The Garrett Hotel Group was founded in 1985 by David
and Christie Garrett to develop a series of small, world-class
American hostelries. The following year, the company
acquired its first property, and in 1998 the Garretts
were joined by their longtime friend, accomplished hotelier
Philip Wood. In the years since, The Garrett Hotel Group
has grown to include four distinctive fine properties
and has become known and respected the world over for
its vision, focus, and standards of hospitality.
In 2001, David Garrett was named president of Relais
& Châteaux and Relais Gourmands of North America,
an exclusive organization of the finest hotels and restaurants
in the hemisphere.
The Garrett Hotel Group’s first acquisition was
The Point, an eleven-room Adirondack Great Camp built
by William Rockefeller in the pristine Saranac Lake
region of upstate New York. The Garretts set out carefully
restoring and refining the property over the years,
both physically and operationally, with the simple goal
of absolute perfection in hospitality. By all industry
standards, their mission is accomplished: The Point
has consistently received top honors from such elite
indicators as Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold
List; Zagat Survey of Hotels & Resorts [ranked #1
in America since 1993]; Andrew Harper’s Hideaway
Report [“Best Country House Hotel”]; and
a seven-year ranking as a Mobil 5-Star property. The
Point was one of the first hotels in the U.S. to be
admitted to the prestigious Relais & Châteaux
organization.
In 1994, The Garrett Hotel Group purchased a rustically
elegant resort property on the shores of Lake Placid,
just 45 minutes away from The Point. Following a series
of acquisitions of neighboring lakeside cabins and extensive
renovations, it re-opened as Lake Placid Lodge, with
thirty-four guest accommodations including seventeen
cabins, and a public restaurant seating seventy. The
Lodge reflects and supports the flourishing craftsmanship
of the region, and is furnished with the largest collection
of Adirondack furniture in the country, all of which
is available for purchase. Lake Placid Lodge is a Relais
& Châteaux member, and enjoys a Mobil 4-Star
rating. It has also been recognized on Condé
Nast Traveler’s Gold List; by the Zagat Survey;
and the Travel + Leisure “Best in the World”
list, the T+L 500.
The next venture was acquisition and renovation of
The Willcox in Aiken, South Carolina, a late 19th-century
winter resort town favored by members of New York’s
high society and horse set. The hotel, which dates from
1898 and is listed on the National Historic Register,
has been carefully restored. Its elegantly appointed
public spaces and twenty-two light-filled guest rooms,
combined with the area’s active golf and equestrian
culture, revive the Gilded Age in this quiet corner
of the south.
The latest property to join The Garrett Hotel Group
is The Inn of The Five Graces, a rambling historic compound
of twenty-two guest suites just steps away from the
heart of old Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Inn is undergoing
renovations composing cooling courtyards, adobe walls,
stone and tile floors, and its eclectic mix of exotic
furnishings and artwork create a colorful and fanciful
atmosphere in the serene southwest.
Headquartered in Burlington, Vermont, The Garrett Hotel
Group is headed by its founder and chairman, David Garrett,
who oversees acquisition and financing; Philip A. Wood,
president, who oversees all operational issues; Christie
Garrett, senior vice president, who is in charge of
all architectural design aspects; and John Cardona,
who handles sales and marketing for the Group.
The Garrett Hotel Group will continue to develop additional
world-class hotels over the coming years.
The Point and Lake Placid Lodge, both owned by The
Garrett Hotel Group, are members of Relais & Châteaux,
the prestigious international association of privately
owned hotels and restaurants embodying the highest culinary
standards and the French “art de vivre.”
For more information:
Simone Rathlé
800.496.1733
simonepr@aol.com
www.simonesez.com