A historic property minutes from the beach

When it comes to the New Smyrna Beach lodging scene, the most discriminating travelers stay at the Black Dolphin Inn. Tucked away in a quiet New Smyrna Beach neighborhood just minutes from the beach, this historic inn has a connection to the outdoors-where you can feel breezes blowing and look at seemingly endless water views.

Interview

Question & Answer With Your Host

Following are excerpts from local publications and trade media about the operation and ownership of the Black Dolphin Inn. Identical twins, Scott and Brett Smith–have reunited after 40 years to share their management philosophy and vision since last working as Co-General Managers of the Lakeview Hotel in Spring Lake, New Jersey in 1969. Their “double” vision for Black Dolphin Inn remains the same–“It's always about taking care of our guests.”

Why a boutique style "B&B" inn in New Smyrna Beach?
We were fortunate enough to purchase a single home on S Riverside Drive in the fall of 2009 – within the New Smyrna Beach Historical Overlay District. At that time real estate prices were in decline and the property met our investment thesis for long-term capital growth. We were attracted to the location because it represented a high barrier to entry, an idyllic waterfront location (including dockage) with unparalleled views of the Indian River, and we were intrigued by the “sense of community” offered by the property's location within a high-end residential setting.

What differentiates boutique inns from others?
Boutique Inns are the latest trend in hospitality construction. They feature a unique vacation product that is often furnished in a themed, stylish or aspirational manner and offer a level of personal guest service – often unmatched by other lodging alternatives. Boutique Inns also represent an excellent value proposition as many of their services and amenities are included in the room rate.

What kind of hospitality experience do you bring to the table?
My twin brother Scott and I have spent virtually our entire lives, in one capacity or another – in hospitality management. You could say it's part of our DNA as we were literally born into the business. My parents bought their first hotel in 1952 and it's been in our family for over 60 years. My brother Scott went the family route and has been the Owner/General Manager of the Chateau Inn & Suites for over 30 years. This boutique style Inn features 36 guest rooms and has been recognized as one of the premier small lodging properties on the Eastern Seaboard.

I went in a more independent direction and had the good fortune of having an almost 35 year career as a hospitality executive having been affiliated with Amelia Island Plantation, the Boca Raton Hotel and Club, South Seas Resort Company for a 20 year span, and the TradeWinds Resort in St. Pete – to name a few. Scott and I last worked together as co-general managers in 1969, running the Lakeview Hotel - a 44 unit property in Spring Lake, NJ. Our recent collaboration with the Black Dolphin Inn allowed us to combine our development, interior design, and operational skill sets to create a high-end vacation lodging product on the shores of the Indian River.

How do you compete in a difficult economy?
While it is clear that consumers have modified their purchasing behavior because of the lingering fiscal cliff, uncertain political landscape, and hard landing in the real estate market, - people still spend discretionary income on vacations , but now more than ever - they want value. What constitutes good value (it's not just a lower price) – but rather it's the positive difference between what the guest actually receives versus their expectation when viewed in relationship to the market alternatives. In other words, it is the concept of offering much more than ever imagined – with absolutely no compromise in quality. We understand this, and we will stay focused on our singular goal which is the continuous enhancement of guest value.

What are today’s guests looking for?
I believe that the the new generation of travelers are more sophisticated and focus on lodging properties that offer a splash of intimacy, intrigue and architectural originality – complimented by a host of life-style driven options. These can range from eco-tourism, educational, extreme sports, culinary, cultural, and the arts - all of which focus on what we can do as hoteliers to make the lives of our guests better and more fulfilling.

It is critically important that we know our customer which is easy to say – but difficult to do! I believe that this is a real paradigm shift from the traditional customer model and we intend to embrace it in order to successfully compete in an evolving and dynamic market place.

What was the most difficult part of the renovations?
Without question, it was delivering an outstanding vacation product that would combine the rich heritage and history of the property – with a sense of modern design that accentuates the coastal vibe that we wanted to create. My identical twin brother, Scott, was the visionary for the property and was able to develop an amazing adaptive re-use plan -with stylistic and “re-souled” architecture that compliments the original design of this 1947 building. No two rooms are the same and most of our 14 guest rooms and suites provide direct and or angled views of the Indian River – most with balconies and some with multiple exposures.

From a construction perspective, this entailed building around century old oaks (one unit actually has a large oak tree growing through an open-air balcony), creating a multi-tiered roof line that was both functional and unique, and the layering in of the various floors which had the effect of creating very private and intimate common areas, - with limited points of ingress and egress to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests.

How would you describe the rooms?
Aside from each guest accommodation being very spacious with spa-inspired bathrooms – the guest rooms are light, airy, uncluttered, and fitted with a sophisticated interior and stylish furnishings that range from New York mid-century modernism (like a Madmen movie set), Hollywood regency (Palm Springs style – Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin), and Spanish architecture (Palm Beach -Addison Mizner style). The feel is more akin to an impeccably designed residential oasis – without the trappings of a commercial hotel product.

What are your plans for dining?
We plan to offer our signature continental breakfast during the weekdays and a full "Southern style” breakfast on the weekends. This effort will be augmented by complimentary beverages, cookies, and other daily delights throughout the day. On select evenings, we invite our guests to join us for a wine tasting, cheese sampling, or a local cuisine specialty as a special surprise to our guests. Also, we will do some catering functions for small groups, executive meetings, weddings, and special occasion type of business.

What services are unique to the Inn?
To separate ourselves from the competition, we have to focus on the development of novel and creative approaches, both from a guest service and amenity basis – that plays into an aspirational theme that centers on our belief that the hospitality business is more about theater, entertainment, and the enrichment of our guest experience rather than providing a clean room and comfortable bed. It almost analogous to a good movie, a Broadway show, or a great piece of art – we want to “move” or “touch” our guests in a way that causes them to return and to refer our B&B to their friends and associates. Instead of outlining some of these initiatives, I would rather surprise our guests by offering them the opportunity to visit us and experience first-hand our unique style of hospitality.

What will be your “success formula”?
We want our customers to feel more like “house” guests rather than “paying” guests. This level of personalized service can not be replicated in a vast majority of large scale operations because of costs constraints, ratio of employees to guests, and logistical issues. When you think about it, the formula for success is quite simple. - offer guests only what they want (not what you want to provide) at a competitive price, and deliver the service in a consistently superior manner. The guest drives the business and keeps it in existence. The guest determines what our business is because of their willingness to pay for services and converts economic resources into wealth. It's always about the guest, guest, guest!

Why are boutique inns becoming so popular?
Our inn is a reflection of a growing trend in the hospitality business – one that favors inclusiveness to exclusiveness. The idea is to combine the service of a 4-5 star property with the practicality of a mid-tiered priced vacation product. Luxury is not based on what you pay for something – it's truly about the experience. There's a relevant paradigm shift in this country – people want to be more modest even if they have the money.

Why the Black Dolphin Inn name?
Interestingly enough, the selection of the name for our inn was a very challenging and difficult market driven decision. Our goal was to find a name that would be memorable, relevant, somewhat edgy- but not too hip, easy to say (rolls off the tongue), is brandable, and graphically diversified across different advertising mediums.

The Black Dolphin Inn name not only met this criteria - but it is emblematic of the mystery, intrigue, and fascination that people have with dolphins in their native habitat. Early explorers believed that when they saw dolphins, luck was on their side and they would often follow dolphins – feeling that they were leading them in the right direction.

Legend has it that when Ponce de Leon arrived on our shores – that he was guided by a small pod of black dolphins through the treacherous waters. The presence of many dolphins in close proximity to our Inn, combined with our interest in protecting our local fishery and natural habitat – contributed to selecting the Black Dolphin Inn name.

Your kitchen is integrated into the lobby–why?
From a functionality perspective, the construction of an open kitchen in our lobby allowed us to maximize our space, it enhanced daylight flowing into this common space, and it creates a far more visual interest than a partition or a wall. On a fundamental basis, we believe that the kitchen is where we connect as a family – and having an open kitchen encourages that connection with our guests. In an inn operation, we strive to treat our guests as an extension of our own family and the construction of a kitchen, with a hospitality bar – allows us to interact as a host and provides an excellent platform in which to strengthen our relationship with our guests.

You mentioned community several times–why?
As veteran hoteliers, we relate to and interact with 3 main constituencies – guests, employees, and the community in which our business is located. We must place the guest at the center of our business model as it is of paramount importance that we meet and exceed their expectations.

What ultimately turns four walls and a bed into a word class lodging product is service. The service of course comes from our employees – the 2nd of our 3 constituencies. A crucial element of this is proper training and providing our staff members with the tools and resources to excel in the performance of their jobs.

The third component is our interdependence with the community in which we operate our business. We must remember that our B&B is more than just a place to sleep or eat. We are truly a permanent fixture in the community and as such – we have a responsibility to be aware or cognizant of the needs, issues, and concerns of the people who live and work there.

History

The Inn