ATLANTA - The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, the Charleston, S.C.-based restaurant group and 2019 Forbes "Small Giant" that owns and operates 24 restaurants throughout the Southeast, announces today its venture into the hotel management and consulting space. Under the leadership of seasoned industry veteran Larry Spelts, the team will launch two boutique projects in 2020.

Larry Speltz and Steve Palmer— Photo by The Indigo Road Hospitality GroupLarry Speltz and Steve Palmer— Photo by The Indigo Road Hospitality Group
Larry Speltz and Steve Palmer— Photo by The Indigo Road Hospitality Group

Spelts joins The Indigo Road as a partner and president of the new Lodging & Lifestyle Adventures division, invited by founder and managing partner Steve Palmer. The two first met 20 years ago, working at Charleston's Relais & Châteaux Planters Inn, expanding the hotel and opening the now-iconic Peninsula Grill. Following that successful project, Spelts continued his lifestyle development and management career, securing more than 30 development and management deals to-date including hotels, restaurants, spas, co-working spaces and social and fitness clubs. Leveraging his strategic leadership experience, Spelts has had the opportunity to establish three successful hospitality companies, including the Texas-based Village Hospitality which spearheaded the programming for a $500 million, 500,000 square-foot, mixed-use development, now operated by the group. His recent work includes time at The Carlyle luxury hotel in New York and serving as president and chief development officer at Expotel Hospitality Services, preceded by time as vice president of business development with Charlestowne Hotels.

"As we looked to begin this next chapter for The Indigo Road, the hotel industry was a natural fit, given our current concepts coupled with our passion for hospitality," said Palmer. "Larry is a longtime friend, and I've respected his work over the years. I look forward to working alongside him as these next two projects come to fruition."

Currently, The Indigo Road operates successful food and beverage operations within Atlanta's legendary Hotel Clermont: the lobby cafe and bar, rooftop bar and downstairs French-American brasserie, Tiny Lou's - all of which have garnered national attention from Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveler, Eater, Food & Wine and more since opening in June of 2018. The new division will offer a hands-on approach to hotel management and advisory services, integrating the company's successful food and beverage operations experience with additional hospitality services including property management and operations, financial structures and revenue strategy, sales, marketing and design.

"It is my experience that restaurant development and operations often present some of the greatest obstacles to a hotel's success. With The Indigo Road's expertise in food and beverage, we are poised to build an attractive portfolio of lifestyle-focused boutique hotels," said Spelts. "Steve and I have a special connection, and I have admired what he has accomplished professionally, socially, and personally. Our new venture feels more like a long overdue reunion of friends and colleagues than a business deal."

To kick off the year and this new venture, Palmer and Spelts will attend the America's Lodging Investment Conference in Los Angeles later this month. For more information about The Indigo Road and its concepts, visit www.theindigoroad.com.

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About The Indigo Road Hospitality Group

Founded in 2009 by Steve Palmer, The Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG) owns, operates, and manages restaurants and boutique hotels throughout the country. Based in the Southeast, IRHG is founded upon the core principle of serving with love and creating memorable experiences for all. In 2019, IRHG marked its tenth anniversary by being named a Forbes Small Giant and appearing on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list, and in 2020 announced that it would enter the lodging space with a focus on food & beverage driven boutique hotels. As of December 2023, IRHG has three open and operating hotels, with additional acquisitions under contract, and four scheduled openings in 2024, in addition to more than two dozen restaurants in eight cities. The Indigo Road's dedication to excellence in food & beverage has been recognized for three consecutive years ('18,'19, & '20) by Palmer being named a semi-finalist by the James Beard Foundation's award for Outstanding Restaurateur-US. For more information on the portfolio, team, core values, and services, visit theindigoroad.com.