Imagine the looks of surprise and delight on the faces of the couple who annually visits The Farnam, Autograph Collection hotel in downtown Omaha when they stepped into their suite for College World Series week and were greeted with meaningful, personal touches, including a Texas Longhorns decal on their shower door and a UT pillow on their bed (they were Texas fans); flights of their favorite spirits in UT etched glasses; specially created art depicting a logo that honored the guest’s recently deceased father; and products from bygone-era companies where the guest’s father used to work, including Butter-Nut® Coffee in the Omaha area.
Those ultra above and beyond touches are just a few examples of the lengths that general manager Shane Lonowski and his staff will stretch to create a “brilliantly unexpected” experience and you’re with family atmosphere for guests that frequent the top-rated Autograph Collection hotel in North America.
“We constantly search to discover what we can do to be brilliantly unexpected, whether it’s offerings through our culinary and beverage program, when our front desk staff checks somebody in, or personalized touches when housekeeping cleans a room,” said Lonowski, noting that all guests receive the option of champagne or a seasonal craft cocktail at check-in. “Our team is encouraged every day, if there is a small tidbit of information or a golden nugget and we learn somebody’s preferences or uncover that they like something—a sports team or maybe a musical artist—to have fun with it and celebrate that moment with the guest by personalizing their stay.”
Such unheard of attention to customer detail and unique accents at every turn in the three-year-old locally-owned property has netted The Farnam the highest customer satisfaction scores in Marriot’s luxury segment, which includes the world-famous Ritz Carlton. The Farnam was also named Hotel of the Year among 140 Autograph Collection hotels, and recently became the first and only hotel in Nebraska’s history to be approved for the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide ratings. “Previously, Forbes wouldn’t consider looking at Omaha,” said Lonowski, a 20-year career veteran of the hospitality industry. “But now, because of The Farnam’s Instagram worthy design and décor, artfully curated food and beverage offerings, and above all, the brilliantly unexpected level of service and hospitality, Forbes has opened their doors to Nebraska for the first time.”
It’s no wonder when you consider the intentionality and special thought given to nearly every nook of The Farnam. Designed to capture the spirit of Omaha’s industrial boom, the hotel is named after Henry Farnam, who petitioned Abraham Lincoln to drive the first spike in Omaha for the westward half of the original cross-country railroad. The hotel’s bar, Catalyst, reflects the spark that “lit the dynamite for the expansion of the railroads”—with Dynamite the name of the hotel’s award-winning restaurant to encompass fire and explosive flavors that emerge from a wood-fire oven that is one of only seven like it in the world.
The front desk is constructed from repurposed wood from a local church with an upscale and industrial feel. Custom carpet in the hallways depicts an abstract aerial photograph of the Missouri River with golden splashes to represent the Nebraska state flower, goldenrod. Guest room carpets portray a flooded Nebraska crop field. Elevator landings feature wooden inlays that represent a railroad switchyard, pulleys in each guest room reflect an industrial feel, and room televisions hang from leather that is representative of luggage that was popular with travelers in the industrial era. “As much as we tell the story of Omaha’s past, it’s never in your face, nor does it feel dated,” said Lonowski, adding that owners Jason and Angie Fisher greatly influenced The Farnam’s conceptual vision. “Everything is upscale and modern, a contemporary design-forward twist.”
That is especially true of The Farnam’s creativity in culinary and beverage offerings that emanate from the minds of Chef Andy Ribelin and Beverage Director Blake Carter. Ribelin changes locally-sourced ingredients seasonally, creating fresh tastes such as a compressed watermelon salad, a flavorful Spanish gazpacho soup and Wagyu tri tip accompanied by cowboy beans, grilled vegetables, and chimichurri. Carter crafts inspired cocktails such as a St. Elyx made with Absolut Elyx, watermelon, pomegranate, lime, then topped with foam made from St. Germain, or the Strawberry Kiwi Caipirinha an immensely fresh and mildly tart cocktail, with a balancing act of sweet and salty, finished with subtle earth tones distinctly derived from freshly pressed sugar cane juice. The creativity and talent from Ribelin and Carter come together in events such as the recent exclusive wine pairing dinner with world-renowned Darioush brand wine from Napa Valley.
“We’re always exploring new culinary possibilities while maintaining honest, made-from-scratch ingredients,” said Lonowski. “Our approach is to continuously evolve and innovate. We avoid mass production, ensuring that nearly everything we create begins with simplicity and exclusivity, offering guests a unique experience they can’t find anywhere else. At Dynamite, everything is artfully plated and tastes equally amazing.”
The Farnam is bucking what is becoming a long-term trend in the hospitality industry—high staff turnover—with its hiring and retention approach. Hotel leadership decided early on that to be the best, they needed to lead the market in pay structure to keep the best talent. “We’re extremely competitive, and because of that we don’t have the labor challenges,” Lonowski said. That stability and standard of excellence for all staff roles produces five-star performers at every stop at The Farnam—such as valet service that even Uber drivers highlight for arriving guests, requested servers like Armondo and Chris, and front-desk associates like Sam, who has received over 100 written compliments from guests.
“We have high caliber players in every area,” said Lonowski. “Our team is encouraged every day to have fun and take great care of our guests. We firmly believe that by taking care of our team members, they’re going to take care of our guests. And if we are taking care of our guests, they’re going to return, and that’s going to take care of our business. Ultimately, you’re family when you’re here, and taking care of people is what we love to do.”
