LUXURY HOTELIER INTERVIEW: Mr. Michael Hatzfeld, General Manager, St Regis Deer Crest Resort

Published: September 10, 2009
A conversation with Mr. Michael Hatzfeld, General Manager of the St Regis Deer Crest Resort, opening in Park City, Utah this winter.

What is unique about your hotel's location?

The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort is nestled into a natural saddle along the slopes of the magnificent Deer Valley Resort, rated the number one ski resort in North America in 2008 and 2007 by the readers of SKI Magazine. The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort spans across 12-acres and enjoys beautiful, perpetually unobstructed views of the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains. It features extraordinary ease of access, just 39 miles from Salt Lake International Airport and one mile from Park City's bustling Main Street. This stunning location boasts direct slope-side access via the Deer Hollow ski run, and a broad variety of year-round recreational and cultural offerings.

What authentic local experiences will guests have access to?Guests at the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort will have access to North America's top-rated ski experience at Deer Valley in winter, in addition to skiing and snowboarding at Park City Mountain Resort (ranked number five) and the Canyons Resort (ranked number 14 in North America). During the summer season Park City offers golf and fly-fishing as well as some of the country's best mountain biking and hiking on nearly 400 miles of maintained trails in the area. Throughout the year an abundance of dining options are available at 105 Park City restaurants, including 22 Zagat-rated establishments (more than Aspen and Vail combined!) Park City is home to 30 art galleries and host to countless cultural offerings - music and concert performances, festivals and art shows - including the vaunted Sundance Film Festival, the Kimball Art Festival, and the Park City International Jazz Festival.

What are some amazing things that your Concierge can arrange?

World-class fly fishing trips and helicopter skiing, plus tickets to the Sundance Film Festival.

Does your hotel have a philosophy?
Combining classic sophistication and modern luxury, the St. Regis brand remains faithful to its commitment to excellence. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, with the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago, The St. Regis brand of hotels is known for its unique luxury dimension, customized service and refined elegance, in the best destinations worldwide.

What makes your hotel memorable and unforgettable?

The Ski Beach at The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort combines the vibrancy of European après ski life with the elegance that St. Regis brings to all of its properties. Nestled slope-side at the Deer Valley Resort amidst the pristine Wasatch Mountains and directly accessible from the Deer Hollow ski run, the Ski Beach at The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort is the ultimate après ski destination. Guests and visitors coming from town or the mountain’s Snow Park Lodge may access the Hotel and Ski Beach via The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort's funicular, a luxurious Swiss made tram car that seats 15 and is the very first in a North American ski resort. The Ski Beach is perfect for meeting family for lunch or friends for libations, soaking up the sun while enjoying an epicurean creation from Jean-Georges Vongerichten's kitchen, or simply relaxing and people watching. The Ski Beach at The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort is completely unparalleled in Utah and will be a natural gathering place for casual mingling, relaxed dining, and easy socializing.

Stunning panoramic mountain views surround the Ski Beach and can be enjoyed year round while relaxing in chaise lounges on outdoor decks, while sipping and snacking on the 3,000 square foot stone terrace that boasts a 40-foot long firewall and bird's-eye view of the multi-tiered, year-round swimming pool that features waterfall columns and is bookended by two hot tubs. The après ski scene can be enjoyed well into the evening knowing that when it's time for dinner, guests can either stay on site to dine in St. Regis' signature Jean-Georges restaurant, or take the convenient funicular to the base of Deer Valley® to access the variety of dining options in Park City. As Utah's first five-star branded resort, The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort provides a convivial and memorable five-star après ski experience.

What will guests rave about to their friends and family?

The iconic St. Regis butlers are a distinguishing feature of the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort. Trained in the European tradition, the butlers and all staff throughout the Resort imbue an extraordinary standard of service in every aspect of the St. Regis visit. Attentive yet discreet, the St. Regis butlers and staff anticipate and satisfy needs seamlessly, creating an exquisitely relaxing and fulfilling guest experience.

What is the atmosphere of your hotel? What types of guests does it attract?

Distinguished by its grand scale, The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort offers sophisticated and luxurious mountain accommodations, establishing a new standard for mountain elegance. One of the finest luxury branded hotels, The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort is set apart by the outstanding features of the suites and units, as well as the impeccably designed exteriors, inviting common areas, gourmet food and outstanding wine collection, and exclusive spa and fitness center. The luxurious décor for the hotel guestrooms and suites extends into all aspects of the design. The stunning, yet soothing color palette features creams, rich browns and earth-tone hues. The kitchen and living areas are equipped with state-of-the-art appliances and custom designed furniture, flooring and finishes.

What makes your hotel a destination within itself?

With over half of the Hotel space dedicated to common areas featuring world-class services and punctuated by exceptional commissioned works of art throughout, the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort provides guests plenty of room to explore and enjoy the full offerings of the Resort. The unique features of the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort coalesce into an extraordinary experience - from arrival via the funicular with personalized check-in and orientation; to the riveting culinary creations of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's 120-seat J&G Grill with its open kitchen, private wine room dining, 22-seat communal dining room, and intimate Chef's Table; to the Wine Vault with a collection of over 10,000 bottles. Guests enjoy the personalized ministrations of professionals at St. Regis' exclusive 14,000 square foot Remède Spa and indulge in whole-body wellness with certified trainers in the Athletic Club. In the St. Regis Library, complimentary hot beverages are served in the morning hours, followed by afternoon tea at 4pm, and the famous Champagne Sabring ceremony to welcome the transition to evening at 5pm. The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort envelops its guests with an unparalleled standard of service, ensconced in elegant mountain contemporary décor within a setting of stunning natural beauty.

What is the best way for guests to "arrive in style" to your hotel?

What is bound to be the most well-appointed mode of transportation at any mountain resort, the funicular is a unique feature of The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort. A pair of 15-passenger cable-hoisted tram cars on steel rails, the funicular is based at The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort's Snow Park Building and ascends over 230 vertical feet in just 90 seconds to the primary hotel building which houses the majority of The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort's amenities, guest rooms and private residences with convenient slope-side access directly on to the Deer Hollow ski run. Travel on the funicular, which is free of charge, serves as a chic and convenient way for hotel guests and visitors to explore The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort's phenomenal amenities, including Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's new J&G Grill, a wine bar featuring a 10,000-bottle collection, a 14,000 square-foot Remède Spa, a Val d'Isere style ski beach adjacent to the Deer Hollow ski run, and an outdoor terrace with a 40-foot long firewall. The 90-second journey feels something like a luxurious elevator ride with fabulous vistas of Deer Valley. The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort funicular cars are heated and air-conditioned and function independently so that demand can be met both at the base and top terminals which are enclosed so guests are never exposed to the elements.

Can you recommend other destinations/hotels nearby (within 300 miles) that your guests should consider combining into a trip?

For a very different outlook on the natural beauty of Utah, guests might consider a visit to the visually striking, other-worldly terrain of southern Utah. The breathtaking red rock and sandstone formations of Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park all can be easily visited from the friendly city of Moab.