The Desert Shadows Inn Resort & Villas
was the recipient of the 2000 Hospitality Achievement
Award
at the 10th Annual Palm Springs Desert Resorts
Convention & Visitors Authority Luncheon. Over 400 hotel and hospitality
industry members along with state, county and local city politicians from
the entire Coachella Valley were present as Susan Lovato was awarded the
first ever Best General Manager for a Property Under 200 Rooms Award.
The winners were nominated and selected by Tourism
Industry professionals from the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention
& Visitors Authority.
The Press Release from the CVA Annual Luncheon said:
"The Lovato's, who co-own and operate Desert Shadows Inn Resort & Villas
in Palm Springs, were cited for their outstanding contribution to Palm
Springs Tourism and operating the premier resort of its kind on the
west coast."
The Palm Springs Hotel Association wrote in their
newsletter: " The very best of the valley's Hotel and Hospitality professionals
were recognized by their peers. Best General Manager, Sue
Lovato, co-owner of the Desert Shadows Resort & Villas, was commended
for her operation of a premier resort."
The Desert Sun newspaper reported on the awards on
the front page of the Business Section with the headline - Visitors
Group Honors Valley's Best. It went on to say,
" Excellence
in the hospitality industry was recognized Wednesday at the Palm Springs
Desert Resorts luncheon. These people (award nominees) are fulfilling the
expectations of our visitors who choose our destination." Tim Ellis, Chairman
of the Hospitality Industry Business Council said.
Ellis said, "Desert Shadows has two rules-take your
clothes off and behave. The Desert Shadows is a nudist hotel."
Desert Shadows Inn Resort & Villas was in very
good company, as the recipient of the Best Managed Hotel Over 200 rooms
was the Marriott Desert Springs Resort. The Best Hospitality Business was
awarded to the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.
Desert Shadows Inn received scores of congratulatory
letters, calls and Emails for their achievement. The most memorable came
from the Mayor of Palm Springs, William Kleindienst. He wrote, "It is the
goal of every business to strive for excellence. The career field you have
chosen is very challenging and competitive. Your peers are well trained,
experienced and professional. It is wonderful to see that you have been
awarded the recognition from them that you have earned."
" Congratulations on your great accomplishment of
being presented with the Best General Manager Award. Your efforts have
helped us all to succeed."
Desert Shadows Inn was proud to be chosen in a category
that included all of the nationally and internationally famous inns and
resorts in Palm Springs. Palm Springs boutique inns and small hide-aways
have been a haven for Hollywood stars and the international jet set since
the 1940's. In the past decade it has under gone a revival with the interest
in its connection to stars like Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Sonny Bono, Goldie
Hawn and Madonna. Its Modernism architecture is now back in vogue.
" To have achieved this honor and status after only
eight years is humbling," said Sue Lovato. "This was the dream of the four
of us. And now it is a dream come true. What makes all of us the proudest
is that we have been acknowledged as one of the best; and the fact that
we cater to a niche market, people who enjoy nude recreation from all over
the world, did not sway any of the tourism leaders or other city mayors
who were on the committee."
" I think that honoring Desert Shadows was a tribute
to the committee's courage, to their acceptance of what we do and to how
we can slowly change people's perceptions of nude recreation."
