A Look at the Davidson Hospitality Portfolio, From the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to Margaritaville Resorts

Davidson Hospitality Group has been in business for 50 years, and its diverse hotel portfolio includes U.S. properties that every travel advisor should know, from The Don Cesar in St. Pete Beach, Florida, to the new Margaritaville Hotel San Diego in California. Abroad, the Davidson portfolio includes Scotland’s Cameron House, a spectacular resort on Loch Lomond.

Many of Davidson’s nearly 90 properties are completely independent, so advisors perusing the portfolio will see brands they are familiar with as well as hotels entirely new to them. To get a better sense of the collection, we spoke with Vanessa Claspill, senior vice president of sales with Davidson Hospitality Group.

Many travelers are looking for a boutique stay, or an independent hotel. What Davidson properties should advisors know about for those clients?

We have lovely independent hotels such as the Eden Roc, which is a great resort in Miami Beach. Not far away is The Don Cesar, an iconic gem on St. Pete’s Beach. It is the original pink palace, and a place that leisure travelers have gone to generation after generation. It just completed an amazing renovation, which included the addition of 10,000 square feet of meeting space, for weddings, conferences and other large gatherings. Renovations of its Beach House Suites will begin late this summer or early fall.

Then, in South Carolina, Mills House Charleston is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton and just completed a stunning renovation — and it’s also pink, so it’s our second pink palace. Charleston is full of history, and the property has an incredible food and beverage offering, too. And you’re right in the heart of Charleston.

And in Newport, Rhode Island, Hotel Viking is part of our portfolio. Nearby are historic, early 1900s mansions that were summer homes for people like the Vanderbilts; when there wasn't a hotel for their guests to stay in, the Viking was built with funds raised in order to solve that problem.

We also have Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, which is one of the oldest resorts in the U.S. [built in 1887]. This is another one of those multi-generation experiences, where a grandmother brings her daughter, and she brings her own children, and it continues like that.

Then, in a category all its own, is Margaritaville, which is also represented in the Davidson portfolio. What can you tell us about these hotels?

Our first Margaritaville was the resort in Hollywood Beach, Florida. Later we added Margaritaville Resort Orlando, which is lovely and has great meeting space and wonderful amenities for families, including a water park. Then, we have one of the first urban resorts for Margaritaville, which is Margaritaville Hotel Nashville. It’s smaller than the typical Margaritaville, but you are within walking distance to Broadway. It's still about having that Jimmy Buffett experience, but in a city, and one that certainly speaks to country music.

Another urban location, Margaritaville Hotel San Diego, opened in 2023, and there’s the new Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, too, set in the mountains. What type of traveler is right for the brand, now that it has expanded beyond the beach?

The brand is kind of playing with this idea that their consumer wants to buy [the Margaritaville] experience not only at the beach but also in city centers. It's for a customer who is laid back, or someone who doesn’t want a luxury experience that’s fussy. The properties are still elevated, but if you want to be completely relaxed in your shorts, T-shirt and hat, no one is going to judge you. And in winter in Tahoe, guests can now ski, which is certainly Margaritaville’s newest frontier.

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Something Davidson properties do so well is deliver exceptional service, no matter how relaxed you want to be. We are going to make sure that we are anticipating your needs as a guest. We are delivering some of the best food and beverage offerings out there, and a great guest experience overall, from the time of arrival to the time that you leave. We know that’s why, for two years in a row, Davidson has been recognized by J.D. Power for best service and guest satisfaction. And that's important to us.

How does Davidson collaborate with travel advisors?

Our global team handles the luxury leisure vertical, and travel advisors often have an amazing relationship with that team. They are often the first phone call agents make when they’re ready to start planning. They're coming to Davidson, and we're going to build awareness for the offerings that our company has.

We are one of the a few management companies that actually has a global sales team. They sell the entire portfolio. They talk to travel advisors and they listen to what their clients are looking for. Some of our team members have worked with the same advisors and families for years. We've really gained a reputation, within that circle of agents, and they now come to us first.

How can advisors new to that Davidson circle learn more about the company and its portfolio?

Advisors can go to our website and fill out a referral form, letting us know what they’re thinking about. Based on those needs, our team will connect with them.  We also have our full portfolio online for advisors to peruse. We’re often at trade shows, and advisors can sign up for our monthly newsletter as well; it speaks to every part of what we do, from meetings and business to leisure travel.