THE INTERVIEW : MARK HARMON
Outdoor spa at Calistoga Ranch in California
several other projects in the pipeline . We are getting ready to announce the management takeover of an existing , highest-quality golf resort in the [ U . S . Pacific ] Northwest . We have an active opportunity in Florida . We have several projects in California in the works . We have an extraordinary development project heating up in the Hudson River Valley of New York that will bring the Auberge commitment to cuisine , spa and outdoor pursuits to the Northeast . H : What markets do you want to enter ? MH : We will be actively pursuing resorts in the Caribbean . Auberge Resorts is also planning to spread its wings to Europe . We believe there are some exceptional opportunities in the resort and wine regions of France , Italy and Germany . These destinations are part of the Auberge Resorts growth strategy to become a worldwide brand . Further development on the East Coast is one of our top priorities . It ’ s our second largest market in the U . S ., and we are excited to be working on several opportunities there . H : What diversification are you planning ? MH : We would like to open Auberge hotels in the gateway cities of New York , Los Angeles and San Francisco , as well as London and Paris . For us , those cities certainly can be as romantic as our resorts , so we are excited to embrace the challenge of taking
Auberge to an urban market . H : Was this focus on urban expansion a difficult sell for your investors ?
MH : From our perspective , the investment climate today looks excellent . We have a value-added approach that allows us to look at opportunities and find strong returns in the re-positioning , renovation or makeover of existing hotels and resorts . It ’ s not been a difficult sell to our investors . They see it as a logical next step . Opening in a handful of gateway cities is a natural extension of our brand . Ritz-Carlton started out as a resort . There are plenty of precedents for what we are going to do . H : Describe your urban guest . MH : The Auberge guest is engaged with their destination , wants an interesting urban experience , is a spa seeker and wants to be near the center of activity . It ’ s the same demographic as our resort guests : 35 to 54 years old , married , high-net worth travelers . They might be entrepreneurs traveling on business or taking an international vacation .
H : What ’ s your approach to translating the Auberge emphasis on natural beauty in sites where nature isn ’ t the main attraction ?
MH : Our design philosophy is pretty straightforward : let the land or place dictate the design . Respect the land . Create properties that are timeless and of the highest quality and always in good taste . Our resort environment in a city would translate to capturing the locality ’ s vibe . Hotels like Greenwich in Tribeca and the Crosby Street Hotel really embody the essence of their neighborhoods . That ’ s the precedent we would like to follow , as opposed to the bigger boutique brands that tried to be in that space . When it comes to design , green is a must . We ’ d be dedicated to LEED principles , at least LEED Silver , preferably Gold in a newbuild . You can retrofit to get that as well . Rooftop gardens and atriums are key to creating a resort experience in an urban location . H : What about the F & B approach ? MH : All of our restaurants are done in-house . We have a wonderful culinary culture and freestanding restaurants in the Moana Restaurant Group ( the brainchild of Auberge ’ s founders and owners ). We wouldn ’ t be hiring a boldfaced-name chef because we have lot of talent within our company . We ’ d also want to keep the more approachable style of cuisine we ’ ve developed .
H : Do you feel the importance of technology has been overrated in the industry ?
MH : At the end of the day we want all of our guests to be comfortable , so if you want an iPad , or iPod docking stations , we have those available . Or if a guest wants a printed services
32 HOTELS May 2012 www . hotelsmag . com