20-Year Hospitality Industry Veteran John Volponi Joins Capella Telluride as General Manager
TELLURIDE, CO - John Volponi, an esteemed hotelier with more than 20 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, has been hired as general manger of the first ever Capella Hotels and Resorts destination in the U.S. - Capella Telluride, nestled in the secluded mountains of Mountain Village above historic Telluride, Colorado. Working closely with the corporate Capella Hotels and Resorts and resort's ownership, R.A.L. Companies & Affiliates, Volponi will create highly personalized experiences for guests, helping the resort, and its residences, become one of the most iconic mountain destinations in the country when it opens in early 2009.
"We are committed to educating ourselves on our guests' desires prior to their arrival and taking every step necessary to ensure that their expectations are exceeded while they are here. We are confident that John will be able to fulfill this obligation to superior service as well as his other duties as general manager at Capella Telluride," said RAL Companies & Affiliates CEO Robert Levine.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the success of this first-class, year-round resort while also having the opportunity to weave the resort into the fabric of the community, which includes a rich mining town history, world-class skiing, scenic mountains and summer-season festivals and concerts," said Volponi.
Volponi has worked at a handful of legendary hotels, including The Los Angeles Biltmore, The Lodge at Vail, and La Samanna, a hotel that was named one of the top 100 hotels in the world by Condé Nast. Most notably, Volponi was an integral team member at the Inn at Perry Cabin in Saint Michaels, MD when the hotel underwent a major renovation. He oversaw the conversion of the property from a 40-room bed and breakfast inn to an 80-room property capable of handling increased transient business as well as group and conference business. Volponi began his hospitality career at Princess Hotels International, where he served as the resident manager of the Westlake Plaza Hotel.
"John's past successes prove that he is well equipped to create a world-class resort experience that will help Capella Telluride rank among the best hotels in the world," added Levine.
The unique European-style ski-in/ski-out resort destination will feature 60 Residence Condominiums with fireplaces, private terraces, steam showers and gourmet kitchens starting at $1.72 million as well as 100 Hotel Condominiums starting at $540,225. The exceptional amenities at Capella Telluride include the only private onsite resort lounge in Telluride for condominium owners, the Living Room, as well as the Nordic Lounge, Suede Bar and Onyx Restaurant, a one-of-a-kind restaurant offering extraordinary interpretations of traditional dishes from the best alpine menus in the world. Furthermore, guests will enjoy the world-class Capella Spa, swimming pool, fitness center, ice-skating rink and numerous high-end retail boutiques.
Capella Hotels and Resorts serves today's top-tier travelers and residential property owners and is setting a new standard in the hospitality industry. Capella promises the unique benefits of the finest boutique hotels, including superb architecture and interior design, privacy, individualized service and attention to detail - combined with the amenities and activities of the world's great luxury hotels and resorts. Capella, led by founder Horst Schulze, is a brand focused on customer choice, and offers choices that no other hotel company in the world can match. Capella is opening world-class properties in gateway cities and high-profile resort destinations around the world, including: Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel (Düsseldorf, Germany); Capella Bahia Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico); Capella Dunboy Castle (Castletownbere, Ireland); Capella Ixtapa (Ixtapa, Mexico); Capella Niseko (Niseko, Japan); Capella Pedregal (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico); Capella Singapore (Sentosa Island, Singapore); Capella Telluride (Telluride, Colorado); and Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel (Velden, Austria). Learn more at www.capellahotels.com.
Patricia Nugent/Kathleen Cullinane
Middleton & Gendron, Inc.
(212) 284-9935/(212) 980-9194
pnugent@mg-pr.com/kcullinane@mg-pr.com
