VBS #138 - Inside Skytop Lodge: The Art of Exceptional Hospitality

Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Skytop represents a remarkable blend of timeless hospitality, natural beauty, and memorable guest experiences. In this episode, we explore how its management team balances tradition with the demands of today’s hospitality industry, creating an environment where service, attention to detail, and genuine personal connections matter. We’ll look at the guest experience from arrival through departure, including accommodations, dining, recreation, and the small touches that keep visitors returning. Discover why Skytop remains a distinctive destination for generations seeking relaxation, adventure, exceptional hospitality and COOKIES! Panel: • Jeffrey Rudder- General Manager of Skytop Lodge • Fred Klashman- Publisher of Total Food Service and Co-Producer of the VBS • Larry Sashin- Pres. of L. Sashin & Assoc, Creator and Co-Producer of the VBS ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome to the Virtual Breakfast Sessions 1:24 Meet Jeff Rudder, General Manager of Skytop Lodge 1:56 5,500 acres in the Pocono Mountains 4:01 Why first-time guests come back 5:35 Golf at Skytop 7:29 Casinos, skiing and the family market 9:50 Food, beverage and the family dinner 11:54 Meal plans and dining outlets 15:42 Running all the moving parts 19:04 Accountability: address it, don't ignore it 20:14 Staffing, robotics and visa programs 26:02 From dishwasher to general manager 26:35 A culture people want to stay in 30:34 Cookie time 32:25 The future, and the best-value time to visit 34:41 Larry's granddaughters Listen on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LTS... 📖 More VBS episodes: https://totalfood.com/vbs/ 📬 Subscribe to TFS: https://totalfood.com/subscribe/ ▶ Previous — VBS #137 - The Big Beautiful Bill: Who Picks Up the Tab?    • VBS #137 - The Big Beautiful Bill: Who Pic...   👉 Subscribe for weekly foodservice industry roundtables:    / @tfs-video