Local Business Spotlight: AmericInn
The Local Business Spotlight highlights our local business community’s economic strength and innovation. This feature is brought to you in partnership with Visit Cook County and the Cook County Chamber of Commerce.
As the only franchise hotel in Cook County, AmericInn by Wyndham Tofte has captured a niche in the North Shore hospitality market.
“It’s unlikely I think that we’ll see significant franchise hotels added to the Cook County market in the near future,” Dennis Rysdahl, the majority owner of AmericInn, said. “Which gives us a really nice niche in an economy that’s growing overall.”
Rysdahl purchased AmericInn before it was a franchise 22 years ago, in 2002. Then, five years ago, he chose to transition the business and enter the franchise world, joining efforts with Wyndham, a leading hotel company.
Rysdahl said the transition has had a successful outcome.
“Wyndham is one of the two big players in the mid-market of the hotel industry,” Rysdahl said. “We’ve seen our revenue grow really well since we became Wyndham.”
AmericInn primarily experienced revenue growth during the pandemic when many hotels along the North Shore navigated challenges and the ensuing tourism growth.
“We saw a lot of higher demand, which really hasn’t changed much,” Senja Ahlbeck-Bates, the general manager of AmericInn, said. “We’re still seeing that higher demand.”
Ahlbeck-Bates has worked for Rysdahl and AmericInn in Tofte for 18 years. She assumed the position of general manager 12 years ago. More recently, she has been gaining ownership interest in the business.
“She really is the leader of the business and the prime reason for its success,” Rysdahl said.
The success of AmericInn in Tofte since joining forces with Wyndham has received much recognition from the leading hotel franchise company in recent years.
AmericInn in Tofte received a ‘best of’ award for overall customer satisfaction in the five years since joining the franchise. “So we’re really proud of that. I have a great staff here,” Ahlbeck-Bates said. “Everybody’s just proud.”
In addition, AmericInn received an award for ‘General Manager of the Year’ for 2019-2020. Rysdahl nominated Ahlbeck-Bates for the award after her leadership and continued high level of guest satisfaction during the pandemic.
AmericInn by Wyndham Tofte Awards
Dennis Rysdahl and Senja Ahlbeck-Bates
Like many other North Shore businesses, the sluggish start to the winter has had an impact on AmericInn. “Definitely decline in business because of this extremely mild winter,” Ahlbeck-Bates said. “So that’s a big hit for us.”
However, the slower winter season and increased downtime have allowed AmericInn to remain focused on renovating the hotel rooms. Rysdahl said they are working through the entire hotel and are updating 10-12 rooms each off-season. The hotel has one year left until renovations will be complete.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Dennis Rysdahl, majority owner of AmericInn in Tofte, and General Manager Senja Ahlbeck-Bates in the latest feature of the Local Business Spotlight. Audio from the feature is below.
Kalli Hawkins February 27, 2024
