A phoenix is a symbol of rebirth and the mythical bird would be right at home at Honor”™s Haven Resort and Spa, a luxury 235-room hotel that is bringing back the glory days to a small corner of the Catskills and promising the best is yet to come.
Ironically, the resort stands on property in Ellenville adjacent to the Nevele Grande Resort, which last June abruptly closed its doors and has not reopened.
“We feel very sorry we are doing pretty good and they are closed,” said Byung Gun Oh, assistant general manager of Honor”™s Haven, adding the success at his facility is no accident.
“We think of ways to maximize our guests”™ enjoyment.”
“Word of mouth” kudos from happy guests are driving strong business with individuals and families, he said, as interest is growing from corporate clients seeking to utilize the modern conference rooms while enjoying the golf course, dining options and sophisticated spa and fitness options.
“We are upgrading our hotel step by step,” said Oh, which was bought for $10 million in 2006 and has undergone $15 million in renovations over the last three years, “I look at our competitors and say, how can we upgrade?”
Honors Haven has come a long way since the Lee family bought the facility in 2006 and even further since it opened as the 100-room Fallsview Hotel in 1920. The east and west wings were added in the 1970s and the facility was purchased by Stratford Business Corp. in 2000, when it became an integral part of the Nevele Grande Resort.
Jane Lee bought the facility in November 2006 and reopened as the Fallsview in January 2007, but in the spring of 2008 changed the name to Honor”™s Haven Resort and Spa, while renovations and upgrades were continuing. The move has paid off in more bookings and a strong reputation for guest-centric service. “Service shall be superior, not average,” said Oh, citing the mantra the Lee family imparts to employees.
And it is working. “Every weekend we are sold out,” he said.
He said the workers are the reason the hotel is successful and that the work ethic comes from the top. Jane Lee, her son Julian Lee, who is the general manager, and the top management all spend at least some time together every week working on the grounds and around the facility, providing them with firsthand experience on the conditions and operations at the resort and setting an example for employees. “We are very lucky to have an owner who leads by example and is very hands on,” said Oh. “She pays attention to every single matter.”
And she invests in expensive upgrades to the facility as well as seeking common-sense improvements to the amenities. “The new Honor”™s Haven Resort and Spa does not resemble what it once was,” Oh said. “Guests who remember the Fallsview are both surprised and shocked at the many positive changes.”
Individual heating and cooling systems for each room, an airy dining room overlooking the golf course and the scenic Shawangunk Ridge, indoor and outdoor pools, and shuttle busses to area attractions such as Minnewaska State Park are among the amenities Honor”™s Haven owners have put in place.
And more is planned. Over the course of a roughly five-year plan a larger spa will be built within the facility ”“ an Asian spa that incorporates the Korean culture with spa treatments and a variety of new and innovative health and wellness programs, Oh said..
“After that, Honor”™s Haven will be the area”™s premier destination, revitalizing the Catskill region,” Oh said. He pointed out that the large scenic fountain in front of the facility still lacks a central statue to complete the edifice. It will be, he suggested, a statue of a phoenix.
