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Tips for Travelers: Benchmark Pyramid’s Leisure Experts Dish on the Latest Happenings in Luxury Travel

Tuesday, 26 April 2022 08:00 AM

Benchmark Pyramid

BOSTON, MA AND THE WOODLANDS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2022 / Global hospitality company Benchmark Pyramid oversees a diverse portfolio of luxury resort destinations, including Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu, Hawaii, La Quinta Resort & Club in California's greater Palm Springs region, La Cantera Resort & Spa in the Hill Country of San Antonio, Texas, Boston Harbor Hotel, and YOTELPAD Park City in Utah. Its consortium of leisure sales experts, spread throughout the country and guided by Corporate Director of Leisure Sales Suya Davenport, have offered their insights on the experiences motivating today's travelers.

Davenport noted, "This team is an incredible brain trust for what is happening in travel, and it is clear from the intelligence they've shared, that leisure travelers seek unique and enriching experiences that celebrate local cultures and communities."

Deeply Rooted Dining

Travelers are increasingly conscious of their eco-footprint while on the road and inspired by immersive experiences-like dining-that are locally rooted. According to Matthew Williams, senior leisure sales manager for La Quinta Resort & Club, "We've put the bounties of the Coachella Valley front-and-center through our partnership with County Line Harvest, a certified organic farm located just 10 minutes from the resort. Our chefs make regular field trips to the farm to inspire their plant-forward dishes." Williams mentioned the La Quinta culinary team is also often found plucking ingredients straight from the resort property, where trees brim with lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit.

Culturally rooted dining experiences are also in high demand, according to Fabiola Sotomayor, director of leisure sales for Turtle Bay Resort, which recently underwent a reinvention that was guided by a deep respect and gratitude for the land. Sotomayor said, "Our new Paniolo Paina dinners engage guests in Hawaii's rich ranching and cowboy heritage. The outdoor roast includes storytelling about local cowboys and traditional ranch life, traditional Paniolo music and entertainment, like a fire knife and drum exhibition and hula performance." Worth noting: Turtle Bay Resort, in partnership with Pono Pacific, is launching a number of new immersive experiences for guests at its on-site Kuilima Farm, where stable and sustainable food production on the island is a priority.

A Toast to Summer

According to Boston Harbor Hotel Regional Director of Sales & Marketing Jennifer McMahon, "Travelers want to head home with a strong sense of place from their travels." During the summer, Boston Harbor Hotel's annual Summer in the City entertainment series celebrates Boston through live music on the waterfront. Local bands play from a barge in the harbor as Bostonians and travelers enjoy al fresco dining and a light summer breeze. McMahon remarked, "This fun experiential space is complemented by our pop-up outdoor beer garden, Brewer's Alley. We're working with Maine Beer Company this year, supporting a local, environmentally conscious brand while offering guests a classically delicious New England brew."

The exclusive Veuve Clicquot Cabana at La Cantera Resort & Spa's adults-only infinity edge pool, Topaz, is a great outdoor retreat for couples according to Christen McCuiston, director of leisure sales for the resort. She shared, "This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration for Veuve in North America, and together we've created a distinctive private cabana experience centered on the Champagne house's signature yellow hue. In addition to a bottle of Veuve with tulip flutes as a gift, guests have a colorful retreat for shade and delicious, yellow-inspired snacks, like banana lollipops, to enjoy."

Time to Chill

At Nalu Spa at Turtle Bay Resort, botanicals grown sustainably on the resort's on-property farm are spotlighted. Sotomayor mentioned the Ola Sun Recovery service is one to consider, addressing the impact of long beach days on the skin. The treatment uses soothing aloe vera, tamanu oil, and Hawaiian plant and sea plants distillates to help preserve a tan and aid in healing the skin. A wrap in Ti leaves helps the body absorb all the nutrients as well.

Wellness experiences are in high demand across the board, and La Cantera Resort & Spa is seeing that unfold at its Loma de Vida Spa. Debuting this May is its two-hour Destress Together couples experience, designed to put twosomes into a relaxed and synchronized flow. Remarked, McCuiston, "This new spa experience takes advantage of the Spa's Sky Loft suite, which features an old-fashioned Cowboy bathtub-for-two with sweeping views of our Hill Country." During the spa service, couples unwind with a soak in a CBD-rich botanical bath and are served Moët & Chandon and artisan CBD chocolate of Moksha, while guitar plays softly. Thereafter, a side-by-side touch therapy session brings deep rebalance and calm, including a foot scrub, Reflexology, and a customized massage. Couples conclude the service with a gift bag of Reign Together CBD oil to continue the chill vibe in their guest quarters and at home.

Designed for Families

At the new YOTELPAD Park City, Director of Sales & Marketing Diana Carey finds multi-generational groups are drawn to living spaces with flexibility. "Our smartly designed PADs have proved quite popular. Beds can fold away or transform into sofas, and that gives our guests a range of ways to take advantage of their space for lounging and relaxing. This level of customization is making it easy for families to settle in and maximize on their accommodations."

At La Quinta Resort & Club, Williams finds extended families make use of summer break and the resort's Villas to reconnect, but also suggested a strategic booking of clustered casitas can work out well. "Booking multiple casitas in the same location can result in a semi-private pool experience for the family, which is a nice bonus." Of note: La Quinta welcomes furry family members too, with in-room amenities and a personalized PupJoy subscription box, complete with treat, toy and travel bowl. The property's 45-acre desert sanctuary, plus casitas with private walled patios and yards, makes it easy to bring VIPs (very important pets).

McCuiston also noted La Cantera Resort & Spa's multi-room Villas are a draw for multigenerational groups. "The high-end set-up allows for more intimacy, and luxury travelers are seeking that ‘retreat within a retreat' as they bring their families together," she said. She added that Villa perks, like complimentary golf carts, aren't just used for the resort's championship course, but have proved great for bringing little ones to enjoy the broader property, spread over 500 acres. "Families are taking advantage of everything from tennis and pickleball courts to our Zoomagination events, where kids can meet sloths, snakes and other creatures."

Turtle Bay Resort offers a long list of compelling activities for family travelers, many of whom are taking advantage of the resort's newly renovated Ocean Suites, which overlook Oahu's North Shore. Sotomayor mentioned, "Three super popular experiences for our multi-gen guests right now include stand-up paddleboard lessons with dogs, stargazing excursions, and an interactive bird-watching tour through our property's wilderness trails."

Ladies & Learning

Women are looking to learn and connect during their travels according to Benchmark Pyramid's experts. At Boston Harbor Hotel, McMahon offered, "Our guests, particularly groups of ladies, love the tradition of sharing a high tea experience but want something with a modern twist. We're finding the more unique tea offerings, like our signature gingery and vodka-based Aphrodite's Potion topped with prosecco and rose buds, a popular request. An experience that isn't fussy, but offers a sense of tradition, is resonating." Offered fall through spring, this experience is paired with sweeping views of the Boston Harbor creating the ultimate sensory experience.

McCuiston noted the demand from girlfriend groups for La Cantera Resort & Spa's Women & Whiskey series, which occurs monthly. "This program isn't just for the ladies, of course, but it does celebrate the role women play in the whiskey business. It's an opportunity for whiskey lovers to deep dive into the spirit and for newer whiskey drinkers to learn about its history and nuances." The resort offers other tasty learning opportunities, like its ongoing Agave Talk program, which features educational insights and tequila tastings (including of La Cantera's own branded tequila).

For a different take on time with girlfriends, La Quinta Resort & Club will arrange a private shopping experience at one of its boutique shops, Audrey's & Citrus, pulling out the stops with a bottle of sparkling wine and the dedicated attention of a stylist. Not to miss, according to Williams, is the Ramy Brook line, which features designs directly inspired by and named for La Quinta.

Drawn to Explore

A series of only-at-Turtle Bay Resort experiences are available at the iconic Hawaiian retreat, according to Sotomayor. "For twosomes considering a romantic getaway or embarking on a special celebration trip, we encourage them to try something that spotlights the island, like a couple's canoe tour through nearby Kawela Bay." Also perfect for pairs are the recently unveiled ultra-luxurious Ocean Bungalows, Sotomayor said.

Located at the base of Park City Mountain Resort in the heart of Canyon Village, YOTELPAD Park City is a contemporary lodging concept that puts guests at the edge of the region's gorgeous mountains and valley meadows. Carey noted that guests are often taking advantage of Park City and its surrounds' incredible hiking, biking and horseback riding. "The free summer concert series we have here in Canyons Village is also wonderful for visitors, making for a great evening of music and fresh mountain air," Carey remarked.

In Boston, McMahon finds the water is always calling. She mentioned, "Guests love exploring the Boston Harborwalk, which connects Boston's waterfront neighborhoods via 40 miles of public access." And Boston Harbor Hotel is within walking distance to the ferry that will take guests to the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, where the beaches make for a great daytrip. Sometimes the cruise is the draw itself, like the two-hour narrated lighthouse tours that spotlight, among others, Boston Light, which is America's first light station.

About Benchmark Pyramid
Benchmark Pyramid was formed by the 2021 merger of two hotel and resort management companies, creating the most owner-focused, experiential company in the industry and its best workplace. The organization's global portfolio spans more than 240 properties in the U.S., Caribbean and Europe. It maintains offices in Boston; The Woodlands, Texas; Cincinnati; and London. For more information, visit www.benchmarkpyramid.com.

Media Contacts:
Andrew Doucette / Jenna Bush
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SOURCE: Benchmark Pyramid

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