Mud Season At the Antlers

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2022-2023 was an epic winter season filled with more snow and fresh powder than people have seen in years. The non-stop snow led to a constant air of excitement around town, and the Antlers staff worked hard to ensure guests had the best ski vacation possible. But after so much snow even our staff who thrives in the winter is craving sunnier weather and slower days.

For those who are ready to swim in warm water, the beach is the only place to go. Ramon Torres, head of maintenance, will be heading to the Florida Keys with his family for some much needed relaxation.

Ramon with his son and family in Florida.

Ramon with his son and family hanging in Florida. “We call ourselves the Cuban Mafia and love to have a good time.

Juana Amaya, Assistant Executive Housekeeper, will be visiting her mom in Honduras. “I need to go swimming in the ocean and be in the sun. It is amazing what the ocean can do to heal your body” she explains.

Juana relaxing on the cocount trees at Tela Beach, Honduras

Juana relaxing on the coconut trees at Tela Beach, Honduras

Others that will be going international include Juan Fregoso, part of the maintenance team. Juan enthusiastically shares that he is “changing from winter to summer in one trip. Going to Punta Cana with my wife and son and getting a new stamp on my passport!”

The staff member going the farthest is Liana Moore, Director of Marketing. Liana manages her own family travel website and is part of the Society of Travel Writers (SATW).  She was selected as one of a dozen council members to travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Liana explains “This group of writers will experience the country’s unique culture, landscape and food and create and share stories along the way. I am so excited to experience this melting pot of nomadic Khazak and Russian cultures.” We at the Antlers are thrilled for Liana that she was selected for this trip of a lifetime and look forward to hearing more about her travels upon her return!

For those who aren’t able to go on an exciting adventure to Kazakhstan, there is still so much to enjoy locally.

Jeff Severini, Assistant General Manager, is looking forward to fishing in Gore Creek and relaxing in the sun. Jen Natbony at the front desk stayed a few miles down the road at the Minturn Inn and had a blast walking around main street. Elena Fundureanu, staff accountant, is happy to be spending time with her kids during their late spring break.

Alondra Trevizo, a long time employee of the Antlers, goes every May to the Great Sand Dunes National Park with her family. The park is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America and has been featured in a variety of films and documentaries.

“We bring the dogs and chill and have fun being outside.” This year Alondra also explored Zapata Falls, which is thirty minutes from the dunes. “It was so cool seeing the falls frozen and walking through. Highly recommend.”

Hiro napping on the warm sand after playing in the water for hours.

Hiro, Alondra’s dog, napping on the warm sand after playing in the water for hours.

Gabe Kossman, Front Desk Manager, recently went to the sand dunes as well. “My friend who moved away to Denver has come back the last two years just to make it to this special place. I think I am turning this into a yearly tradition with him! ”

 

Gabe with his feet in the sand with his dog, Nyx

Gabe with his feet in the sand with his dog, Nyx

Moab, home of the famous Arches National Park, is a really popular getaway for those ready to rough it camping. Lake Powell and Goblin Valley State Park are some other spots that are an easy and beautiful drive to get to from Vail.

Several people from our staff have already made it a point to get to these destinations before summer temperatures rise. “I just love going off grid and finding a camp site far down a dirt road away from everything” explains Dakota King, supervisor of the maintenance team. “I can’t wait to wear shorts after wearing the same winter clothes for so long.”

Dakota setting up camp at Lone Rock Beach.

Dakota setting up camp at Lone Rock Beach.

Then, of course, we still have staff who will die hard skiers. Chris Manning, our Controller, spends his spring season skiing until the very last day possible. “Ski Cooper has an old picnic table I love to enjoy after hiking to the top. I also love to skin up Vail Mountain and ride my bike around town.”

As the snow melts and the mountains to turn green, our staff is enjoying being able to take some time off and unwind in all different ways.

Flowers beginning to bloom in the Antlers courtyard. Summer is close!

Flowers beginning to bloom in the Antlers courtyard. Summer is close!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff Severini Joins Antlers as Assistant General Manager

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Jeff Severini has joined Antlers at Vail as its new assistant general manager, announced the condominium hotel’s GM, Magda King. Originally from Virginia and with a degree in business management, Severini worked several years in his home state’s food and beverage industry before following his love of the outdoors – fly fishing in particular – to the wilds of Montana and the elite Resort at Paws Up. There, he eventually spearheaded the opening of the resort’s new secluded, ultra-luxe private cabins focused on guest experiences – a good fit with the Antlers at Vail’s famously personalized guest service-oriented culture.

New Antlers at Vail assistant GM, Jeff Severini, stands in front of the hotel’s famous courtyard sculpture.

“The past couple years helped me realize what attracts me to the hospitality industry,” Severini says. “I absolutely love working with people, both within a team of peers and for guests. And I have a passion for creating experiences for others” – an enthusiasm he looks forward to sharing with Antlers guests.

“We welcome Jeff to the Antlers team with open arms, eager to share with him our passion for the hospitality industry – and equally excited to learn from his previous experiences in different resorts nationwide,” says King. Despite his relative youth, “His service-driven demeanor and calm attitude make him a wonderful addition to our leadership team,” she says. “We are certain that his presence in the Valley will enhance not only our property but our town, which is always evolving and nurturing future community leaders. He is a keeper!”

Severini grew up skiing and raced downhill on the East Coast for 15 years through his college days. “I am an avid fly fisherman in the summer and skier in the winter,” he says. “You may find me hiking up and down Gore Creek with a rod in my hand. And after moving out west I traded in my race skis for a pair of powder skis and fell in love with the sport all over again.” While admitting he had “never set foot in Colorado outside of the Denver airport” before coming to Vail, he was an instant convert.  

“It did not take long to figure out why so many have fallen in love with the area,” Severini says. “Vail has done nothing but surprise me thus far. It is a town, and resort, with a large reputation but seems to be a very tightly knit community. It has been a very warm welcome, and I am extremely happy to call the Antlers at Vail my new home!”

Gabe Kossman’s Antlers Career

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antlers front office manager gabe with his dog nyx

Gabe with his dog Nyx at the Antlers 2022 holiday party.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Mississippi, Gabe Kossman moved to Vail almost immediately after earning a degree in Psychology from the University of Mississippi in 2007. As many of us do, he came to Vail for the skiing. He initially worked as a lift operator, in snowmaking and then ticket sales before moving into hospitality.

His first front desk job was for another hotel where he was excited to be able to ski all day and then rest his weary legs at the front desk in the afternoons and evenings.

He made his way to the Antlers eight years ago after hearing from a friend about the on-site housing offered.

While working on another degree from Colorado Mountain College in Sustainability, he served a dual role both at the front desk and running our sustainability programs.

Because of his wonderful work ethic and excellent customer service skills, he moved up to Conference Services and then to Group Sales. When a recent opportunity opened for a Front Office Manager, he was hired right away for the position. He’s now transitioning from his past role to represent us all at the front of the house.

Gabe loves both skiing and snowboarding. You might just catch him working early mornings, skiing midday and then back behind the computer in the evenings.

The thing he loves more than skiing and snowboarding is travel. His favorite travel experience was exploring the beauty and nature of Nepal. He found it such a different world, with beauty peace and the friendliest people. He has also combined his two interests with travel to British Columbia, Canada and France for skiing. Of course, he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the beach either, also having been to Belize and Mexico.

Gabe and his cute dog Nyx are one of the several team members who live on-site at the Antlers.

He is excited to put into practice his managerial skills and lead a great team of people while continuing to grow his career here at the Antlers at Vail. We are equally excited to see and support his professional advancement.

“Gabe is one of the most loyal workers I have ever encountered.  His work ethic plus his insightful way of seeing life makes him a wonderful Front Desk Manager.  His calmness brings such joy and stability to a very stressful hotel position. We are truly lucky to have him, and it is very rewarding to see him grow professionally,” says General Manager, Magda King.

 

gabe at goat happy hour at vail stables

Even the goats love Gabe. Pictured here at Goat Happy Hour at Vail Stables for a staff outing last fall.

Vail Jazz Leads to Home Away From Home

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Peter and Linda enjoying lunch at an outdoor deck in Vail.

We love our guests and we especially love when we get to know them better and better with each return visit. Peter & Linda Friedman have been visiting the Antlers at Vail over the past decade, for what has expanded to a four to five week visit each summer.

They were kind to sit down and talk to us about why they love the Antlers and keep returning.

Hailing from Arizona, the Friedmans originally came to Vail to experience the Vail Jazz Labor Day weekend. After a couple of years visiting just for the weekend, they were referred to the Antlers where they started to extend their stay. First their stay grew to two weeks. And, now they visit each summer for four to five weeks. 

While they love the Antlers for the convenient location, great housekeeping and décor and furnishings, they say that’s not what makes the Antlers so special. It is the people who make the Antlers so special. They like seeing many of the same friendly personalities at the front desk each year. They feel like they really know the staff. 

GM Magda King and engineer Dakota King were just two of the names that they rattled off when talking about the people. 

In addition to housekeeping and the front desk, the Friedmans also appreciate the engineering team. If there is any concern of something not working properly in the condo, the immediate response is a perk. A much quicker and easier response than what they would have at home.

Peter relaxing on the deck of his home away from home.

You may be wondering what the Friedmans do for those four to five weeks during the summer. In addition to enjoying the Vail Jazz series spread throughout the summer and culminating with the Vail Jazz Party, they enjoy relaxing in the beautiful alpine environment. They walk the Gore Creek trail that runs along the river right behind the Antlers every day. In fact, one of the most memorable experiences was when Peter spotted a mamma and baby Moose. Linda was enjoying yoga and the pool. And, the entire class took a break to watch our local wildlife.

They really like that Vail is a walking village, and that they rarely need to take out their car. The free convenient bus system makes getting around so easy. They shop the farmers market every Sunday. And, snap up the Palisade Peaches when they come available. The large kitchen in their Antlers 2-bedroom condo makes cooking fun. 

A couple of summers ago they rented a second condo and brought out their son and grandchildren. The grandkids just loved the pool and can’t wait to return.

Peter and Linda say that it is the people that make the Antlers special. They are talking about the staff. But we know that it is guests like the Friedmans that make this such a special place. 

From Guest to Friend

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Hoteliers know that there are certain unwritten boundaries that we must follow to appropriately address our guests.  Departing from the fact that respect is always present, here are some of my personal boundaries:

  • Never call a guest before 9:00 am or after 8:00 pm,
  • Address a guest by Mr. and Mrs. Plus their last name,
  • Exercise the Motto: “The answer is yes, now what is the question,”
  • Let the guest enjoy at their leisure, and let them contact you if they need you,
  • I only shake a hand if a hand is extended (to respect people’s private space).

All of these rules are wonderful, and give me a clear (and safe) path to manage a cordial relationship. 

The “problem” presents when we have those amazing guests who clearly cannot only be guests. They are kind with us and so generous when it comes to compliment, reward, forgive, that it is difficult to address them as a “guest” because all you want to do is hug them and say: “Thank you for appreciating our jobs”. Sometimes there is so much focus on the guest who is not completely satisfied, that we forget to recognize those who are the complete opposite and give true meaning to the joy of serving others.

I am not quite sure when a guest becomes a friend to me. It’s not after “x” amount of stays at our property, or after an interaction.  I guess it is when both, them and I are able to establish a meaningful connection, and we both allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open to another human being.

When a guest becomes a friend, I long for their return.  I’m a hugger (and I introduce myself as such) so it is nice to see them with their open arms to receive a warm embrace.  We laugh together, we share personal stories or crazy tails about our families, and we even share tears if the situation requires it.

Today it can be perceived as  is unprofessional to send handwritten thank you note, a missing you notes, or say to a guest: “Oh, we love you!”  I completely disagree. I love all the guests that over the years have become my friends. I celebrate them, and I cherish their return to Vail. I know this sounds like a cliché, but I so hope you come to stay with us as a guest, and leave as our friend….  The world needs more friends.

Magda King

Antlers GM

Picture below shows  some of our many, many friends….

50 Years of Community

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Spring of 1972 is when the Antlers Condos broke ground. At this time of the year, 50 years ago, the building was being constructed. In December 1972, the certificate of occupancy was issued. And, then the first condos sold in January of 1973.

See our historical timeline here!

Since the day the HOA was formed, the owners have looked ahead to how they can improve the building. And, now five decades later we continue to look ahead to how we can continue to improve the experience for all of our stake holders: owners, staff, guests and the people and organizations that make up our community.

An ad for the first Antlers Condos.

We have much to celebrate and look forward to sharing it with you over the next few months.

Please take time to hop over to our new 50th anniversary website and share in the celebration. We’d love for you to tell us your story. How did you come to be a part of our family? Have you celebrated special occasions with us? Or, made great memories at the Antlers?

Grand opening of the Antlers pool in 1977.

Not only will you have our utmost appreciation for sharing that story. But we are also running a 50th anniversary content. At the end of each month through April 2023 we’ll be randomly awarding a $50 Antlers Visa gift card to one lucky storyteller from that month. All entrants will also be entered in the grand prize drawing April 30, 2023, for the chance to celebrate our 50 years in style with a luxurious 3-night Antlers getaway!

Hop on over to tell us your story, either with written words, or a video!

2022 Highway Clean Up: Stay Free

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Join the Antlers for Highway Clean Up on April 30, 2022 and get a free night on us!

Whew, what a season! And, it isn’t over yet. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t time to start preparing for summer. As the season winds down, we start the work to get our property, and also the Vail community ready for summer. This includes a morning of cleaning the highway near our property.

Guest volunteers join Antlers at Vail staff in annual spring highway cleanup set for April 30, 2022 – with a free night’s stay at the Antlers as a thank you.

While we’ve been cleaning up our own adopted stretch of I-70 since 1988, we also join the Community Pride Highway Cleanup arranged through the Eagle River Watershed Council. The past few years we’ve had a handful of guests join us and had a ton of fun, so we’re bringing it back again this year.

Join the Antlers green team again this spring, following the end of ski season and as the spring melt gets underway, to help clear the trash and debris that emerges after a long winter of being buried in layers of snow. This is our community’s way of sprucing up the valley for residents and visitors alike!

We’d like to once again invite you, our guests, to join us for a morning of service and fun. You come help us pick up trash on the highway for a few hours Saturday morning (April 30) and we’ll give you a free night* on either Friday or Saturday night.  That’s it … no other catch.  If you want to stay an additional night, you could even book one with our 50th anniversary 50% off deal. But if you just stay one night … it’s a freebie! It’s our way of thanking you for staying with us, and for helping us keep our world a little cleaner place.

If you are a skier, join us Saturday morning for highway clean up, stay the night and then hit the slopes on Sunday for closing day on Vail Mountain!

The Antlers – which has incorporated numerous eco-friendly business practices long before the term ‘green’ was coined – was awarded the TripAdvisor GreenLeader and Actively Green statuses, in addition to the Vail Valley Success Awards Green Business of the Year and the Vail Valley Community Impact Award.

Call us at 800-843-8245 to book!

*All guests staying with this promo should meet in the lobby at 8 a.m. to gather, get vests and bags. Then we’ll shuttle the entire group to our assigned section of the highway. We typically wrap up around 10 a.m. While there isn’t an organized BBQ this year, the Antlers will be providing all of our team members with a casual lunch. When you call just let us know the names of your party so we can add them to our highway clean up roster, and get a head count for lunch.

Movers and Shakers at the Antlers

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There are some new smiling faces waiting to greet you at the Antlers this summer.

Chris Manning, who welcomed you over the past year as Front Office Manager has made the move over to accounting as the Assistant Controller. He is training with Chris Ratzlaff to eventually take over the Controller position.

Most of you know, but here’s a little about Chris Manning. He originally worked at the Antlers from July 1991 until September 2001.  He and his wife, Tessa own and manufacture Tessa Clogs which sell at their factory warehouse, Swedish Clog Cabin in Minturn, Colorado.  After leaving the Antlers at Vail in 2001, he continued to work in Lionshead at their retail location for over 20 years.  He joined us summer 2020 with a year-long commitment to run the front desk.

Chris then led the efforts to hire our new Front Office Manager, Chad Stephens. We hope that you will join us in extending a warm welcome to Chad.

“Chad is a wonderful addition to the Antlers Team! His gentle demeanor plus his experience in the hospitality world and his incredible business acumen, makes him the perfect match for our property.  You will truly enjoy working with Chad,” says General Manager, Magda King.

Chad hails from Hendersonville, North Carolina. He finds similarities in the two areas that make him feel at home here. Both Vail and Hendersonville are small towns set in beautiful mountain resort communities.

Chad loves hiking, skiing, camping, music and concerts. He also has an affinity for southern food and Broadway.

After a brief stop in Atlanta, Chad came to Vail in 2009 and has made this his home. His background is in hospitality. After a brief break, he is glad to be back and looks forward to welcoming you back to your home away from home.

In addition, Rich Bell, who started at the Antlers as a shuttle drive and more recently has worked at a front desk agent has been promoted to Front Desk Supervisor Auditor.

We hope that you will join us in congratulating and welcoming Chris, Chad and Rich to their new roles here at the Antlers.

Antlers Employees Learn About Mental Health First Aid

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Colorado mountain communities have been known for several years now as having high rates of suicide. More recently Colorado was been declared a “Mental Health State of Emergency” by the Colorado Children’s Hospital due to the amount of suicide attempts in our communities.

Fortunately, just prior to the Pandemic, Eagle County had begun efforts to destigmatize mental health issues, and provide access to mental health resources.

Earlier this week local non-profit SpeakUp ReachOut offered a program called Mental Health First Aid For Hospitality Workers. Two sessions were offered. One in English and one in Spanish.

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues.

Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.

Many of the Antlers at Vail housekeeping team attended to learn how they can help their family, community and even visitors.

GoPro Mountain Games to bring Go RVing DockDogs Arena and more to Lionshead village

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Dog-lovers have something new to celebrate: the return of high-flying canine sport and entertainment as the Go RVing DockDogs Arena will return to Lionshead Village for the 2021 GoPro Mountain Games.

Dock Dogs competition at the GoPro Mountain Games returns to Lionshead Village. The Antlers is happy to once again offer pet-friendly rooms for participants and spectators.

“We were crossing our fingers that we would get the ‘all-clear’ to bring dogs back to Lionshead, and thanks to great partnerships from Vail Resorts, the Town of Vail, and everyone involved, we were able to do so,” said Sarah Franke, Vice President of Operations and Marketing for the Vail Valley Foundation, which hosts the GoPro Mountain Games June 10-13 in Vail Village and Lionshead this year.

“We are thrilled to be returning to Lionshead. It is the perfect venue for our dog-friendly events and has become an integral part of the Mountain Games,” Franke said.

This year’s events feature the Orijen DockDogs National Championships. But that’s not all: Along with Orijen DockDogs Big Air, Orijen Dockdogs Extreme Vertical, Orijen DockDogs Speed Retrieve, and Dueling Dogs, the Go RVing DockDogs Arena will also feature the K9 SuperWall.

The K9 SuperWall was a big hit in its inaugural year in 2019. The K9 SuperWall challenges athletic dogs to jump as high up a wall as they can… like a high jump for our canine friends.

Public concessions will be available in Lionshead 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday, June 10 – Saturday June 12, as well as Sunday, June 13, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Live music from local artists will take place in Lionshead Pedestrian Mall, as part of the GoPro Mountains of Music, at select times throughout the GoPro Mountain Games.

All of the above is just one portion of the action at the 2021 GoPro Mountain Games. Learn more about activities in Lionshead as well as Vail Village and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater at mountaingames.com.