Creating Rest & Recreation for Savvy Explorers
For the owners of Explorer Rest & Recreation, the economic climate seemed right to pursue the success of a new venture - a boutique motel concept located in Sandusky, Ohio's attraction corridor.
Unique & Boutique: How Independent Lodging Concepts are Changing the Travel Game
There’s no doubt that demand for independent, boutique hotels and authentic experiences that reflect their environment are on the rise. As discerning guests become more disillusioned with cookie-cutter hotels and impersonal chains, they seek out smaller, unique properties that offer ties to the local area.
Opportunities for boutique hotels and motels abound.
The boutique hotel market was estimated to be valued at $93.37B in 2022 and is projected to reach $115.80B by 2032. 1
2022 revenue per available room (RevPAR) is up 46% compared to 2021. 2
74% of survey respondents agree that travel experience outweighs cost. 3
In the 2030s, travelers are expected to seek out lodging options that offer convenience and highly personalized experiences. 4
For the owners of Explorer Rest & Recreation, the market proved to be ripe for the success of their property— a new boutique motel concept located in Sandusky, Ohio’s attraction corridor.
Are you ready to leverage hospitality trends and opportunities?
Entrepreneurial Explorers Bring a Unique Hospitality Vision to Life
Lisa and Justin Brady are no strangers to the hospitality world. Both discovered their passion for hospitality while working at a corporate hospitality company in a variety of positions. There, they also developed an entrepreneurial mindset and connection to the local community.
"When you work for yourself, you can take more creative liberty and express your personality. It’s easier for us to make immediate changes than it would have been at our previous jobs. We loved our time there, but we knew we wanted to interact with guests more and really make their stay with us authentic.”
Lisa and Justin traveled extensively within nine U.S. national parks and began to see themselves as explorers. Their love of adventure shaped their career leap from conceptualizing new ideas for the corporate hospitality company to becoming independent hospitality entrepreneurs.
When the beloved, once-prosperous Mecca Motel property went on the market, the Bradys knew it was their chance to strike out on their own. The property had fallen into disrepair and was ready for its new chapter. They were ready to lift the previous roadside motel’s concept from simple relaxation to an active recreation mode.
Creating a Gathering Place that Offers the Best of Rest & Recreation
The Vision
An Everyday Escape with Community Connections
The Bradys sought to offer adventurous travelers a home-like hospitality, packaged in a fun, thoughtful and cozy wrapper. Based on their national park travels, the couple wanted to create the type of destination they wished they had while exploring by themselves and with their kids. Enter: Explorer Rest & Recreation. The Bradys envisioned a property that would feel like an escape from the everyday while connecting guests to the local community.
They knew they had to overdeliver on both appearance and consistency to capture new and repeat guests. The Richardson Design team was tapped to make the vision a reality. Extensive discovery sessions charted the course for bringing client goals for Explorer to life with unique solutions.
“Richardson did a phenomenal job of seeing our vision and bringing it into reality.”
Restoration & Revival Create New Tourism Opportunities
Guests are Encouraged to Kick Back, Relax & Live Like Locals
The Richardson Design team began to develop the Explorer concept and identify opportunities at hand to capture new and repeat guests. Thanks to Explorer’s strategic location and history, the property was poised to:
Reinvent a community landmark and overcome past perceptions of motels and independent resorts.
Capture traffic to Cedar Point and surrounding attractions, such as nearby sports complexes.
Tap into municipal improvement projects for walkable exploration opportunities
- A multi-purpose path behind the property connects to downtown Sandusky and sports center
- U.S. Route 6 repaving and pedestrian pathway located at the front of the property
No matter the reason for a guest’s stay, creating a base camp environment was Explorer’s largest opportunity. Think of an oasis where guests can map out their next points of exploration in Sandusky's Shores & Islands region
Designing Timeless Solutions
Meeting Modern Expectations with a Vintage Vibe
Unlike fads, trends tend to be evolutionary and cyclical. Richardson Design recognized that once-popular designs are bound to come back into fashion. To execute the Bradys’ vision for Explorer, Richardson Design merged client preferences with the glory days of independent motels. The vigorously vintage result boasts a base camp vibe boosted by built-in modern amenities (think: high speed wi-fi).
Retro Rides Again
As part of the redesign, the entire property now evokes a sense of nostalgia for the motel travel heydays of the 1950s. The Bradys wanted to reconnect with the property’s roots and give it a facelift to honors its past without being stuck there.
Throwback elements – the outside signage and doors, the color palette and porte-cochère restoration – can combine with future plans for vintage-look striped umbrellas at picnic tables with Coleman coolers to allude to times gone by. For guest rooms, the design team carefully sourced retro-inspired appliances, leveraged earthy wood tones and incorporated evocative textiles for the quintessential mid-century feel.
Room Designs Cater to Each Guest’s Inner Explorer
Every guest room detail was thoughtfully designed for all travelers, but especially families traveling with kids who may be visiting the nearby sports complexes.
In keeping with the adventure travel design principles applied to travel trailers and boat cabins, every guest room element has a purpose. Room layout includes details like clothing pegs on the walls, built-in storage and ergonomic closet space.
We made use of the entire floor plan without changing the structure of the building. The queen bed bunk room concepts represent thoughtful space planning. Rather than splitting up families between rooms, the design team created a queen bunk bed arrangement that maximizes space while still feeling roomy. Beds are surrounded by elements of homey hospitality, including a warm glow from bedside sconces. The dramatic wood grain of the knotty alder wood used throughout the interior brings a sense of the outdoors inside.
“We mentioned the sports traveler audience and the Richardson team recognized that and came to us with a design idea that made a lot of sense.”
Creating a Customized Experience for Community Visitors
From its location to its amenities, Explorer has been designed to connect guests with local experiences. The rear of the property taps into Sandusky’s new multi use trail, which connects guests to nature just steps from Explorer’s pool area. Likewise, the city’s highway sidewalk is accessible to guests from the front of the property. Both paths connect travelers to Sandusky’s revitalized downtown area.
Guests and passersby won’t go hungry at Explorer, either. The design team integrated a parking pad for food trucks and an expansive dining area where diners can hang out to enjoy their meals.
“It was a very seamless process. The Richardson team listened to our vision and what we were looking for, then, they elevated our vision.”
Exploring the Future
From the start, the Bradys had a vision for Explorer Rest & Recreation’s expansion. Their eventual goal is to open additional Explorer properties close to national parks and attractions that tap into guests’ love of authentic travel. While new properties may include different guest room concepts based on the setting, Richardson Design has created scalable space designs. The design is replicable and can translate well to future locations.
Tap into Tomorrow’s Tourist Market, Today
Authentic travel experiences have timeless appeal. Families, couples and solo travelers drive the rising demand for authentic experiences with local flavor and a sense of place. Independent hotels, motels and other hospitality concepts can create a lasting impact and transform guests into lifelong advocates.
The Richardson Design team is ready to listen and deliver unique solutions for your hospitality concept. Reach out to us to see how we’ll bring your vision to life.
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