Lake Ozark
by LUCINDA SIGNAIGO
It’s never easy to break away from a tried and true association, but sometimes, that’s the best way to embark on an exciting path you might otherwise never experience. Cards on the table, moment of truth, Lake Ozark Inns, Inc. gave up its franchise with Holiday Inn in order to forge a new direction for their resort. Renamed The Resort at Port Arrowhead, this establishment is now poised for its own unique evolution.
Mark Bowman has been the general manager at the resort for the past 15 years and agrees that leaving the protective umbrella of Holiday Inn was not a simple decision. “We had a great relationship with Holiday Inn, but being independent will provide the flexibility to better utilize our resources and focus our efforts in areas that we feel are important to the services and needs of our guests,” he says. “We never were an ordinary Holiday Inn. Our plan now is to make the resort even better than ever.”
Built in 1962, the resort began with 64 rooms and has grown to five buildings with more than 200 guest rooms, many with stunning views of the Lake of the Ozarks. The resort offers 18,000 square feet of meeting space that can be configured into 14 different rooms including a Grand Ballroom. It also boasts an impressive lake-view restaurant, a lounge, a gift shop brimming with sundries, travel needs and unusual gift items, two outdoor pools plus a children’s pool, one indoor pool with a hot tub, a fitness center and an 18-hole miniature golf course.
“One of our great advantages is our setting,” Bowman points out. “We have everything guests want, and it’s all compact and easy to get to.”
Nestled in the midst of the resort is the newly-remodeled outdoor pool area. Completely fenced, two larger pools flank the palm tree-adorned kiddie pool.
Though poolside food and drinks are available, a long day in the dazzling Ozark’s sun often calls for an equally-amazing evening meal. Rated by AAA as a Three Diamond restaurant, the Portside is only a few steps away from the rooms. Executive Chef Vincent Charbonneau takes great satisfaction in his creation of succulent dishes. His specialties include certified Angus steaks, king crab legs (already split and requiring no work to devour) and his unbeatable trout di’Sarno.
“We have a little of everything on the menu, and what we do, we do well,” Bowman adds. “The food is delicious. We don’t pre-make sauces, it’s all made to order.” Surely, this must be the definition of luxury: soft lights falling across the elegant restaurant, watching the sun slowly paint the horizon while boats glide across the indigo waters and having the most delicious concoctions delivered to your table with a smile.
“I love living here at the lake,” Bowman confides. “It’s casual and laid-back here, and it’s so unique because of all the incredible homes and neat restaurants built right on the water’s edge. That really separates us from the others. Port Arrowhead Marina is next door, for our guests that enjoy boating like I do. You can just get out on the water, relax and have fun.” Large groups can get a taste of the lake with a cruise on Port Arrowhead Marina’s Tropic Island excursion boat, which offers a dinner cruise for 100, or cocktails and cruise for 150.
The resort is centrally located to most of the lake’s attractions and is less than a mile from the “strip,” which is currently being revitalized. Port Arrowhead is three miles from the Factory Outlet Shops and is an easy drive to the state parks, Main Street Opry and Big Surf Amuzement Park. The resort is also close to 13 18-hole championship golf courses.
“You can stay at The Resort at Port Arrowhead and play a different course every day,” Bowman says, “and we have some special discount rates for our guests at many of the golf courses and attractions.”
Being well-known and respected, enjoying a tremendous number of return guests and drawing an impressive amount of group/convention business, could tempt owners and managers to become complacent, but the opposite is true here. 1999 saw the beginning of a $3 million renovation that upgraded guest rooms, meeting rooms, building exteriors and the outdoor pool area.
“We’re open to many new ideas for the future,” continues Bowman. “We’ve talked about bringing in a hypnotist for entertainment, adding more Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, building a private room for massage therapy, and we’re always searching for new vendors that can provide even higher-quality foods and products. We’re enjoying little changes like being able to select and grind our own coffee beans now. What hasn’t changed though, is our desire for excellence and our focus on the family. Kids 12 and under will still get all their meals free here. That’s an important value these days, especially if you have a larger family.”
A hint to the true nature of this resort can be found in the new logo that has been selected. “You see, we’ve put a duck on the logo,” smiles Bowman, “and there’s a reason we chose a duck. We have a family of ducks that come back here every spring, lay their eggs, raise their ducklings, leave in the fall and then come back again. They’re tame, they hang around the grounds and the pools and they eat from your hands. We’re glad they’re here, we really enjoy them and,” he laughs, “they make us feel like the Peabody Hotel of the Ozarks.” It would seem that even feathered guests are pampered and made to feel welcome at The Resort at Port Arrowhead.
Are you in need of some pampering, spectacular scenery, scrumptious foods and a dash of adventure? Make your reservations today by calling 800-532-3575. The Resort at Port Arrowhead is located in Lake Ozark on Business 54, just off Highway 54.