Semiahmoo Resort re-opens

Stuart Rolfe was as disappointed as anyone when the Semiahmoo Resort shut the doors on its hotel in December 2012. After all, he had been in on the beginning of the entire resort growth back in 1980 working as attorney with the group who was getting the project off the ground.

Now, year’s later Rolfe is out of the attorney world and in the real estate developing world. And that’s a word that has helped him come full circle.

When the hotel closed, a new buyer was desperately wanted by the Skagit Indian Tribe and Trillium which co-owned the resort hotel, spa and two golf courses. Rolfe knew what he had to do.

“I always loved the property and when it came on for sale, I wasn’t about to let it go,” said Rolfe. “I was in on the project from the beginning. I know how good the place is.”

Rolfe’s Wright Hotels group formed Resort Semiahmoo LLC to buy the resort for $19.5 million and promised to make the resort better than what it was.

The hotel re-opened last month under a soft opening. The grand re-opening won’t happen for a few months – and that makes sense since the new owners are pumping more then $6 million into upgrading the hotel. When the hotel re-opened in August, guests were treated to some new paint schemes, some roof work but nothing fancy. That will come down the road in the next six months.

The new upgrades call for major renovations to the rooms and the interior of the hotel, a reconfiguration of the food and beverage venues. The spa will continue to be an important part of the resort as well as the other amenities that go along with it, including the three indoor tennis courts, two swimming pools, handball court and fitness facility.

“We want to bring everything back – and then go beyond what people remember,” said Rolfe. “This is a great resort and a great part of the Pacific Northwest. People remember how good it was. We want them to come back and see how much better it is.”

Semiahmoo Resort also features two of the Pacific Northwest’s best courses in Semiahmoo Resort and Loomis Trail. Rolfe said that rounds are up, maintenance practices have been spot-on and there is no need to change anything at the courses.

“The golf is in great shape at Semiahmoo,” said Rolfe. “Rounds are increasing and we have a great team running the golf side. We will make some capital improvements down the road, but nothing we will announce right now.”

If you have ever stayed at Semiahmoo Resort, you know how good it was. And now with new ownership and planned upgrades it sounds like it will be even better. What’s the phone number for the resort? I might need to memorize it.