Several things can define a hotel, make it great and give it a point or two of difference. It’s not necessarily the number of stars it places in the hospitality sky above its roof, it’s more the individual touches that set it apart.
The Woodmark Hotel Yacht Club and Spa in Kirkland, sitting comfortably on the shores of beautiful Lake Washington on the outskirts of Seattle, is such a hotel. It has an entire compass full of points of difference.
I might be easily amused but when I’m met at the door by a champagne-coloured, cute-as-a-button labradoodle named Woody, I’m impressed. Of course Woody’s not too handy at luggage carts so my bags are efficiently whisked away by one of the two-legged bellboys.
At reception, another one of Woody’s colleague pours me a glass of champagne while I check in. Nice touch. In the lobby, there’s a neat little black mattress on the floor – Woody’s about to “take a nap” before his big hosting gig later that afternoon. He’s destined for a career in hospitality.
In my room I have everything I expect, want, need and desire from a hotel, including an opening window & balcony and a view over the calming waters of Lake Washington – a bonus. On the desk is a cute little stuffed toy - a replica of Woody the doordog. Just as I open my window I notice a group of people sitting at tables on the lawn below my room. They’re sipping cocktails in the warm summer sun. But this is no ordinary cocktail party. It’s Yappier Hour. Woody, being the consummate hotel executive, hosts regular “Yappier Hours” for his neighbourhood canine buds while their owners sit and sip on the lawns overlooking the marina and swank homes which line the shores of Lake Washington.
But the dog thing stops before it becomes obsessive and trite. The focus here is on guest comfort and to extend the theme would be crass. And this is anything but a crass property.
It’s a very civilised way to celebrate a dog friendly hotel.
But creature comforts are not reserved or exclusive to the four legged variety in the Woodmark. Dining in their restaurant – Bin On The Lake is a special experience. But for those who are unable to get there on time for dinner or find themselves succumbed to the pangs of hunger in the middle of the night, there’s a novel solution. Guests at the Wookmark are invited to “Raid the Pantry” anytime during the night should they feel the need. An oversized cupboard under the stairs is stocked daily with soft drinks, cold and hot snacks, fruit and confectionery and it’s all available, free of charge to every guest. Come in your robe, PJs or whatever, whenever you like. How much like home can a hotel be?
It’s the little things that impress at the Woodmark – the free wi-fi in all rooms, the brewed coffee available outside the elevator in the morning for the time poor, the generous toiletries, the bowls of fresh apples all over the property, the library, the friendly staff and the magnificently groomed gardens.
But it’s Woody that really impresses. Or more correctly, what he stands for. It’s the mark of a hotel that dares to be different and uses a cute and friendly dog as a mascot to define its stand-out ability. Woody is the mark in Woodmark.
I love individuality, doggonit.
Sidebar
The Woodmark Hotel Yacht Club and Spa
thewoodmark.com
1200 Carillon Point
Kirkland, WA 98033, United States
(425) 822-3700
Comments
Post has no comments.