Episode 5: The Art of Hospitality with Montage International

Montage is one of my longest standing clients at AZDS which means Chris and I go way back – at least 13 years. So I was thrilled to travel to Pendry Park City to interview him for the Luxury Travel Innovators podcast. With views of the Wasatch Mountains, we sat down to discuss the storytelling necessary to cultivate an authentic hospitality culture, as well as personal stories about his fly-fishing expeditions in remote parts of the world.

Chris fell in love with the idea of working in hospitality after a stay at the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World at age seven. After college, he started as an overnight PBX phone operator for a small island resort called Hawks Cay down in the Florida Keys. He credits hard work, discipline and a lot of lucky breaks that got him where he is today, yet he reflects on why serving people should stay at the heart of the hospitality industry (a value sometimes overlooked by those who did not work their way up through the ecosystem).

Credited with an astonishing thirty plus hotel openings over the course of his career (including the iconic Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas), Chris reflects fondly with, in his words, rose-colored glasses at all the hard work that went into opening each property. Shifting into his work with Montage, he sees each hotel as a moment in time. Yes, they are all beautiful buildings. But the team of people assembled creates the true magic of each success. Montage Deer Valley, opened just a short drive away from Chris’ home town of Park City, stands out as a proud achievement. Montage Los Cabos, according to Chris, has that special alchemy of team plus location to make it one of the great hotels in the world.

“Alan Fuerstman, our founder, figured out a long time ago the harmony, the chemistry and how to make people feel welcome, residential and like family.”

For those less familiar with the brand, Montage International comprises Montage Hotels and Resorts and Pendry Hotels and Resorts, with Residential integrated into both of them. Properties span from Hawaii to South Carolina domestically, and down to Mexico internationally, with current properties under way in places like Barbados and more. The two brands really compliment each other and remain distinct, yet harmonious. Each Pendry property feels uniquely like its destination – Pendry San Diego reflects the aesthetic of the Gaslamp District and Pendry Manhattan West embodies a California-inspired sensibility within the middle of New York City.

One particular connection between all properties are the s’mores. And while Chris doesn’t claim to trademark that feature, it is something that you’ll find across the portfolio, featuring everything from homemade cookies and cream marshmallows to handcrafted chocolate bars.

The idea of quiet luxury is a concept that I’ve learned from Chris – that the ultimate form of luxury is simplicity. This is reflected in the website design and development for the brand, among other things. While we work in the digital space for Montage here at AZDS, it was illuminating to hear Chris’ thoughts on other innovations of the brand, including whether or not to partake in trends (Chris is firmly in the “timeless over trends” camp).

Experiential travel continues to be a theme in all my conversations on Luxury Travel Innovators, and Chris walks the walk with his love of fly fishing. The blend of camaraderie and hospitality take center stage for Chris when choosing where to travel for fishing expeditions. There’s a place that he particularly loves – Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge, owned Brian Kraft – that runs at 99.6% repeat occupancy for a season that only lasts approximately 110 days. And while you may not be able to control the quality of fishing each trip, it’s the fellowship, the culinary and the little touches that really dial in his experience. (Other mentions include The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland and Bair’s Lodge in the Bahamas.)

We wrapped up our conversation with our signature LTI questions. For upcoming personal travel, Chris will be partaking in his sabbatical, a program for Montage employees (director-level and above) that have been with the company for over eight years and includes a 30-day reprieve at full-pay with no email and a guaranteed empty inbox upon return. Chris is taking his family on a European summer excursion from Paris to Rome. When looking at the glamour of past travel, Chris remarks on the lack of crowds as the thing to bring back to the present day. And the lack of selfies.

“I still have travel wanderlust. I still book a window seat and I still love the frenetic energy and joy of getting on a plane and finding a little restaurant somewhere. When I lived in the Florida Keys, there’s a tradition there that everybody, and I mean everybody, stops at the sunset. You either walk out the door, you get on your boat for it, you stop working for five minutes and watch the sunset. I think about that and I go, man, we should bring some of that back.”

When looking toward future innovation, Chris remarks on the need to bring back kindness, warm touch and hospitality into all other decisions, including technological advances. Perhaps “hotelier” should be brought back into the lexicon, and that everyone involved in the industry can take ownership of that word, from the front desk associate to the leadership team. Technological innovation is inevitable (and it should be), but in service of reducing technology in other ways, so personal connection can be at the forefront.

Thank you Chris for our insightful conversation, available to listen on Spotify, Apple Music and youtube.