JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga.—Jekyll Island Club Resort announced the appointment of veteran hotelier Shane Pappas as managing director of the historic Jekyll Island resort and its oceanfront boutique property, Jekyll Ocean Club.
Pappas began his hotel career as a night bellman at Four Seasons Aviara after college. “I was looking for a job, and I found a career,” Pappas says. From there, he climbed the sales and operations management ranks of the southern California luxury hotels, including posts at Rancho Valencia, Estancia La Jolla, and, ultimately, general manager posts at the boutique Pantai Inn, the Keating Hotel, and San Diego’s Kona Kai Resort and Spa.
“Shane has an outstanding resume that includes some of the most renowned luxury resorts in the country,” says Don Dennis, president of operations for Noble House Hotels & Resorts. “He’s perfect to lead this beloved resort at this stage of its history, fresh from an extensive renovation and earning well-deserved accolades.”
Adds Pappas, “Jekyll Island Club Resort and Jekyll Ocean Club are absolute treasures where guests have made memories for generations,” Pappas says. “I’m relishing the opportunity to expand upon their traditions of authentic Southern hospitality and see what we can grow from an experiential point of view. There are endless opportunities to intertwine the island and its natural gifts with our resorts.”
Jekyll Island Club Resort was voted the second-best resort destination in the country by USA Today and was named among the world’s 15 best island resorts in the continental U.S. by Travel + Leisure.
“Those awards don’t happen just because your hotel is historic and recently refreshed,” Pappas says. “That recognition happens because guests are served by a team that takes pride in the service they offer and feels valued for their contributions. Together, we are going to elevate that culture of service and recognition, build careers, and make more memories for the next generations of guests.”
