About as far away from the hustle and bustle of the New York metropolitan area lies one of All Transportation’s biggest clients: Mohonk Mountain House.
The historic resort literally rises from the cliffs above Lake Mohonk, nestled in the undisturbed wilderness of the Shawangunk Ridge outside of New Paltz, N.Y. All Transportation is the exclusive provider of limousine service. Ironically, All Transportation’s involvement with Mohonk and it customers was a big part of the reason why Zappone expanded his service as far south as Manhattan in addition to Connecticut, northern New Jersey, and Upstate New York.
Built by brothers Alfred and Albert Smiley in the late 19th century, the seven-storey castle overlooks the Mohonk Preserve, part of which the resort procured and still maintains. The site is set along the blue cascading peaks of the Catskill Mountains, which gives visitors a healthy dose of wildlife and unspoiled beauty that the Smiley brothers fought hard to preserve. Nature trails and rock-climbing routes cut through the property, while a small beach on the lake provides relief from the sun on hot summer days. Inside, visitors can enjoy the spa or, of course, the signature afternoon tea and cookies that Mohonk is famous for. For years it has been attracting families from New York to enjoy its local charm. John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie have both stayed at the resort, as have Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Taft. The resort—straight out of a print by Currier & Ives—now has 266 guest rooms and is internationally renowned. It was even the setting of the 1994 movie Road to Wellville.
“We have been using All Transportation as our long-distance ground transportation company since the winter of 1992,” says Nina Smiley, director of marketing for Mohonk and whose husband is a descendent of the resort’s original builders. “Our guests’ needs can vary and All Transportation has been a true partner in working with us to respond to those needs. The staff at All Transportation is very professional and go ‘the extra mile’ to provide excellent service. There are times when we’ve had to make last-minute requests and Mike has never let us down.” All Transportation works as the resort’s house service, providing airport pickups, local transportation for guests, and bus tours of the area.
Prior to All Transportation, limousine service was handled by the resort but it struggled to bring in revenue. At first All Transportation worked in tandem with Mohonk, but it quickly became clear that there was a better option. “Customers started to request All Transportation chauffeurs regularly,” Zappone says. “Finding a provider that could do it the way that Mohonk wanted them to do it was a key factor in moving all their service to All Transportation. It’s really a great partnership.” Mohonk has consistently renewed its exclusive contract with All Transportation.
”All Transportation has been a pioneer in the customer service industry and this works well with Mohonk Mountain House,” says Ralph Ioanna, concierge for Mohonk who works closely with Zappone. “We are both leaders in guest service in our respective fields of business. Their impeccable professionalism has received many favorable guest comments, and some of our guests even ask for specific drivers. I cannot think of a better partner to meet Mohonk’s ground transportation needs.”
Posted on Feb 09 2012
