Renovation, Restoration, and Refurbishment
Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Cartagena, Hotel Designer, Wimberly Interiors
The renovation of a hotel is a constant process. It starts the day the hotel opens and continues throughout its life.
At WATG, we believe that every property holds the promise of a remarkable story, a narrative waiting to unfold. Our Renovation, Restoration, and Refurbishment services are designed to unlock this potential, transforming spaces into extraordinary destinations that inspire and uplift your guests and your commercial performance.
Now more than ever – whether it’s to stay ahead of the competition, to satisfy the needs of a changing marketplace, to optimize energy efficiency, or to generate higher gross operating profits – renovation is a timely marketing and investment opportunity.
Lagen Island Resort, El Nido, Advisory, Architecture + Design Consultancy, Wimberly Interiors
[0:09]
Liana Hawes Young, Creative Director — Wimberly Interiors
Omni Homestead Resort is the oldest resort in America, it dates back to pre-Revolutionary War. It is nestled in the beautiful mountains and drew people because of the hot springs in the area and their medicinal qualities. So you have this Zen experience but with this very formal structure. The resort as you know it today was built around 1902 — it is an extremely historic building. It was a big endeavor that Omni took on in order to bring the resort back to its original glory. It needed a refresh, but the bones were there, the history was there, and we wanted to celebrate that. So that really was the inspiration. It is a once-in-a-lifetime project to be able to work on something with that much history and gravitas.
[1:03]
We were really able to bring life into some of these spaces that had just fallen by the wayside. There are lots of formal, beautiful spaces — there are many function spaces with original crystal chandeliers that are beautiful and I love those spaces — but it’s the more casual spaces where people just land sometimes that feel special to me. I feel we did a really good job of activating every square foot.
It is a huge privilege, and it comes with quite a bit of nerves as a designer because when you are dealing with a multi-generational resort, so many families and people have very strong, special memories — and you do not want to destroy anything they are particularly fond of. It makes the design task a lot trickier, because you really have to balance new with old and really think about what makes that place special.
[2:03]
When you walk in to the space, there is the Great Hall — the original structure burned down in the late 1800s, and so the new building in 1902 opened and the Great Hall was the first part that opened. It is really your lobby space: a beautiful high-ceilinged space with fireplaces and lots of areas for living, lounging, and reading. It is populated all day long and has a really residential, comfortable appearance and feel when you walk in.
One of the details I love the most is the carpet we developed for the Great Hall. It is inspired by trees, florals, and birds — so every leaf, every flower, every butterfly, every bird is specifically native to Virginia. We were able to work with Schumacher — the classic American fabric company — and we used one of their quintessential chinoiserie chintz and it is used in every guest room on the drapery and bed skirts. There are not a lot of hotels you can go to where you can get away with the amount of floral, whimsy, and tradition. So many hotels these days are just a neutral box, and while that works in certain areas, it would be such a waste at The Homestead — where you have the opportunity to create something so special, so bespoke, and so particular to the place.
[3:44]
The story being told through the interiors really is coming to your mountain home and coming to this beautiful, stately place for a retreat. We had a great design team, and Omni were a fantastic owner. They are so invested in their properties — not only do they own it, they operate it — we were in communication all the time, working together to make sure every detail was what it should be. It was just really nice at the end when everybody was so pleased with the outcome.
When you are doing a renovation of this scale, things are coming up left and right, things that you could never have foreseen. It is an enormous undertaking. But we were all working together towards the common goal of designing the best resort in America, not just the first but the best. Anytime you undertake something like this, you could walk away really quickly if you weren’t passionate, because it is really overwhelming. The sheer scale would scare off a lot of people. But if you love history and you love design, this is your playground.
[5:08]
I think this project really reflects what we do best at Wimberly Interiors — which is to be great listeners to our clients and really dive deep into what makes our properties special, what gives them heart, what their story is. Sometimes that’s creating stories, in this case, it meant celebrating a story.
Multidisciplinary Team
The Art of the Possible
In a world where the hospitality landscape is ever evolving, the need for visionary reinvestment has never been greater.
With a legacy of excellence deeply rooted in luxury hospitality design, our multidisciplinary team; comprising advisory experts, master planners, architects, landscape architects, and interior designers seek to reimagine the possibilities.
In close partnership, we guide our clients through a journey to craft spaces that deliver tailored solutions that resonate with their vision, brand’s essence, and future aspirations.
Liana Hawes Young Discusses the renovation of Omni Homestead
Our Approach
Our Holistic Approach
+ Audit and Assessment: We begin with a meticulous exploration of your property’s current state, uncovering hidden potentials and identifying opportunities for enhancement. We listen and seek to understand your challenges and economic objectives. Our comprehensive evaluations ensure a deep understanding of your asset’s unique character and strengths and offers resilient solutions to protect your assets as well as your reputation.
+ Program and Concept Development: Translating insights into visionary concepts, we provide achievable timelines and program options that consider practical and seasonal considerations.
+ Branding and Storytelling: We craft compelling narratives that breathe new life into your property. Our branding experts weave stories that resonate deeply with guests, creating memorable experiences that forge lasting connections.
We seek to support your ROI goals with clear objectives and an experienced team.
+ Design Execution: Our commitment to excellence ensures that the execution of your chosen design concepts is flawless. With a focus on quality and craftsmanship, we bring your vision to life, delivering projects on time and within budget.
+ Construction Management: Through our construction management services, we seamlessly bring design intent to reality, managing costs, schedules, and phases with precision to safeguard your investment and achieve your aspirations.
+ Performance Monitoring and Measuring: Post-renovation, we ensure your property performs to its highest potential, achieving design specifications, client goals, and sustainable operations. Our data-driven approach informs future improvements and long-term success.
Why WATG?
Why Choose WATG?
As pioneers in luxury hospitality design, we bring our passion, deep knowledge, and visionary creativity to every project.
+ Comprehensive Services: Choosing our all-encompassing services—Advisory, Master Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Interior Design—ensures convenience and cohesion and well-informed end result for your property.
+ Global Reach: As global citizens, we bring real world, global design thinking to bare, with tangible and exceptional results.
+ Client-Centric Vision: We start with you, to ensuring each project delivers unparalleled value and exceeds expectations.
Upgrading portfolios + providing the highest ROI
WATG and Wimberly Interiors bring a wealth of experience in upgrading individual hotels and portfolios, providing a significant ROI for our clients, with increased RevPAR, an overall uplift in brand recognition and consistent positive guest feedback.
Our Work
Transforming Spaces, Elevating Experiences
Discover how WATG can unlock the true potential of your property, begin your value creation journey.
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