night rooms are cleaned immediately and “deep cleans” are available upon request. Housekeeping duties for the club’s eight sleeping rooms are currently handled by the clubhouse maintenance staff. “Once our [sleeping] rooms are occupied on a more consistent basis, we will hire a dedicated housekeeping team [for them],” notes Costantini. |
After a tremendous initial response—lodging was completely booked within the first year—Houston Oaks decided to open a 12-room luxury boutique hotel last April. All hotel guests are entitled to utilize the game room, conference rooms and kitchen during their stay.
“Large group gatherings, such as family reunions or wedding parties, will frequently book the entire hotel as a lodging solution for them and their guests,” notes Park.
With the ability to sleep 120 guests across all lodging options and provide a wide range of activities, Houston Oaks has demonstrated its all-inclusive reputation to its members.
“The lodging service has strengthened our club’s brand identity and has brought the private resort to life,” Park says. “Every member of the family can enjoy all the food and fun and relax into their accommodation for a good night’s rest, without the concern of driving home.”
A Place to Put Their Feet Up
Golfers looking to extend their day at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in McDowell, Ariz., now have the ability to do so, thanks to a re-branding effort that took place at the We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center in October 2014.
“We wanted to create a golf-themed product to draw on nearby We-Ko-Pa Golf Club’s already large following,” explains General Manager Craig Benell. “The golf club brings in so many golfers and golf groups who are just here for the day, and our goal was to take their feet from on our greens and get their heads in our beds.”
The resort’s decision to build a total of four golf suites was intentional. “We decided to create four golf suites because four, eight, twelve or sixteen players make for an ideal ‘golf buddy’ trip, ” notes Group Golf Sales Manager James Kinzer.
The resort’s four two-bedroom golf suites include two deluxe queen beds per room, private bath, living room with pull-out sofa and kitchen. The full space, with doors ajar between the bedrooms and common area, makes up a roomy 1,080-sq. ft. suite.
Furnishings in a warm color palette of beiges, creams and greens pay homage to the nearby Four Peaks, Sonoran Desert and the golf club, located just across the street. To further highlight the golf theme, the walls are adorned with photographs of golf courses, while putting greens provide an indoor practice area.
“It’s really the perfect place to gather both before and after a round of golf,” says Kinzer. “Book all four rooms, and you can easily—and comfortably—accommodate a group of 20 golfers.”
For extra space for entertaining, two suites on the fourth and fifth floors have patios overlooking the resort’s two pools and the surrounding desert.
All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen television, refrigerator and microwave and WiFi access. Guests get a 20% discount at the golf shop and also have access to the resort’s amenities, including two pools, two whirlpools, a five-hole putting green, spa and on-site restaurant.
“Offering golf-themed suites further builds our brand as an independent golf resort, while affording us the opportunity to drive ‘golf buddy’ trips and high-end group outings,” says Benell.
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