Margaritaville

With the motto, “No matter the latitude, Margaritaville delivers island attitude,” the Jimmy Buffet inspired resort and hotel chain has been offering guests a taste of life in the Keys in over thirty destinations across the United States since 2010. Working in tandem with the brand’s design team, OTJ Architects was engaged to reposition an existing property through the lens of the Margaritaville brand’s distinct aesthetic. As Executive Architect, our team sought to develop highly buildable solutions that would realize upon the design vision and translate an existing chalet-inspired façade, amenities, and accommodations, into an experiential narrative that weaves together alpine and seaside elements under strict budgetary and scheduling parameters.

Located mere steps away from the Heavenly Mountain ski gondola and several popular casinos, the new Margaritaville hotel reflects a series of strategic interventions that include the reskinning of the porte cochere as well as the refurbishment of nearly four hundred guests rooms and a number of larger suites complete with superior views and electric fireplaces. Revenue generating culinary offerings include the Chill Bar in the main atrium for quick and casual dining as well as a fully renovated breakfast area named the Come Monday Café. A varied guest dining experience is supported by three additional areas: a grab and go coffee zone with an adjoining gift shop; a high-end restaurant dubbed “JWB Steakhouse;” and the indoor-outdoor “Land Shark Bar & Grill,” complete with sliding windows that open to patio seating, a repurposed rotunda, and a kitchen shared with the steakhouse. The property’s suite of amenities is rounded out by a revitalized pool area complete with exterior deck, an upgraded gym, enhanced conference rooms, and a renovated ski house.

Margaritaville’s aesthetic cohesively marries the blues, whites, and light wood finishes of its beach themed brand with Tahoe inspired shades of forest green. Shingles on the lobby wall were removed in favor of metal gestures to integrate tropical materiality. Custom abstract margarita glass chandeliers in the lobby and nautical artwork throughout evoke the Jimmy Buffet song at the heart of the brand. Lastly, Margaritaville is CALGreen certified.