“We’ve been doing this since the inception of our company, and a true sense of community inspires all of our projects,” says Anders Anderson, The Restoration Hotel’s Owner and Creative Director. “At The Restoration, we’re not only able to provide our guests a sense of excitement and entertainment, but we also pride ourselves on engaging with the local community so travelers and locals can come together in a welcoming environment.”
The new, beautifully designed hotel offers new views, new flavors and new experiences all at the convenience of downtown.
Read our full Q&A with Anders below…
Tell us about your business and the role you play in it.
My name is Anders Anderson, and my family owns The Restoration Hotel in Asheville. The Restoration is owned by Cincinnati-based Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, Inc. My father, Jeff, started the company in the early ’70s, and my brother, JR, runs the entire company. It’s a fantastic environment because we all work together, which means we are a family business. This allows us to infuse a sense of family into every project we do and The Restoration is no different. Family drives us, and it’s a core value we instill within our entire team.
What is your company’s relationship with the community?
The Restoration is built on the principles of family and community. We’ve been doing this since the inception of our company, and a true sense of community inspires all of our projects. The Restoration is the pinnacle of all of our shared experiences both professionally and personally, and from restaurants to shopping centers, we have really tried to perfect a signature brand of hospitality. At The Restoration, we’re not only able to provide our guests a sense of excitement and entertainment, but we also pride ourselves on engaging with the local community so travelers and locals can come together in a welcoming environment.
What experience do you strive to create for your customers?
Each guest that visits The Restoration has their own unique wants and needs, as well as, some commonality in their expectations of Asheville as a destination. One of the unique things we do at The Restoration is that we reach out to all of our guests before they arrive and discuss with them why they’re coming, what they want to see or where they want to eat, and find out what special things we can either set-up for them in their room, on property, or around town. This allows us to understand our guests better and allows us to not only meet their expectations during their visit, but hopefully, exceed them. We want The Restoration to be a memorable experience for them, and we want Asheville to become their favorite city to visit.
What’s been your company’s most innovative idea?
The Restoration’s most innovative offering is our Cultural Almanac. This 30-page, quarterly publication highlights the great spaces in both our Asheville and Charleston properties, and provides exposure to local talent and community-builders that we believe make a difference in our hometowns. One of our favorite events is the Cultural Almanac release party, in which we celebrate the local changemakers of our community. This allows our guests to engage with the local community and connect more authentically with what Asheville and Charleston are all about. The Cultural Almanac, and the programming it inspires is something we’re really proud of.
What do you enjoy best about working in your industry?
What I love most about hospitality is welcoming people into our hotels and making them feel like they’ve arrived at our home. Because, in the end, that’s what a hotel is for us: one of our homes. We want people to feel relaxed, inspired, and restored. There are countless times when we are on property and we meet a traveler at one of our great F+B outlets. We begin talking and hearing about their experiences…it’s amazing what we all have in common with each other. Often we’ll find ourselves taking them on a tour of the town and really providing them a unique “insider” experience. Connecting with new people who are passionate about life and travel is what we love and why we do what we do.
What is your company’s vision? How do you reflect it in your daily work?
Our vision for The Restoration is to move beyond a traditional hotel to the point where the entire space becomes unique. When you look at concepts like Suttle Lodge & Boathouse in Oregon, you begin to realize the new potential for hospitality, and the important role it can play in people’s lives. Our guests travel not just to experience a new city or town, but to learn about themselves. Travel is not just a way to explore a new place, it’s a way to explore who we are, to step out of our routine, and create enough space for us to begin asking the important questions about ourselves: Who we want to be? Where do we want to live? And most importantly, how do we want to live? It’s the ability to question and explore those things that breathes new life into our daily routines.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
We’re excited to open The Restoration Asheville during such a defining time for the city. We couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity, and we look forward to being part of this truly one-of-a-kind community.