The Swiftwater seeking workers ahead of hotel's spring opening

The Swiftwater of the Pocono Mountains, a new high-touch service hotel is nearing completion and accepting reservations ahead of its anticipated open date of May 1, 2024. A job fair is scheduled for Monday, March 11.

"Once a boon for honeymooners and now surrounded with waterparks, we felt a need and wanted to add something, we wanted to elevate the Pocono Mountains," said owner Dante Trapasso. "We are trying to highlight the Pocono Mountains with our location and all the activities surrounding us — and taking it a step further with prioritizing concierge service and going above and beyond by curating guest experiences."

The hotel broke ground in January 2023 on Route 611 in Swiftwater, on the property surrounding the Desaki Restaurant, which opened in 2008. Both businesses are owned by the Trapasso family.

"After the waterparks went in, our restaurant business ramped up with families coming in and enjoying the experience," said Trapasso. "We thought there wasn't anywhere nicer, or rather, a luxurious option here… in the heart of the Poconos. There are a couple of such beautiful other properties here, but they are a little further and more isolated."

The five-floor, 100-room hotel is still under construction, as the finishing touches are coming together. The anticipated completion is by April.

The hotel is looking to hire 40 to 50 people for a variety of jobs and has announced a job fair for Monday, March 11, to take place at the Desaki Restaurant from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We are excited to expand our team,” said Trapasso. “The Swiftwater is committed to exemplary service and our staff is an integral part of that promise.”

As an independent property, Trapasso said they were afforded the flexibility to make choices and changes, based on their experiences, to things that other brand name hotels typically could not. For example, he touts having "extra soundproof rooms, high pressure showers, luxury Italian linens by Frette, towels and down by Brooklinen, and 65-inch smart TVs in all the rooms, allowing one to log into Netflix and Hulu, etc."

Within the 100 room configuration, there will be various level options. These include executive rooms that are over 500 square feet with additional pull-out queen-sleeper sofas. Some rooms will have soaking tubs, some will have kitchenettes and most will have double bathroom vanities.

"All the rooms will boast Swiftwater mattresses that are made just for us," said Trapasso. "And of course all the high-end robes and linens too. All the rooms have been carefully and beautifully appointed taking the guest experience into account and hospitality to a whole new level."

There are also six concierge-level suites that have their own individual plunge pools, 10-foot ceilings with wood beams throughout, private outdoor patios and access to their own concierge lounge with fireplace, cocktail hour and relaxing lounge chairs.

"All of the furniture has USBs, USB-Cs, outlets, hardwired data, as we are leaning into the tech," said Trapasso. "As an example, all the lighting, heating and cooling will be controlled through a touchpad, so a guest can call in ahead of arrival and ask to warm the room to a particular temperature, turn on lights or any other request that we might be able accommodate."

The hotel experience and amenities will include a fitness center, breakfast and cocktail lounge, indoor/outdoor heated pool, executive meeting room, private garden patio and a concierge team that assists guests with reservations, transportation, and personalized packages with local activities or sites.

The bar will double as a breakfast area in the morning and cocktail lounge in the evening. This area will feed into the rear garden patio, set with a 6-foot fireplace, rocking chairs and seating area for relaxing, indoor and outdoor with sliding glass doors. The pool, heated to 90 degrees, starts inside and goes outside.

Trapasso teased about a martini experience with olives from around the world. "We'll be able to offer a flight of martinis from different areas and different styles or a flight of Manhattans featuring different oranges and styles. We really want to have a creative and mixologist mindset when it comes to the bar, among other things."

According to Trapasso, their goal is to use as many local businesses as they can with a connection to the Poconos to fulfill their hotel's needs.

Trapasso noted his roots, born and raised in the area, and his family's commitment to local community. "As pillars in the community, we are seeking out and are partnering with other such local businesses in the community such as Pocono Soap for use in our rooms and Pocono Organics to provide some of the food and help with the menu and all of our art in the hotel will be from local artists."

Trapasso went off to school at Villanova and graduated with a degree in real estate focused in business law, economics and finance. He returned to join the family business and got started on what he affectionately called his "baby," The Swiftwater.

“We want our guests to feel that their every need is being met when they stay at The Swiftwater,” said Trapasso. “Our commitment to exceptional service will be a cornerstone of the hotel.”

Maria Francis covers K-12 education and real estate, housing and development for the Pocono Record. Reach her at mfrancis@poconorecord.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: New 100-room hotel, The Swiftwater, opening May 1 in Poconos