Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn?
Nope, this hotel is unlike any you have ever experienced!
The idea for this installment is credited to my sister-in-law, Lisa. She said that every time she reads one of my posts and I mention the hotel, even though she had been to our hotel, she pictures a building with lots of rooms that all look the same. Like you know, a Holiday Inn or just about any other hotel. As she said, hotel just doesn’t explain it. She thought it would be helpful for me to explain what made it so different!
Arrival
The unusual aspects of our hotel started even before a guest’s arrival. Several weeks before arrival, one of us (usually me) would contact every guest to make sure their transportation arrangements were made, their tours, activities and spa treatments were set up, and to find out if there was anything special that they needed or wanted during their stay. This way, we could customize each guest’s experience and avoid any problems. Once, I noticed that a guest had booked their flights to San Jose, California! Another time, a guest had booked flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico! See how helpful it was for us to check?!
The drivers who brought guests to the hotel would let our concierge staff know when they were driving up the mountain so the staff could be waiting for the guests in the driveway. Upon arrival, guests were welcomed and greeted BY NAME by a member of the staff in the parking lot. That staff member would then escort guests past the organic garden, and up the path with lots of tropical flowers and plants to the reception for check-in.
While guests were on the way to reception, another team member would discreetly unload the car and bring the luggage to the guest’s room - no luggage cart needed, no elevator ride, and no fumbling for cash to tip the bellhop!
As guests approached the reception area, it would hit them - BAM! The wow moment!
There, they soaked in the most gorgeous 270 degree view of the ocean, jungle, infinity pool, green terrace, bar area, and dining room - the whole common area of the hotel. The open-air common area with its soaring ceilings and complete lack of walls made guests feel totally immersed in this spectacle. On multiple occasions, guests actually cried in awe when they saw it! You can see why here.
Location & Property
As previously mentioned, our hotel was located at 2,000 feet elevation up in the mountains in a remote jungle location. A steep gravel road ran from the coastal highway up to the hotel. We were basically the last property on the road which dead-ended just past our property. At the dead-end, the road turned into a trail that guests could walk/hike or horseback up another 1,000 feet to the very top of the mountain.
At this elevation, we were far above the heat and traffic found down at the coast. Up there, we had cool ocean breezes, fresh mountain air, and jungle sounds. On sunny days, the pool beckoned, and the views were spectacular. On rainy days, clouds would drift right through the property and rainbows were frequent.
This location also provided for the utmost in privacy. The nearest neighbors were too far away to be seen or heard.
We also had 25 or so acres. The jungle surroundings were preserved in their natural state with rustic hiking trails including one to a private waterfall. The waterfall was a special, magical place. A waterfall on a hotel property? Yes, here! Mark and I hiked this trail 100s of times, and we never encountered another guest or anyone else. How cool/special/unique is that?
Hotel Rooms
This is where my sister-in-law Lisa visualizes a motel, or Holiday Inn when I say the word hotel. As she knows, it was nothing even close to that visual of a big building with multiple identical rooms.
We were different.
After our rebuild, we had a total of just 7 units and could sleep only a maximum of 20 guests. Each of our 7 stand-alone rooms at the hotel were separate from each other for privacy and had their own unique features. From all units, guests had views of both the ocean and the jungle/mountain.
We had 3 Villas-a 1 bedroom, a 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom-which were bigger units, and each had their own plunge pool.
We had 2 Treehouses which were perched in the trees on steel posts with soaking tubs on the outdoor deck. But you didn’t have to climb any trees to enter!
Finally, we had 2 Suites which were the units we built during the remodel to replace what we lost in the perfect storm. These were slightly smaller than the other rooms, more of the size of a ‘typical’ hotel room.
Both the Villas and the Treehouses were open-air with screens for walls and some glass windows. By the time we sold the hotel, we had added air conditioning in the bedrooms of each of the Villas. The Treehouses remained open-air! The breezes at our elevation were great for nighttime sleeping or daytime napping!
Because of our small size and remote location, we did not give guests keys for the units. What? No keys? Have you ever checked into a hotel without receiving a room key? Nope. When inside the rooms, guests could lock the doors, but because each unit was so separate from another, no one could walk by and see in. Utmost privacy! (Each unit of course had a safe for guest’s valuables!)
And none of our units had a phone or a TV! What? No TV? Nope. What kind of hotel, motel or Holiday Inn doesn’t have a TV? I’ll tell you. Ours. You’re on vacation, in a remote, private location so we were designed to ‘get away from it all’. You can watch Netflix at home, no? Well, you could watch it there also because we did have wi-fi but still….
And in our owner’s apartment, Mark and I didn’t have a phone or TV either. We read a lot of books! We didn’t watch TV for five years, except for a few Netflix movies on my iPad here and there. Try it. You might find you like it!
Other Special Details
What else made us different?
We and our English-speaking staff knew everyone’s name. Always. As Dale Carnegie said, “a person's name is to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” This is undeniably true. Does the night concierge at the Holiday Inn know your name? Most likely not.
Because we knew every guest’s name and room they were in, we never asked a guest to pay for or sign anything for their dinner, lunch, or bar drinks during their stay. Our team members kept track of everything for each guest and it was reviewed on check-out. Can you do that at your local hotel, motel or Holiday Inn? Nope.
Housekeeping was also part of the magical experience. Guests often commented that they had not seen a housekeeper during their entire stay, but every time the guests returned to their room, it was made up. Some guests asked if we had fairies that cleaned the rooms!
The spa experience was also unique. Set in the jungle in an open-air platform, guests could hear birds singing and feel mountain breezes as they enjoyed their spa treatments. No ‘spa music’ required there! All natural sounds. Ahhhh. Afterwards, the therapists would leave the guests alone if they wanted to shower on a completely open-air deck overlooking the forest. Naked! But remember, 25 acres, everything spread apart and private! You don’t get that at your everyday hotel or motel spa!
And at the bar, the world’s best bartender, Vianney, created the most delicious cocktails you have ever tasted. Order a piña colada at a typical hotel, and the bartender will dump some pre-made mix into a blender and serve it up. Order one from Vianney and watch as he pulls out a fresh pineapple and starts working on your tropical beverage. Can you taste it? Yummm…
So, thanks, Lisa, for the idea to describe our hotel. I tried do it justice! Since the hotel still exists, I’m sure the new owners would welcome readers anytime to see and experience it for themselves. 😀
And if you have been a guest, comment on your favorite room or unique hotel feature below!
P.S. I’m not picking on Holiday Inn. I love Holiday Inns, Marriotts and the like. My reference, of the sing-songy cadence of “Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn”, is from a song Mark liked a lot as a kid. Comment below if you know it!
With a friend, family member or someone who wants to NOT visit a hotel, motel or Holiday Inn!
Oh my gawd. Your place sounds amazing. I love how you defied set norms and did your own thing. I'm sure people have had a once in a lifetime experience at your little corner of the world.
Wow 🤩 the video you shared is epic, Marlo! I can see why some guests cried when they saw it. Your hotel sounds absolutely magical! A lot of what you shared reminds me of a place here in Portland, Jamaica called Great Huts. I offer my yoga and bodywork services there (since 2020) and I even worked their front desk as a guest services agent from December 2021-January 2023. What an experience! If you ever come to the countryside of Jamaica, I highly recommend Great Huts! 🇯🇲