WHY IT RATES: Over its first decade in business, the Salamander Collection has expanded its portfolio from a single luxury hotel to seven properties in iconic destinations across the U.S. and Caribbean. Looking toward the next ten years, the company has altered its name, and is rebranding its marketing and communications to better reflect its ongoing evolution. — Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer
The Salamander Collection today announced the evolution of its unique brand. Founded by renowned business leader Sheila Johnson, the distinct and expanding company has re-branded to mark the 10-year anniversary of its flagship resort in Virginia.
On August 29, 2013, Johnson formally opened the long-awaited Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, which is now called Salamander Middleburg under the fresh branding. Since opening, the resort has achieved both the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond ratings, while the company has gone on to excel and specialize in a variety of aspects of hospitality management. Last year, the company added another branded property in the nation’s capital: Salamander Washington DC, while this summer has seen the completion of the first homes in its inaugural branded residential project: Residences at Salamander Middleburg.
Formerly known as Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the Salamander Collection owns and operates seven properties in the US and Caribbean and has over 3,000 service professionals in its employ. In the past 12 months, the company added three iconic destinations into its growing portfolio and recently placed 12th on Travel + Leisure’s “Favorite Hotel Brands” list, ranking ahead of several long-established luxury hotel companies.
“Salamander represents much more than hotels and resorts; for the past decade, our unique culture of inclusion, kindness and warmth, has created a genuine sense of belonging, which is why Salamander Collection is an even more fitting name for our company,” said Johnson, who this September will share intimate details about her voyage into hospitality with the release of her eagerly anticipated memoir: Walk Through Fire.
Johnson’s values of honesty, authenticity, respect, and passion have always provided the guiding direction for the Salamander Collection, applying in equal measures to the guests, employees, members and owners that Salamander serves. In addition to operating luxurious, distinctive and complex properties, the company also hosts numerous internationally recognized events like the Family Reunion, Middleburg Film Festival and the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship.
The new brand work, overseen by Salamander’s Chief Marketing Officer Tracey Slavonia, was designed to harness Johnson’s vision, forge brand pillars that reinforce Salamander’s tenets and demonstrate the positive role the company plays in its surrounding communities. To help amplify the story, Slavonia’s team created a clearer voice and distinct visual aesthetic. Both company and property websites have seen fresh and dynamic redesigns, while a new Salamander magazine was recently published and lauded for its visual appeal and journalistic approach.
“At Salamander, we believe in forming lasting connections,” said Slavonia. “At our core, we are not just another hospitality company; we are honest, passionate and believe in being gracious and kind to one another. As a result, more people are gravitating toward Salamander Collection. Feeling accepted is a distinct differentiator within our industry and we will continue to convey this compassionate philosophy through our new brand marketing and communications efforts.”
Salamander’s authentic and inclusive style of luxury has become a defining approach to hospitality in recent years. The company’s unique collection of iconic properties in storied destinations includes Middleburg, Washington D.C., Charleston, Aspen, Tampa Bay, Jamaica and Anguilla.
SOURCE: Salamander Collection press release.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
