Information Guide for Media

Information
Guide for Media
Today’s DeSoto Beach Hotel — Page Two
DeSoto Beach Hotel’s History — Page Three
Fact Sheet — Page Five
TYBEE’S ONLY BEACHFRONT HOTEL — 212 Butler Ave. P.O. BOX 1398, TYBEE ISLAND, GA 31328
MEDIA CONTACT: TOREN ANDERSON of TOREN ANDERSON MEDIA
[email protected] or TELEPHONE at +1.770.591.8191
Rich history. Grand settings. Southern soul.
At today’s DeSoto Beach Hotel, we strive to recreate for every guest that same experience that the old
DeSoto Beach Club was to generations of travelers and Tybee Island, GA, locals. The buildings and
amenities at Tybee’s only beachfront hotel may have been renewed and updated, but our soul remains
the same.
The magnificent old hotel, all red Spanish tile and palm-lined gardens, was a landmark not just for
the Island, but also for the whole Southern coast. Back when it was built in 1939, genteel guests of the
original Hotel DeSoto Beach Club had it all. Of course, luxury accommodations were different back
then: the Beach Club’s chief draws were air conditioning and bathrooms en suite—amenities mostly
unheard of in those days!
After World War II, beachside dancing and amateur talent shows at the DeSoto brought in a more
down-to-earth crowd and made Tybee a key stop on the shag dancing circuit. In later years, the Beach
Club’s famous Ship Watch Lounge became a colorful gathering spot for locals. Its central location
between the pier and lighthouse and by-then unruffled atmosphere gave it appeal across the spectrum
of Tybee Society.
Today’s DeSoto Beach Hotel strikes a delicate balance, drawing the best from every era of the storied
hotel and adding an exciting, modern spin. It’s not a playground for the superrich anymore, but our
staff still works just as hard to kill ‘em with kindness and service. People don’t flock here from hundreds of miles around to dance on the shore like they did once, but fun is what a stay at the DeSoto
is all about. And the islanders may not congregate in the lounge chatting like the 24/7 neighborhood
news station they once were, but the place still drips with local character.
What we’ve added to the distillation is a dose of family-friendly serenity in a modern setting. It’s a
place where the whole clan—or just a company of two—can escape. Here on the edge of land, the
wide, wild sea beckons from just outside your door, but everything you need to stay connected to today’s world is right back inside.
The new hotel, with its red tile roofs, porthole windows and ample vegetation, pays homage to the
glory of the old one. It helps that we’re the only beachfront hotel on Tybee Island, and was voted Best
Place to Stay for several years. But what’s really important to us is that we have worked to create a
place that’s both a reference to the long book of Tybee history and the next chapter in it. Come visit
us and read on.
History of the DeSoto Beach Hotel
The DeSoto Beach Hotel was named for the first European to explore the South; the very name is
synonymous with the search for untold riches. The name had proved prescient; you don’t have to dig
deep into the DeSoto’s past to find gems about the history of Tybee Island and the world around it.
Back in 1939 when it was built, guests of the original Hotel DeSoto Beach Club were swathed in
luxury. Waiters in black bowties shuttled about with cool refreshments atop silver trays for the elite
clientele in from Savannah and beyond while rich terracotta floors were kept eternally spotless by a
vigilant army of busboys in tuxedo shirts. The hotel was truly one of the poshest spots in the South,
if not the whole country.
In those first days, the Beach Club was accessible only to guests of the Hotel DeSoto in Savannah. The
Hotel and the Beach Club, as well as the General Oglethorpe Hotel on nearby Wilmington Island,
were built, owned and operated by J.B. Pound. Pound was a local hotel magnate who used the favorable labor market conditions of the Great Depression to create not only the most beautiful, modern
hotel possible with the most attentive service, but also many jobs. Many locals who could never afford
to stay in such a place were nevertheless able to make a living building and staffing it.
Two design influences inspired Pound’s vision for the Beach Club: Georgia’s Spanish past, and the sea.
Hernando DeSoto, the hotel’s conquistador namesake, was the first European to explore Georgia. The
Southern coast saw a revived interest in architectural elements from the days of old Spanish Florida.
Combining those themes with a gentle nautical influence, the old DeSoto Beach Club was a uniquely
beautiful structure. Even the outbreak of war in Europe never made Pound take his sights off making
the grandest hotel possible.
The Beach Club’s heyday came in the postwar boom. During this time, the hotel changed ownership
and became the Desoto Beach Hotel. (The locals would continue to call it the Beach Club, even after it
was demolished decades later.) Not only did it open up to a decidedly less ritzy crowd—it also offered
the only beachside dance floor on the Southern coast at a time when beach music became king. Famous shag dancing and amateur talent shows brought visitors from around the nation and the world.
In the ‘60s, just as the Beach Club’s opening to the public had completed its transition from exclusive
resort to hub of island life, the hotel changed ownership again. Both it and the General Oglethorpe
were both bought out by businessmen with connections to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Wary locals suspected the new owners of further connections with less savory organizations. The actual goings-on in the Teamster-owned DeSoto Beach Hotel largely remain a mystery; for their part,
the management kept poor records. That didn’t stop Tybee residents from speculating on the activities of the new owners or sharing wild stories of cash-stuffed briefcases changing hands on the airfield
tarmac. (No evidence for rumors that Jimmy Hoffa—or some crucial piece of him—was buried on
Tybee or at sea nearby.)
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Only two things from this period are for sure. One is that the Beach Club, or more particularly the
Ship Watch Lounge there, was cemented as the gathering spot for the locals, regardless of purportedly
shady managerial activities. If anything, intrigue in the hotel office added spice to cocktail chats, even
if it did call for lowered voices. The other sure thing is that the new owners weren’t taking very good
care of the place.
Two old Savannah friends, a realtor named Alvin Davis and an OB/GYN named William Sutlive,
bought the DeSoto from the Teamsters in the ‘80s for what seemed like a good price. The two loved
the place and hoped to run it for the rest of their lives, but the hotel was losing money and repair bills
continued to mount. After more than ten years of operating the hotel at a constant loss, Davis and
Sutlive faced the prospect of selling the hotel rather when they did the math and couldn’t afford the
massive effort necessary to bring the buildings up to code.
The worst news came when the developers who had bought the DeSoto, James R. Stoeffler and his
son Greg, were researching how to keep the building intact while restoring it. The once glorious hotel
had rotted from within. The roof leaked. The wooden support beams were nearly dust from termites.
The ancient electrical system had caused several fires within the walls, and it was only a matter of
time before the buildings went up in flames, putting hundreds of lives at risk. But the most damning
revelation was that in order to take on any of these renovations, the hotel would have to be elevated
to comply with modern hurricane measures. And for a building that old, moving it would destroy it.
Many of the locals were incensed at the news that a developer would be tearing down their favorite
bar—and the historic hotel that surrounded it. Some came to understand that the Stoefflers’ choice
was no choice at all: either build a new hotel that was both profitable and paid respect to the glory of
the DeSoto of old, or continue to operate the old one at a loss and, most likely, one day be responsible
for a structural collapse or a massive electrical fire in a building where people sleep. While it’s true
some on the island still have an axe to grind, most have recognized that the old DeSoto was lost many
years before Stoeffler ever laid eyes on the property.
What really won them back over was the care and attention the new team gave to creating a quality
building and an excellent hotel. While the new hotel is not any sort of historical reproduction of the
old one—modern labor costs preclude the possibility of that—the new hotel nods to the old one in
many significant ways. Four buildings were built, including two condo buildings that retained the
names of the two main original hotel buildings—Adeline and Caroline, named for J.B. Pound’s granddaughters.
The DeSoto’s history is long enough that it’s never always been one same thing. It has changed over
the years. Though every generation drew some of the same experiences from staying here, playing
here, dancing or drinking here, each in turn has also gotten something different from the last, because
the DeSoto has changed with the world. But in the end, it’s the same old DeSoto. The halls here are
still haunted with a hundred thousand stories. In the tranquil night in your suite at the DeSoto Beach
Hotel, sometimes you’ll swear you still hear them, and they’ll sound like stories about something that
happened just yesterday.
DeSoto Beach Hotel — Fact Sheet
About Tybee Island
Tybee Island, conveniently located within four hours from Atlanta, less than 20 miles from Savannah and less than 30 miles from the international airport, has always been a draw for vacationers from all over. But the recent beach renourishment project means more soft white sand
between the toes of our guests. As the only beachfront hotel on Tybee, we have 300 feet of it.
Tybee Island has more than just beautiful beaches. The island and surrounding area are home
to historical landmarks, fragile and unique ecosystems and more exciting activities than any
family can hope to undertake in any single visit. That’s part of the reason our guests keep coming back for more. Please see www.tybeevisit.com for more information on what Tybee has to
offer.
Accommodations
We offer three types of rooms plus our signature Hernando DeSoto Suite, containing two
bedrooms, a living room, an oversized kitchen and a 36-foot private balcony. All of our accommodations offer direct private beach access right in the heart of Tybee, a short walk from both
the Pier and the historic Tybee Lighthouse.
Our Grand Deluxe Ocean Front Rooms are the closest accommodations to the beach on the
whole island at less than 15 feet from warm Atlantic sand. These ocean front rooms offer private balconies with an unhindered 180-degree view of the beach and Atlantic Ocean. Grand
Deluxe Ocean Front Rooms offer a king-size bed and a queen-size sleeper sofa.
Premier Ocean View Rooms offer all the grandeur of the view of the Atlantic Ocean in a more
intimate setting. With a private balcony set back 120 feet from the beach, a king-size bed and
an oversized walk-in shower, Premier Ocean View Rooms offer grand luxury in a package built
for two.
Our Deluxe Rooms offer the best value at DeSoto Beach Hotel, with a side view to the ocean
and beach from a common walkway balcony and two queen beds to sleep as many as four, or
even more with the option of adjoining rooms. Deluxe Rooms are the perfect option for a family vacation.
For a more intimate setting adjacent to DeSoto Beach Hotel, please see our DeSoto Beach Bed
& Breakfast site at www.desotobeachbandb.com.
Amenities
Each of our rooms offers a range of in-suite amenities, including:
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Microwave
Refrigerator
Coffee maker
25” color TV
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Free cable with HBO
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Free WiFi
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In-room safes
• Hair dryer
In addition, the hotel offers many other resources for the common use of our guests. These
include:
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Oceanfront pool, sun deck & game room
Beach chair, umbrella & bike rentals
Complimentary beach chairs, umbrellas & picnic tables in pool/sun deck area.
Direct, private beach access
Convenient mid-island location
Proximity to island attractions, restaurants, shops, nightlife and other activities
Elevators, wheelchair accessibility & disability-accessible rooms
Events
The DeSoto Beach Hotel’s Hernando DeSoto Suite is the perfect setting for any event. The
DeSoto Suite accommodates as many as 30 people in a large, open room and a 36-foot private
balcony. The main room is ready for any event needs with a large kitchen area equipped with
refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, dishwasher and sink and many other amenities.
Our beautiful DeSoto Beach Bed & Breakfast just next door offers additional accommodations for weddings and other celebrations. The Tybee honeymoon suite is the ideal retreat for
the guests of honor after festivities at the DeSoto Suite, and other VIP guests will find their
every need met in any of the other three luxury rooms at the Bed & Breakfast.
Accolades
We can tell you all about the time you’ll have staying with us on Tybee Island, but the real tale
of the tape is what others have to say.
“Readers’ Choice Best Beach” - Georgia Magazine
“Best One Tank Trip” - Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Best Beach Retreat” - Creative Loafing Atlanta
“#2 Top Budget Getaway” - Southern Living Magazine
“#1 Healthiest Beach in America” - Health Magazine
Location/Contact
The Desoto Beach Hotel is located at 212 Butler Ave., Tybee Island, Georgia, 31328. Tybee
Island is the nearest beach to historic Savannah, GA, about 20 minutes away.
For additional information on rates and reservations, please contact the DeSoto Beach Hotel
at 877.786.4542 or visit our websites at www.desotobeachhotel.com or
www.desotobeachbandb.com.
Please send media inquiries to Toren Anderson of Toren Anderson Media at
[email protected] or 770.591.8191.