North Soundings Online | Winter 2003

Published: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 at:3:29 PM

View From the Helm
Always Improving, But On An Even Keel

Main photo above, Managing Director kicks off our Repeater Flag Program, honoring repeat guests. To date, over 100 flags grace the rafters of the Captain's Table. Gibby Rachleff proudly displays his heavily decorated flag, below.

I recently attended a soggy U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. Despite the near constant drizzle, it was a great experience seeing many of our stalwart regulars, be they resort guests, world cruisers, or charter visitors. But it struck me as unusual that as we fielded a steady stream of inquiries, two frequently asked questions seemed diametrically opposed. And often, the same people were asking both questions.

The first question is: What’s new? or What have you added lately, rooms, boats, equipment? The second question often comes more in the form of a rhetorical question: We hope you haven’t changed too much over the last five/ten/15 years—have you? Curious that people would want to know what’s new, bigger or better, while at the same time, hoping for almost no change at all!

We realize that it’s not unusual for guests to want to know how we are going to make their next visit better than their last. With that in mind, we are always working hard to make sure our excursions are new and exciting, and our watersports and boating equipment are cutting edge and in the best shape possible. One of the reasons we go to boat shows is to find out what the latest watersports toys are. Guests also want to know if the rooms have been enhanced or otherwise changed. We explain that we are always looking for ways to improve the guest room experience, both decoratively and functionally. However, as anyone who’s been to Bitter End will tell you, the views from each and every room in the hotel are what set us apart. And it’s hard to improve on what Mother Nature has blessed us with—glorious views of North Sound, and the Caribbean beyond.

Both boaters and hotel guests seem curious about our restaurants and our public facilities. We are pleased to tell you about an exciting renovation plan that will bring all our front of the house facilities up to date. Foremost, the bathhouse facilities (see below) that have seen double duty for many years will be split apart and modernized. Additionally, our kitchens will see significant upgrades. Nearly $1 million will be spent over the next year on visible improvements—all while maintaining our traditionally high levels of customer service.*

Obviously Bitter End has grown some over the last 30 years. Bitter End started as an eight-room inn, developed into a 38-room resort, and then merged with the 40-room Tradewinds next door in 1988. But given that the growth has been along over a mile of waterfront, and much of it using preexisting facilities, we like to say that we’ve simply spread out the Bitter End experience. So if you’ve been to Bitter End in the last 15 years, it will look much the same to you as it did back then—only better. Throughout Bitter End’s measured growth, the character, charm, and traditions of the original Bitter End have been kept intact. We merely keep it on an even keel!