Hospitality Design - August 2022 - 51

The Great Pines resort in the
Adirondacks in Old Forge, New York
Keir Weimer
Weekender Hotels
Keir Weimer started his career in real estate, growing
a luxury brokerage team in Upstate New York with
Sotheby's International Realty. But he always knew he
wanted to build a company that he " could craſt from the
beginning, " he says. " I like the challenge. I like the idea
of trying to fi nd something missing in the market and
creating a solution for it. "
Enter Weekender Hotels, Weimer's newly launched
hotel brand that is based on experiences, adventures,
and the great outdoors. His fi rst foray into hospitality
was in 2015 with Great Pines, a 30-room resort in Old
Forge, New York in the Adirondacks. Weimer was
the listing agent on the property, but aſt er two years
on the market with no prospects, he, along with his
two business partners, Britt a and Devlin Hennessey,
decided to put in an off er on the historic inn. Aſt er a
seven-month renovation, they reopened the hotel on
the Fourth of July in 2016.
At the time, Weimer-who now splits his time
between Saratoga Springs, Manhatt an, and the
Adirondack Mountains, which he calls home having
grown up on Fourth Lake near Old Forge-was also
working in acquisitions at a real estate private equity
shop in Manhatt an and fi nishing his master's in real
estate fi nance and investment at New York University.
He didn't close on his next property-the 21-room
Alpine Lodge near Lake George, New York-until
2020. Despite opening in the middle of the pandemic,
Weimer saw an infl ux of drive-to travelers looking for
respite from the city. Instead of " sitt ing on the sidelines,
I went all in, " he says.
The gamble paid off . Since Great Pines and Alpine
Lodge, Weimer and his team have acquired three more
hotels-the Place Bay Hotel and Town House Lodge
in Lake Placid, New York, and Peterborough, New
Hampshire's Jack Daniels Inn-with plans to close
on an additional two properties in Tupper Lake, New
York and Woodstock, Vermont by the end of the year.
There's also a 500-acre mountain development project
planned for Lake George and four more acquisitions
and launches in the works for 2023.
Weimer hopes Weekender Hotels will be a conduit
to get people outside more. " A big value of mine is to be
a lifelong learner and to elevate exploration, adventure,
and travel, " he says. Seeking out well-performing
hotels in att ractive markets that are under invested and
need a litt le love, Weimer's nimble team of 10-half of
which are contractors-take on design, marketing, and
everything in between, much of which Weimer has his
hands in.
Yet, he still loves the art of the deal and is planning
to bring the Weekender brand to Colorado, Utah, and
the Pacifi c Northwest with the hopes of going global
by 2025. " We've had long days and hard weeks, " he
says. " It can be overwhelming, and yet it's the most
rewarding job and career I've ever had. " hd
hospitalitydesign.com August 2022
051
Photos courtesy of WEEKENDER HOTELS
http://www.hospitalitydesign.com
Hospitality Design - August 2022

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