Partnership provides extended classroom experience for hospitality students, including internships and job opportunities
Charlestowne Hotels will join the CMU family, opening and operating Hotel Maverick on the Colorado Mesa University campus. The boutique hotel operates as the only hospitality teaching facility of its kind in western Colorado. Charlestowne's partnership with CMU and Hotel Maverick provides hospitality students with opportunities to participate in paid internships, connect with hospitality leaders through panels and speaking engagements, and obtain interviews for industry jobs after graduation.
Hotel Maverick features 60 guest rooms and suites, a combined 3,793 square feet of meeting and event spaces, a heated outdoor soaking spa and a fitness center with Peloton equipment. The hotel's elevated dining experiences include Devil's Kitchen, a farm-to-table concept with panoramic views of the Grand Mesa and Colorado National Monument, and artisanal coffee and grab & go treats from Betty's Gourmet Coffee. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Colorado's Grand Valley, guests are steps away from student life on the CMU campus, including the Eureka! McConnell Science Museum and undergraduate residence halls.
"Our leadership team is keen to continue expanding the geographic footprint of Charlestowne's hotel management collection and jumped at the chance to work with Hotel Maverick because of its incredible location in the Grand Valley and the remarkable hospitality teaching experience provided to students," says Kyle Hughey, chief operating officer of Charlestowne Hotels. "Hotel Maverick fits within our growing portfolio of university hotels and provides us with the opportunity to become more involved with on-site F&B operations, while simultaneously supporting and mentoring the industry’s new guard."
Charlestowne and Hotel Maverick's extended classroom experience further promotes hands-on educational opportunities for those enrolled in CMU's hospitality management program. In addition to offering paid internships to CMU students, any recent graduate from CMU's hospitality program is guaranteed an interview with Charlestowne Hotels.
"When it came time to choose a management company for Hotel Maverick, we sought a partner that was customized and dynamic enough to adapt to our unique hospitality model," said CMU President Tim Foster. "Charlestowne Hotels offers both unmatched experience with boutique hotels in university markets and the type of personalized and hands-on approach to hospitality that will help Hotel Maverick and CMU hospitality graduates thrive."
Hotel Maverick is Charlestowne's tenth property located in a university market – additional collegiate hotels that the company manages are located on or near the campuses of Clemson University, Colgate University, Sewanee – the University of the South, Longwood University and the University of Arkansas.
In response to COVID-19, Charlestowne Hotels has worked closely with both the on-site hotel team and the university to develop thorough safety protocols for guests and staff, including sanitizing the reception desk after each guest interaction, permitting one party at a time to travel via elevator, adding individual hand sanitizer amenities to every guest room and reducing indoor restaurant seating by 50 percent.
For more information about Charlestowne Hotels' management services and portfolio of hotels, visit CharlestowneHotels.com.