Meet Rick Rose | Hotelier, Local Historian and Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rick Rose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rick, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think it’s important to understand that any business is about selling a product or service which is needed in the marketplace and that selling the product/service must create a win-win situation between merchant and customer. So it’s been my philosophy to ensure that my product, whatever it may be, is right for the customer from the outset, and to not just focus on closing the deal (which puts the horse before the cart).

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My book, “Palm Beach: The Essential Guide to America’s Legendary Resort Town”, was many years in the making. During my corporate career as Regional Director of Sales for Central and Eastern Europe and Scandinavia for InterContinental Hotels Group, I had just spent the previous 16 years promoting destinations worldwide, specializing in launching new resorts around the globe. So when my business partner and I opened the Grandview Gardens Bed & Breakfast boutique resort in West Palm Beach, our experience gave us useful insight of what visitors expect from a world class resort destination like Palm Beach. We put together a directory for the rooms which provided information about the most important things to see and do while in town. Over the course of 17 years as a local innkeeper with feedback from over 50,000 guests, that directory evolved into a comprehensive document which prioritized points of interest according to overall popularity. In re-discovering my hometown, I became fascinated with local history and was fortunate to become a friend and understudy of celebrated Florida historian Jim Ponce for 10 years, eventually becoming the official historian for the Worth Avenue Association where I lead thousands of visitors on walking tours of Worth Avenue every Season. “Palm Beach: America’s Essential Guide to America’s Legendary Resort Town” is the culmination of my experience as an international hotelier, local historian and tour guide.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were visiting for the first time, I’d give him a bike tour of Palm Beach and West Palm Beach. We’d start on the world famous Lake Trail on Palm Beach Island, pack a picnic and go to the beach at the north end of the island. Afterwards, I’d bring him over to West Palm Beach and get a drink at Spruzzo, the rooftop bar at The Ben Hotel. In the evening, we’d put on “Palm Beach Casual” attire (in Palm Beach, that means with a sport coat) and start with a drink at HMF at The Breakers, then dinner on Worth Avenue at Le Bilboquet and drinks at Le Bar afterwards. For shopping during the day, an afternoon shopping and lunching on Worth Avenue is also not to be missed.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
James Augustine Ponce was my mentor for all things regarding local history in Palm Beach.

Website: www.rickrosepalmbeach.com

Instagram: rickrosepb