Hotel Florence

In May 2013, Hotel Florence’s opening helped usher in an era of downtown revitalization in Florence. The once-vacant dilapidated building became a historical anchor piece for the city’s renaissance. The 64-room hotel is now made up of four existing buildings that are now one. The exposed brick, hardwood floors, support beams and ceilings throughout the building are original. The staircase leading to the third floor is original, as well, and in large part why the building’s maintained its historical significance. And there’s "Tom Wall" even the “Tom Wall,” believed to be after Tom Barringer, whose family was longtime property owners in Florence. Originally, there was an effort to get the writing off but it was left as part of the history. Hotel Florence is now a member of the Tapestry Collection of Hotels by Hilton. With this membership comes the ability to serve guests through the Hilton operating systems, protocols and the Hilton Honors program. The hotel sees reservations from locals enjoying a weekend downtown to out-of-towners, including celebrities such as actress Jessica Biel and musician Lyle Lovett in for a concert at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center. Pee Dee natives Dylan Purvis and Taylor Johnson each found the hospitality industry through a shared passion for people, curated guest experiences, connections to their communities, and particularly their joint appreciation for the city of Florence. Now, as leaders at Hotel Florence, the town’s only boutique hotel and a Woven by Raines property, General Manager Dylan and Director of Sales Taylor strive to provide a memorable and exceptional guest experience, while also giving back to their Dylan Purvis & Taylor Johnson community.

Q&A with Dylan & Taylor:

Tell us about yourselves...

Dylan Purvis: "I grew up in Darlington with my mom and dad. I graduated from Darlington High School and from there I graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a degree in resort tourism management." Taylor Johnson: "I was born and raised in Florence and have lived here my entire life. Both of my parents work in Florence One Schools and have worked there for the duration of their career. I also grew up with my little sister, Reagan, who has been my built-in best friend from the start. I graduated from South Florence High School in 2014 and went on to attend Francis Marion University. During my time at Francis Marion, I participated in the Honors Program, FMU Ambassadors Program, and had the opportunity to study abroad in Leicester, England. In May of 2018, I graduated from FMU Summa Cum Laude with University Honors with a Bachelor of Business Administration focused in Marketing. After graduation, I was lucky enough to interview for the Sales Coordinator role for Hotel Florence

Patio area

126 W Evans St, Florence Bar at Victors Bistro

with Raines and started my career with the company. In the past two and a half years, I have been able to take on two additional hotels, Comfort Inn & Suites and Hyatt Place Downtown, and have earned the title of Director of Sales."

What led you to this career?

Dylan: "During a career day in middle school, I picked hotel manager as my career and stuck to that path ever since. I took the first position I could with Raines, which was front desk, and worked my way up from there." Taylor: "During school I really had no clue what I wanted to do. I knew that marketing was where I wanted to be since it was a perfect blend of business and creative, but I wasn’t sure what aspect of that I needed to pursue. I never really thought of a sales position until our current VP of Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management, Brittney Edwards, came to speak to our class. She spoke about Raines and the hotels they had in Florence at the time and what a sales position looks like in the hospitality industry. The hotel industry had never been something that I even thought about being an opportunity, but the idea of having a job that is based on building relationships with people and businesses and more or less selling the relaxing part of a person’s trip was extremely intriguing to me. Later that semester, in the same class, Grey Raines came to speak to us about the process of opening Hotel Florence. He talked about the fact that they were able to choose everything about the property, all the way down to the hair dryers, and after that talk I was so interested in the industry and company."

What’s it like to be part of the next wave of travel, tourism, and hospitality leaders?

Dylan: "It’s very exciting! The market is growing even after taking a hit from Covid. It’s also nice being a part of a company that is growing and advancing with the times and that really invests in their employees and leaders."

What are some insights and advantages of being under 30 in this industry?

Taylor: "Being under 30 in this industry and in the Florence, community certainly has its advantages and challenges. From what I have learned, you need to establish yourself as a businessperson who follows through with their promises and is a trustworthy person. If you are able to gain respect as a young person in this industry it will go a long way with the community. The advantage of being under 30 in this industry is the wonderful networking that it allows. I have been able to build relationships with so many

influential businesses and businesspeople in the area that I would not have gotten the opportunity to connect with in other positions. My goal is to be a face for my hotels and my company and make sure that we are present in the community. There is also a growing community of Young Professionals in the area and industry that I am confident we will see making big steps in the future for Florence and the surrounding areas."

What are the ins and outs of managing a boutique hotel in a small Southern town?

Dylan: "It’s all about creating a personal experience and a welcoming environment. Knowing the property’s history and the surrounding area is a must."

Any advice for college students that are interested in following this career?

Dylan: "Be ready to work hard! As a hotel general manager every part of the hotel falls under your responsibility."

Talk to us about opportunities for events at the hotel.

Taylor: "Hotel Florence has so many wonderful opportunities to make your special events even more special. Often times with events you are inviting guests from out of town to attend and even stay the night in the area. Hotel Florence is located centrally downtown and in a perfect location for people to walk to all of the wonderful local shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Hotel Florence is a unique property that exemplifies the rich history of the Florence area that many guests would not know about if they weren’t staying in the downtown area. Hotel Florence and Victors have meeting facilities to host almost all special events, including weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, graduation parties, and more. We also offer discounted group blocks to events with 10 or more hotel rooms for any out-of-town guests!" What’s your favorite room in the hotel and why?

Taylor: "My absolute favorite room in the hotel is room 232 called the 'Owner’s Suite.' I think most of Florence has either heard of or been in

the Penthouse Suite at the Hotel, but the Owner’s Suite tends to fly

a little more under the radar. This Suite is also a two-bedroom suite, which holds one king room and one double room, in addition to a dining area, living area, wet

bar, and two and a half baths. The room features so much beautiful historical detailing from the construction markings that show through the paint, the original hardwood flooring, and the exposed brick along the walls. This room is absolutely perfect for a bridal party to get ready in or for a small corporate gathering. If I could live in this room, I would in a heartbeat!"

Tell us about your recent renovations.

Taylor: "Hotel Florence just recently went through an extremely big and exciting renovation and rebrand. Previously, Hotel Florence was a boutique hotel under the Choice collection of hotels. Hotel Florence is now a member of the Tapestry Collection of Hotels by Hilton. With this comes the ability for us to better serve our guests through the Hilton operating systems and the wonderful Hilton Honors program. Guests can take advantage of the points that they love while still staying at the unique property that Hotel Florence always has and always will be. The renovation of the property helped bring the rooms to a more modern look and feel while simultaneously aligning with the new Hilton standards that we abide by. The renovation included a complete overhaul of the bathrooms including the tubs and showers, all new carpet and flooring, and all new furniture and paint in the guest rooms. Hotel Florence is also the flagship property of Raines’ new line of hotels called 'Woven by Raines.' This collection of hotels are all boutique hotels owned by Raines, and we are so proud to be the first among a quickly growing sector of the company."

Hotel Florence | Downtown 843.629.0100 • www.hotelflorencesc.com