The Vendue Challenges Long Standing Hotel Norm & Reinforces Commitment to Art

BLLA Member, Avocet Hospitality, reshapes guest experience with renovation of award-winning boutique hotel in Charleston, S.C.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Just as art continually evolves and changes, so does the The Vendue. The hotel’s most recent transformation challenges long-standing hotel norms by reimagining the guest’s arrival experience. The front desk is gone. It’s been thrown out the window never to be seen again. Eliminating this cornerstone shared by hotels all over the world now allows The Vendue to further heighten the guest experience before, during and after arrival. A perfect complement to the recent complete renovation of the hotel’s main building, 19 Vendue – an art gallery where it just so happens you can spend the night.

“We wanted to challenge the long-standing practice of guests entering a hotel and immediately searching for the check-in desk,” says Jon Weiz, Founder and President of Avocet Hospitality. “When we invite people into our private homes, we do not wait behind a desk or ask them to check-in at a computer terminal. No – we greet them at the door, invite them in, and offer a comfortable couch while we ask them how they are. With only 84 rooms, we want to mirror the experience we offer in our homes and make the entire arrival experience less transactional.”

No standing in line, and no self-service kiosks here. Front Desk agents have been replaced with Guest Experience Managers, or GEMs for short, that welcome guests with a laissez-faire arrival experience with no physical barriers between host and guest. Newly implemented technology allows most of, if not all, the typical check-in work to be completed prior to arrival. It also provides an open line of communication between the GEMs and guests prior to and during their stay.

“Turning the traditional standard of a hotel stay on its head is just part of the story,” adds Corrado Palenzona, General Manager of The Vendue. “The nature of this hotel is to always be evolving. With our recent evolution we’ve also turned up the volume on our contemporary art as well as introduced a bold interior redesign that is bursting with modern energy.” 

The recent renovation of the 19 Vendue building now emulates a contemporary art gallery one might find in Paris. From the leather horse sculpture greeting guests at the main entrance of the hotel or the 9-foot-tall red gorilla, the art itself dares to push the envelope with bold, bright and mind-blowing designs, demanding the attention of each passerby. 

The rooms and public areas of 19 Vendue have been completely reimagined with fiery reds, bright whites and polished golds. A palette meant to symbolize passion and energy, which is exactly what guests feel while at the hotel. Subtle French accents give nod to The Vendue’s location within the French quarter in addition to the 1780s building’s original use as warehouses for French merchants. Each of these elements develop a one-of-a-kind canvas for the bold pieces of art that adorn the walls.

This latest evolution with a new guest experience and increased commitment to bold and thought-provoking art is just the next chapter in The Vendue’s story. The Vendue journey will continue across the street with the evolution of 26 Vendue beginning in 2023.

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About The Vendue
Situated in Charleston’s historic French Quarter, Charleston’s Art Hotel displays over 200 original works of art as well as rotating art installations. The hotel employs a team of art docents and curators, as well as an artist-in-residence. Both 19 and 26 Vendue Range, date back to the 18th century, collectively offer 84 guest accommodations, an art gallery, art studio, rooftop bar, and a full-service restaurant. To learn more about The Vendue, visit thevendue.com.

About Avocet Hospitality
Avocet Hospitality specializes in developing and operating independent hotels and restaurants. The Charleston-based company owns and operates a collection of Charleston, SC area hotels consisting of The Vendue and Tides Folly Beach, along with several Charleston area restaurants including Revival, The Rooftop, BLU Beach Bar & Grill, and Pier 101 Restaurant & Bar. Additionally, Avocet Hospitality owns and operates The Read House Hotel and Bridgeman’s Chophouse, in downtown Chattanooga, TN, in addition to The Admiral Hotel and Corner 251 in Mobile, AL. To learn more about Avocet Hospitality, visit avocethospitality.com.

Avocet Hospitality is a premier member of BLLA – view their listing here!