Tommy Bahama to Open Resort Concept in Indian Wells, California
When your motto is: “Life Is One Long Weekend,” it’s probably inevitable that you’d one day get into the resort business.
And for Tommy Bahama, that day will finally come at the end of next year.
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The lifestyle brand will introduce the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California, in partnership with Lowe, a national commercial and hospitality real estate investor and the developer and operator of destination hotel and resort properties including the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California; the Hotel Lincoln in Chicago, Illinois; The Woodlands Resort in Houston, Texas; and four Magnolia Hotels in Denver, Colorado; Houston; St. Louis, Missouri, and Omaha, Nebraska.
CoralTree Hospitality, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lowe, will continue to manage the property, with Tommy Bahama’s parent company, Oxford Industries Inc. making a minority equity investment in the project.
“This is a natural progression of the Tommy Bahama brand,” said Doug Wood, chief executive officer of Tommy Bahama. “We have been talking about the idea of a Tommy Bahama resort for decades and believe that our brand’s aesthetic, successful $100 million food and beverage business and guest feedback support our brand’s evolution into new areas of the hospitality industry. The Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa is a great way for us to extend our brand and give our guests the resort experience they are looking for.”
In a recent interview, Wood said that when conducting consumer research, the last question to the participants is always: “What do you want us to do next?” And the unanimous response is always, “a resort.” But in order to differentiate itself from other high-end properties, it will need to offer specific Tommy Bahama touches and superior yet “relaxed service” so guests are “not uncomfortable walking through the lobby in their swimsuits.”
“We’ve always known that our style of food and beverage is transportive,” said Rob Goldberg, executive vice president of resorts, restaurants and bars for Tommy Bahama, who will oversee the property. “Our unique approach to elevated yet relaxed service is ideal for resorts and delivering our brand of hospitality. To have the opportunity to deliver those experiences in a resort setting gives us a much broader canvas to paint on as we create new experiences for our guests.”
Goldberg said the resort will also offer a different food and beverage concept such as serving brunch seven days a week rather than just on the weekends, along with a novel menu with newly created dishes. All the rooms will be decorated with Tommy Bahama touches, while the suites will feature home furnishings and pieces of art created by the company’s in-house design team, he added.
Goldberg likened it to the company’s in-house restaurant division, which he said serves to both “engage our guests,” and also keep “competitors at bay. It’s a lot of work, but you either go big or go home. You cannot dabble in something and just stick your toe in the water and see if it works. You have to be committed.”
Tommy Bahama Miramonte is expected to be the first of several resorts the company hopes to open, Wood said. But the locations for any future property will be chosen carefully and are expected to include both coasts of Florida, if the right spots and partners can be secured.
Tommy Bahama had been in talks with Lowe for several years regarding the Miramonte property. Lowe purchased Miramonte in 2020 and invested capital to restore the property, including creating the property’s signature Olive Grove outdoor lounge and dining area. For the final phase of the renovation, Lowe will reimagine the public spaces, debut a new concept indoor/outdoor restaurant, transform the bar experience and open a retail boutique — all informed by the Tommy Bahama asethetic. The resort will remain open during the work.
“Lowe has been in business in the Coachella Valley for nearly 50 years,” said Bob Lowe, chairman of Lowe. “As longtime members of the desert community we are thrilled to bring the Tommy Bahama brand and experience to our guests at Miramonte.”
The Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa will include 215 custom-designed rooms including 23 suites; 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space — 20,000 square feet indoors, 15,000 square feet outdoors — three pools, and The Well Spa.
Tommy Bahama has long had a presence in the Coachella Valley. A Tommy Bahama restaurant, bar and store in Palm Desert opened in 1998 followed by a Marlin Bar, the company’s more casual concept, in Palm Springs in 2018. A Tommy Bahama home store is also planned to open later this year.
