FARMINGTON, Pa. -- Got clients who squirreled away their passports
because they are skittish about foreign travel but who still demand
the best of both worlds -- the old and the new?
If so, the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, located 60
miles south of Pittsburgh, might fill the bill.
Set on 1,500 prime acres of the Laurel Highlands, a
turn-of-the-century playground for the wealthy -- nouveau and
otherwise -- this four-season complex is centered about a faux
French chateau that features vaulted and coffered ceilings, crystal
chandeliers and two-story Palladian windows that accent the lobby
of what could be a European grand hotel but for its
U.S.A.-all-the-way locale in what is coming to be known as
Westsylvania.
Artwork abounds throughout the property, indoors and out, from
lifelike bronzes by J. Seward Johnson Jr. to Frederic Remington Old
West sculptures, porcelain figures, Versace chairs and portraits of
jazz figures such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.
According to general manager Ronald Cadrette, the resort
increasingly is looking to travel agents to help provide the
upscale guests needed to fill the five-story, 124-unit Chateau
LaFayette, as it is called, as well as the property's separate
venue, the 96-unit English Tudor-style Lodge, and 54 one- and
two-bedroom townhouses designed for families or groups.
"Our target market is affluent families and couples. We look to
travel agents for some of our clientele because they are the ones
who can generate bookings from people who can afford to pay for
quality," Cadrette said.
"Of course, a lot of our business is word of mouth and return
customers, which you might expect, but we believe this is the kind
of property agents can sell successfully and keep their clients
happy."
And busy, too, one would expect from the rich array of
divertissements available to guests.
A partial list includes two PGA-rated golf courses; a
stand-alone, 32,000-square-foot, full-service spa and fitness
center; an equestrian center; a year-round sporting clays complex
with 30 shooting stations; downhill and cross-country skiing (and
the Sundial Ski Lodge and Hungry Moose Cafe); a host of shops; a
vintage auto museum; a three-sided, 50-foot climbing wall, and 13
restaurants and bars, including a French bistro; Seasons, a venue
at the spa, and P.J.'s Ice Cream and Pizza Parlor.
For children, the resort offers a supervised activities club for
a variety of age groups, evening programs for youngsters and
teen-agers, youth ski programs for all ages and an indoor-outdoor
recreational center with a video arcade, a golf simulator, croquet,
tennis and swimming.
Meeting facilities cover two ballrooms, a 200-seat lecture hall,
23 meeting rooms and a business center.
The closest major airport is in Pittsburgh, which is a hub for
US Airways, but if your client flies his own plane, call (724)
329-6121 to inquire about landing rights for Nemacolin's private,
on-property air strip.
Through April 21, rates at the chateau start at $195 a room
Sundays through Thursdays and $315 Fridays, Saturdays and
holidays.
Lafayette Club rooms start at $310. Rooms at the lodge are $160
and $225, respectively, and town-house accommodations, which
include a full kitchen, are $150 and $225, respectively.
For more information, call (800) 422-2736 or visit the Nemacolin
Woodlands Resort & Spa Web site at www.nwlr.com.
The travel agent connection
Travel Weekly asked Ronald Cadrette, general manager at
Nemacolin Woodlands, about selling his property through agents. His
responses follow:
Travel Weekly:How do travel agents fit in
your marketing plan?
Cadrette: Their role with clients is one of a
helpful and appreciated counselor. As [agents] work with their
clients, they learn important information such as getaway or
vacation price point, the customer's interests and preferred
destinations. From this information, the agent can make
suggestions.
This proves to be helpful to Nemacolin Woodlands because agents
have a far greater knowledge of interesting destinations that
attract the affluent, family-oriented frequent traveler -- our
target market.
TW:Is this segment of the public
particularly responsive to marketing through agents?
Cadrette: These travelers -- wealthy
baby-boomers with children -- tend to book vacations through agents
because they are very busy people, and the agents do the research
for them and recommend a vacation destination. It saves them
time.
TW:Did the role of agents take on greater
importance following Sept. 11?
Cadrette: Nemacolin Woodlands has experienced
an increase in agent business since the attacks. Typically, our
market clientele enjoy one or two international or off-shore
destinations per year. Now, the trend is a drive-to or no-fly
luxury destination. Usually, 10% to 12% of our bookings are
attributable to agents, but that is growing monthly.
Resort creates flurry of winter getaways
FARMINGTON, Pa. -- The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa is
offering several winter packages.
Among them are the following:
• Escape. This plan includes all-day skiing with rentals, 18
holes of golf, a group trail ride, 50 targets and the use of
equipment at the Shooting Academy, any 25-minute spa service, any
youth activity program, cross-country skiing and all-day
tubing.
Rates for the package, which is available through April 21,
start at $265 in the chateau, $236 in the lodge and $227 in the
town houses. Rates are per person, double occupancy.
• Bed & Breakfast. The package features accommodations for
one night and breakfast for two in the Golden Trout restaurant.
Rates start at $199 in the chateau, $170 in the lodge and $161 in
the townhouses. Rates are per person, double occupancy.
• Spa. In addition to one night's accommodations, this package
covers lunch in the Seasons restaurant; unlimited use of the spa
and fitness areas, and the choice of one spa service, including a
Swedish massage, a facial or a body wrap. Single rates start at
$363 in the chateau, $333 in the lodge and $323 in the
townhouses.