Letter: Vineta's new owners: 'We look forward to becoming your neighbor'
Oetker Collection is a leading world-class hotel brand with properties located in the most desirabledestinations. In 2024, the Oetker Collection experience debuts in Palm Beach, where the luxury brand isslated to open our 12th masterpiece, The Vineta.
We have selected Palm Beach to be our very first location in the United States because its elegance and charm match the style of our hotels. Most recently known as The Chesterfield, the landmark building will enjoy a spectacular rebirth following a top-to-bottom renovation spearheaded by local architects Spina O’Rourke & Partners. Our team has worked hard to design a renovation that is wholeheartedly endorsed by the Preservation Foundation.
Paying homage to the hotel's legacy, Oetker Collection will restore the Vineta name, held for more than fivedecades, which heralds an exciting new chapter in the property's nearly 100-year history. Reducing the room count from 57 to 41 will allow for a more generous sense of space, restoring the property to its original splendor.
Seat count: Currently, the seat counts on record are 113 based on the restaurant's BTR (business taxreceipt). There is no set limitation on the other BTRs for the hotel, which would have included thenightclub, pool, and hotel in the 100 years of operations of The Chesterfield hotel.
Many Palm Beach residents and hotel guests remember using the various dining options offered withinthe hotel. The restaurant and Leopard Lounge seating included 113 seats just in that one room. Thecourtyard contained 35 to 40 seats, the Rotary Room had 48 seats, and the Tea Room and Boardroom had approximately 30 seats. Despite other rumors in the community, you can clearly see that the total of 197 seats we requested in our zoning application is in no way proposing to add seats to what has been historically used in this hotel.
Parking: Over the last few months, my team and I have contacted the neighbors and heard their concernsregarding parking. We have engaged the services of Intrapark, a parking and transportation managementcompany, to coordinate all parking and transportation operations for The Vineta. We are committing toparking all valet-served cars in an offsite facility and not park cars on the neighboring streets. We havealready secured at least 50 parking spaces in nearby parking facilities in town for valet parkers to use forguest and visitor parking.
To further reduce traffic trips and parking stress, all staff parking will take place offsite at a parkingfacility in West Palm Beach, and staff will be shuttled to and from the hotel. A minimum of 50 parkingspots has been secured for staff.
Two house cars will be available to guests and town-serving. House cars can be ordered to pick up PalmBeach residents from their homes and bring them to the hotel for lunch or dinner. House cars will beoffered to guests to take them around the town of Palm Beach.
At Oetker Collection, we operate extraordinary hotels — all masterpieces — with a strong family spirit,elegance, and genuine kindness. This rare combination of quality and attitude creates a unique emotionalbond between our guests and hotels.
We look forward to becoming your neighbor and welcoming you, your family, and your friends to ournewest masterpiece, The Vineta.
Philippe PerdEditor's note: Perd is chief development officer of the Germany-based Oetker Collection, and managing director of the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Letter: 'We look forward to becoming your neighbor,' says owner of Vineta
