LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, Fla./ATLANTA, GΑ. - Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based, private hotel investment, ownership and management company, today announced the grand opening of the 163-room Plunge Beach Hotel in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Fla. It is the company’s fourth recent upscale lifestyle hotel with unique and custom created F&B outlets to be added to the company’s portfolio.
“Along with the recent additions of the Hotel Indigo Denver Downtown, the Hotel Indigo Atlanta Downtown and the only-one-of-its-kind, lifestyle-targeting, under-construction Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Oceanfront Resort in Florida, we have established a strong team of creative operators in this specialized hotel segment,” said Robert Cole, HVMG president and CEO. “HVMG continues to evolve and diversify our portfolio of investment grade hotels. With this growth, we have added significant depth and specialization to create a seasoned upscale lifestyle team. We continue to focus on adding to our portfolio within this segment, and the Plunge Beach Hotel is an excellent property to showcase our skills in this arena.”
Located on 300 feet of pristine beach frontage in the town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Plunge Beach Hotel is designed to offer a distinct guest experience. Plunge Beach Hotel prides itself on its laid back, low key vibe. Focusing less on the glitz and glamour of traditional resort hotels, Plunge Beach Hotel lets guests experience the classic American beach town. With its edgy and contemporary flair, the hip hideaway shuns corporate conformity in favor of an eclectic approach to food, fun, music, technology, recreational activities and accommodations.
The hotel is comprised of three individual buildings, each with its own distinct vibe and design aesthetic, offering guests a trio of divergent experiences tailored to their personal taste. The hotel is the ideal location for visitors including divers and fishermen from around the world who enjoy Lauderdale-by-the-Sea’s natural reefs for off-shore scuba diving, its renowned fishing pier and walkability to a variety of local shops and restaurants.
The hotel features multiple F&B and retail offerings, all custom created by the HVMG specifically for this project. Backflip Beach Bar is the only true “toes-in-the-sand” beach bar in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The bar will serve hotel guests and locals alike, along with Octopus Lobby Gastropub and the Barnacle and Bean Coffee Shop, serving locally roasted coffee, fresh sandwiches and gelato. Flavorful and unfussy, the hotel’s food reflects its seaside surroundings. Serving fresh-off-the-boat seafood and fun food truck favorites, the Plunge embraces what’s bold, imaginative and uncomplicated. From street tacos on the beach and local coffee and organic sweets in its market to small plates and citrus-infused cocktails and small-batch beers in its gastro pub and beachside bars, the hotel focuses on exciting, local cuisine done right.
“Lifestyle hotels are designed for experiential travelers who want a unique stay and something out of the ordinary,” said Richard Jones, HVMG COO. “HVMG specializes in designing and concepting the right fit for a hotel for its individual market. We believe it is vital that these properties are positioned with their own personalities through design, unique guest services/amenities and creative F&B concepts.
“A very important part of the equation resides in a successful F&B solution,” Jones stated. “Once accepted as a loss leader for hotels, optimizing a hotel’s F&B program can both improve the hotel’s overall bottom line and set the hotel apart from the competition, becoming an instant draw for guests and locals alike.”
In addition to the Plunge’s Backflip Beach Bar, HVMG has had great success with similarly unique restaurants at its other boutique hotels. The Hotel Indigo Denver Downtown is home to the Hearth & Dram, a modern-day saloon that is both wood-fire driven and whiskey focused. The name refers to a brick- or stone-lined fireplace – a sign of hospitality – and an old-world measurement for whiskey. An intimate atmosphere with warm, leather finishes creates a playful spin on classic Denver, complemented by rustic American fare and a vibrant playlist. Highlights include floor-to-ceiling windows, a seven-foot wood-fired hearth, an imported French rotisserie and the largest whiskey selection in downtown Denver, with 350-plus varieties. An open kitchen invites guests to explore unique experiences, such as the reserve whiskey cocktail cart and group, reservation-only “Whole Beast Feasts.”
“The menu features regionally sourced items that celebrate the history of Denver, from its earliest days as a mining town to its modern incarnation today,” said Garron Gore, HVMG’s director of food & beverage innovation. “Denver always has been a melting pot of a city, and that notion of comingling flavors features prominently in the restaurant’s cuisine. At the end of the day, it’s wonderful food and drink that people talk about, but we believe there is an opportunity to do so much more. From the custom wood fire hearth to the open kitchen, our design of the Hearth & Dram elevates the guest experience by providing something that is both distinctly local and yet uniquely its own.”
HVMG F&B outlets are concepted, positioned and operated to meet the unique needs of each hotel and maximize the market opportunity. F&B revenue currently contributes approximately 20 percent of the company’s total revenues and consistently receives high praise from guests, locals and culinary critics.
