Adventures from a Leadership Retreat
Recently we hosted a Leadership Retreat for a company and their experience was flawless. Sarah Hanke was their Sales Manager and this is her recap of the event…
“As seen in the video of Port Ludlow (see video below), groups have come to The Resort at Port Ludlow to re-live their childhood by working hard and playing harder.
We want to share the tale of our last three days of a group that came to us last December to plan their summer retreat.
Their adventure began in downtown Seattle as they boarded one of Kenmore Air’s seaplanes. After flying for 15 minutes, they landed right in front of what was to become their home for the next three days. As they flew in for their landing our sales team and their meeting planner took pictures and eagerly waited to see their faces. Once they disembarked the plane their faces did not disappoint. Filled with excitement, wonder, and sheer terror, thy were amazed at the scenery surrounding them.
This was the first adventure of many to come. After check-in and settling into their guest rooms, each with a fireplace and jetted tub, they began the night with a team building pasta cooking class. It was immediately a competition and the team captains picked individual co-workers to join their team in creating homemade pasta. Following the class, the group enjoyed an Italian themed tasting menu, featuring the same type of pasta that was previously made. After dinner, the night ended with much laughter as they competed in a team game of Cranium in the living room atmosphere of the Marina Room.
The next morning began with a focused meeting in the Andrews Suite. This room features a fireplace, couches, and sofa chairs along with conference tables to create a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere for groups less than 12. By early afternoon they were done with their hard work and ready for some fun. Most of them participated in the whale watching experience, while others enjoyed quiet time and spa services. As they were traveling to the boat, many questions and emotions became apparent as some had never been whale watching before. Once they saw the boat and received their boarding passes their faces again turned to excitement. The experience was a once in a lifetime moment where they had whales breaching, spy hopping and hanging out close to the boat. The waters were smooth as glass and the whales did not disappoint. On their journey back to The Resort all they could take about were the pictures they got and their new favorite whale “Blackberry, J27.” The day finished with a relaxing night in the Marina Room with another tasting menu featuring local seafood and produce that The Fireside gets daily.
The next morning, they woke up to a quick meeting and breakfast, followed by a pottery class where they worked together to create an animal or object. After using their imagination to create different things, they detailed a tumbler mug so that it could be a take away to remember their three days of fun, and some work, in Port Ludlow. The ending of this three day adventure could have been more perfect. We all said goodbye as they boarded the seaplane that was painted as an ORCA!”
Interested in hosting your group event or retreat at The Resort? Call the Sales Team at 360.437.7040.
Written by: Sarah Hanke