Olympia Hotel Management has named Karl McElligott the Director of Food & Beverage.
McElligott was previously the Director of Food & Beverage at Fathom Companies in Portland, overseeing all F&B operations at The Press Hotel and Canopy Portland Waterfront. Before that, he was the Director of Food & Beverage at Stowe Mountain Lodge and the Director of Restaurants at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.
“We are pleased to welcome Karl to Olympia’s executive team,” says Sara Masterson, President of Olympia Hotel Management. “His extraordinary talent, creativity, and passion for the F&B side of the industry will be a tremendous asset to all of the hotels in our growing portfolio.”
An Irish-born American national, McElligott’s education includes degrees in Hotel Management and Business Studies from the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Dublin College of Catering, respectively. He is a certified member of the Court of Master Sommeliers.
“Each property has its unique attributes, and we tailor our approach specifically for each one,” says McElligott. “There is no cookie-cutter approach. At each hotel, we do a lot of listening to what the owners and the community want. Then we’re challenging each team to get outside of their comfort zones. We’ve entered a new way of dining and are back to the world of sharing and socializing.”
The restaurants McElligott oversees cover a wide range of dining styles, from fine to casual, many with a strong regional focus.
“We pay attention to current trends, from the need for creative vegan and vegetarian menus to the move towards non-alcoholic beverages,” says McElligott. “The days of having one of two mocktails on a list are gone. Guests want many more choices and want to drink flavorful, delicious, vibrant cocktails without the buzz of alcohol. We’re very sensitive to dietary trends and want to be cognizant of everyone’s dining and drinking habits.”
Olympia Hotel Management has over 30 hotels and restaurants under management, including award-winning properties like Inn by the Sea, The Alfond Inn at Rollins, SOPHY Hyde Park, and The Glen House. The company manages city hotels like The Revolution Hotel in Boston and the new Benson Hotel & Faculty Club in Aurora, Colorado.
Olympia has a well-known reputation for managing town and gown dynamics at campus hotels like The Inn at Swarthmore, Inn on Boltwood at Amherst College, and the Historic Boone Tavern Restaurant, owned by Berea College. They also operate a variety of select-service brands, including properties by Wyndham, Hyatt, Hilton Garden Inn, and Hampton Inn.
