The new owners of Rosario Village, previously Rosario Resort, have successfully avoided auction and are on track with their plans for 2025.
Chris Robison, Orcas resident, along with his partners Jack and Mark vanHartesvel, paid off the creditors who were forcing the property to default and had the Feb. 14 auction canceled.
Robison had until Feb. 3 to pay $3.75 million that was due in July, along with interest and fees, in order to stop the public auction.
He says they’re on track with plans for this year, including the Moran Mansion being open by the summer and construction started on waterfront guestrooms by the end of the year.
“We have made progress on our other projects and are on track for more to be completed by the summer season. We are open for lodging now,” Robison said.
What’s next
Robison, who purchased Rosario Resort in April 2024, announced on Dec. 3 his investment firm’s 2025 plans for the historied property, along with a new partnership with hospitality veterans, the vanHartesvelts. The brothers are co-founders of the Hartland Hotel Group, a real estate advisory and management firm that has renovated and relaunched other historic hotels including the Hotel Figueroa in Los Angeles and the Liberty Hotel in Boston.
“Our partnership with Hartland Hotel Group signifies our commitment to excellence at Rosario Village,” said Robison in the press release. “Mark and Jack’s track record of excellence, combined with their commitment to Rosario’s legacy, makes this a uniquely meaningful collaboration. Together, we are excited to redefine luxury and heritage in the San Juan Islands.”
While local hopes were initially high about an island resident purchasing the now-renamed Rosario Village, things quickly changed when few of the 47 laid-off employees were rehired and the property was heavily marketed online to investors. Negative reviews plagued the resort last summer.
Being open all year is one of the plans the vanHartesvelts have for Rosario. When talking about the staffing problems inherent in doing so in seasonal locations, Jack emphasized that it’s not an issue unique to the islands.
“I bought, built, or took over management of 13 hotels in the Caribbean, some of which were on remote islands,” he said. “Fortunately, Rosario already has 20 units of workforce housing and entitlements to build 40-60 more, so part of the solution is readily available,” Jack said.
Of the Moran Mansion he said, “The building needs some minor repairs and some of the hotel technology should be updated. But compared to converting a 150-year-old condemned jail into a luxury hotel (Liberty Hotel, Boston) — I think we can figure it out.”
More information can be found at www.rosariovillage.com.
