At Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, there are five seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter and Christmas.
That’s how Michael Gordon, General Manager of the Florida property, describes a holiday season filled with traditions for members and resort guests.
The day after Thanksgiving, Gordon and his team begin transforming the property. Palm trees along Ponte Vedra Boulevard are strung with lights, holiday decorations go up throughout the club, and a 30-foot Christmas tree takes its place.
But the work starts long before the decorations come out. Planning for the next holiday season begins as soon as the previous one ends, with the team reviewing member feedback, discussing which traditions to keep and deciding what needs to change.
One tradition that takes months of preparation is the club’s gingerbread house. The pastry team starts planning 10 or 11 months in advance.
“They physically build the house about two weeks out, and it’s all edible,” says Gordon. “This has become a staple in our holiday traditions.”
The calendar also includes outdoor holiday movies, beachside s’mores, Santa hayrides and Christmas dinners that members return for year after year. For Gordon and his team, the work is balancing those familiar traditions with new offerings while making time for their own families to celebrate.
Gordon spoke with Club + Resort Business about planning the season, preparing staff and making both members and guests feel welcome during one of the property’s busiest times.
Club + Resort Business (C+RB): When does your team start planning for the holiday season?
Michael Gordon (MG): Planning starts the day after last year’s season is over. We hold a meeting going over what we liked about last year, what traditions we should keep going, what new things we should add and what are things we maybe need to remove or tweak.
We talk about decor and programming, sharing feedback we heard from members and just what moved our staff emotionally.
We are really looking at what we want to expand upon. For example, the Christmas lights throughout the property—we plan these things out nine months at the latest.
C+RB: What annual events or decorations does Ponte Vedra Club do for the holiday season?
MG: We always put out the nutcrackers. We always do a 30-foot real tree that is absolutely phenomenal. The decor is done by a premium local designer.
We light up our Ponte Vedra Boulevard with lights on the buildings and in the fountain.
The events are somewhat traditional. The ramp-up into the season is Thanksgiving, so we start with the annual 5K Turkey Trot. We always do outdoor holiday movies, beachside s’mores, cookies and carols throughout the whole season. We also do Santa hayrides, tree decorating contests, building gingerbread houses, and multiple times for Breakfast with Santa.
C+RB: How do you plan holiday programming to keep the older members and the youngest members at your club entertained?
MG: For our youngest members, we have those things I mentioned above—the holiday movies, gingerbread house building and breakfast with Santa.
For our older members, it’s more about tradition and having holiday receptions. Our established members look forward to the Christmas Eve dinner and the Christmas Day dinner. Christmas morning is also very popular among members.
A lot of these traditions have been here for a really long time, that have outlasted some of our longest tenured staff.
C+RB: With the Christmas Dinners and Christmas Morning being popular, how do you communicate these offerings so members can make reservations?
MG: We have a member newsletter that highlights these offerings. Plus, our club app allows members to make reservations for these events and we communicate through the app.
When reservations open up, it’s a busy day at the club. We are booking reservations, ensuring they understand what’s on the menu this year may be different than last year and answering any questions that come up.
C+RB: Switching gears to holiday travel, how do you balance accommodating members who you know will be at the club during the holidays with impromptu guests?
MG: Our members are local for the most part. Some of them do travel and stay at the inn, but our preparation is really getting out ahead of the guests to make sure they know what’s coming up, that they have reservations and that we staff accordingly.
We always recognize our members, but we’re always welcoming our guests and making sure they feel totally welcome. When they’re on property, we treat them like members. So, we are communicating with them about what’s happening and what to expect.
C+RB: How do you maintain that personal and welcoming experience for your members and guests when the club is at its busiest?
MG: For me, the busier the property, the better the experience is. The staff becomes animated, and they’re part of the tradition that makes the experience what it is.
Staff is also really excited about the season, so it doesn’t take much to get them excited about welcoming the members and guests. The biggest thing is training them on what’s new this year and ensuring they understand member and guest expectations.
C+RB: How do you manage staff during the holiday season, especially when they have their own families and traditions?
MG: We are very sensitive to that with our team. We want to make sure they’re able to enjoy the holiday or at least part of it with their families. But a lot of the staff want to be here.
They understand what’s happening and in hospitality, it’s tough. I’ve been in the business for 40 years, and we have the spirit to serve and to take care of members and guests. The team does a great job on that.
C+RB: What do you think sets your club apart from other clubs during the holiday season?
MG: I think it comes down to two things: location and our staff.
The location is oceanfront, North Florida with the best beaches. Having that backdrop and great weather in December is a real selling point.
Our staff is just fantastic. Our members know who they are. Returning guests know they are. There is a real emotional feeling when our members and guests arrive on the property.
C+RB: What tips or advice do you have for other club leadership as we get ready to enter the holiday season?
MG: Make your club special. Make the club feel different than it does during other holidays. We have decor and programming that happens around other holidays, but this is a magical time of year.
Creativity goes a long way. Benchmark the best of the best and get feedback from membership and current staff. They’ll help you lead the way.
