Local Beacons

Travelers today are seeking meaningful connection to the destinations they visit, eager to discover the stories, culture, and causes of a place—and now, hotels are recognizing their vital role in that journey. Understanding the opportunity on their hands to bridge individuals and engage local history, many hotels are taking bold, thoughtful steps in how it is they can relate to and take cues from the community—and, in turn, inspire their neighborhoods, cities, and beyond. From a pioneering employment program to wildlife advocacy, here are the ways four hotels are honoring their surroundings now.

The Shepherd Hotel

Rick Hayduk had been in the hotel industry for 20 years when he and his family welcomed their third daughter, who was born with Down Syndrome. “As a parent of a child with a disability, you ask yourself three questions: ‘Are they healthy? What kind of life are they going to lead? And, what happens when I’m gone?’”

Hayduk had been researching programs to help transition his daughter from high school to an opportunity for meaningful work when he came across ClemsonLIFE™, a Clemson University post-secondary program designed to ready young adults with disabilities for employment and independent living.

“I remember thinking, ‘How great would it be to open a hotel in Clemson, partner with ClemsonLIFE™, and provide training and meaningful employment in hospitality for their students and people with disabilities.”

Hayduk contacted a friend who worked in real estate development, who embraced Hayduk’s idea—and in September 2022, downtown Clemson welcomed The Shepherd Hotel, a 4-star boutique hotel featuring 67 rooms and a three-meal restaurant and bar.

In the years since, the team has grown to include more than 40 individuals with disabilities working across departments as receptionists, housekeepers, servers, stewards, line cooks, and supervisors. Many of the individuals have been working with the hotel from the start—for one individual in her mid-30s, this is her first job. Another individual moved to Clemson specifically to work in the hotel. And when Hurricane Helene came through town, leaving many of the employees without power at home, Hayduk recounts how every one of them came into work the next day.

“Our special ability team members were saying to me, ‘We love our jobs, Rick—and other people here need help.’”

Hayduk credits that comradery and dedication for the hotel’s impact on the local community, and beyond. “Guests come here and are moved to tears,” he says. “In starting the hotel, we always knew there was more to it than making a cup of coffee and checking somebody in—if we do our jobs right, people will leave here inspired. And that’s the goal.”

The Singer Oceanfront Resort

As one of the newest hospitality offerings on Singer Island, The Singer Oceanfront Resort features a lively, indoor-outdoor bar, signature restaurant, vibrant market, and direct access to the Island’s four-mile stretch of pristine beach. These beaches host one of the highest densities of Loggerhead sea turtle nests in the Western Hemisphere with female turtles returning each year to lay their eggs—an event leading the hotel to uphold the conservation and protection of these beloved sea creatures.

©Sara Kauss Photography 2022

In partnership with Loggerhead Marinelife Center, the resort proactively participates in efforts to care for the turtles with beach cleanups, donation collections, and educational experiences. In addition to marking and shielding nests and dimming lights to help prevent turtle disorientation, the resort invites those staying onsite to become involved. Guests can visit the Center for exhibits, guided tours, and the chance to meet hatchlings and turtles in rehabilitation. Individuals can even help by visiting Top Shell, the resort’s beachfront bar, where a portion of proceeds from select specialty cocktails directly benefits the Center.

“As a coastal property, we recognize that our success is innately tied to the health of our ocean and marine environment,” says Singer Oceanfront Resort Marketing Manager Stephanie Sosa. “We’re glad we can support the Center in their work and together continue to champion this important cause.”

The Graduate Madison

This downtown Madison hotel celebrates college town spirit, colorful Midwest history, and Wisconsin’s great outdoors. Discover locally sourced artifacts and details throughout—old high school yearbooks, wood-paneled walls evoking the state’s longstanding supper club culture, and the lobby’s vintage canoe “chandeliers,” a tribute to the region’s many lakes and accompanying activities. Rooftop restaurant Camp Trippalindee draws inspiration from the film Back to School (filmed on the UW Madison campus) and is an ode to summer camp days with playful menu items (think cheese curds and s’mores). The University connection continues in guest rooms, where artwork features molecular diagrams of vitamins A and B, both discovered at UW’s College of Agriculture in the early 1900s. In the lobby, a whimsical flamingo portrait recalls the famous 1979 student prank, when more than 1,000 lawn flamingos were placed on Bascom Hill.

Shinola Hotel

Detroit-based, luxury lifestyle brand Shinola opened this hotel in 2019, a dynamic, 129-room property that pays homage to the city’s industrious and artistic roots. Formerly housing the T.B. Rayl Co. department store and Singer Sewing Machine Company, the building’s storied past meets modern details across hotel rooms, featuring hardwood flooring, midcentury furniture, and loft-style windows.

Guests will discover Shinola touches throughout the spaces, from bedside clocks and leather pillows to striped throw blankets and the brand’s signature blue, trimming walls and walkways. In addition to locally inspired amenities and programming (including several dining outlets and a Shinola watch lending program), the hotel leans into the community through arts and culture—in the hotel’s Living Room, a curated art collection by Library Street Collective, reflecting works by local artists, and in partnership with Midtown District’s Source Booksellers, The Shinola Hotel Library connects guests with Detroit’s history, voices, creators and experiences, with all proceeds supporting the local economy.

Want even more One Adventures? Read our other issues: Issue 01; Issue 02; Issue 03; Issue 04; Issue 05; Issue 06; Issue 07; Issue 08; Issue 09; Issue 10; Issue 11

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