St. Charles hotel owner reflects on journey

Joe and Rowena Salas were considered saviors in the eyes of St. Charles officials, longtime residents and city historians in 2003 when they purchased the historic Hotel Baker in an auction.

The city's downtown crown jewel since 1928 had an uncertain future as a hotel after the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois began to operate it as a senior living center in 1971.

After LSSI put the hotel up for sale, downtown businessmen Craig Frank and Neil Johnson came forward to restore it as a hotel in 1996.

When economic pressure forced them to put the hotel up for sale in 2002, city officials were hoping for investors who would continue restoring it to past glories and following the vision of the man who built it Col. Edward Baker.

After the hotel sat empty for nearly a year, Joe and Rowena Salas of Wayne became the new owners and immediately made it clear their intention was to preserve the hotel for many more decades.

The Hotel Baker marked the first historic landmark that the Salases owned. Joe Salas was involved in computer technology and Rowena Salas had a background in nursing, but they quickly adapted to hotel ownership. Like Frank and Johnson before them, they have spent countless hours and millions of dollars to bring the hotel back to life.

Rowena Salas has been involved in numerous aspects of the hotel operations for the past seven years, but recently completed her first year in a general manager's role.

She sat down with the Daily Herald to discuss how the hotel has evolved, the challenges hotel ownership create, and how the hotel could fit into future First Street redevelopment.

Daily Herald: The hotel has been a centerpiece and icon of downtown St. Charles for 82 years. Because of past uncertainties, local residents naturally wonder how the hotel is doing. What kind of challenges has the current recession presented?

Rowena Salas: The hotel continues to flourish despite the challenging economy. We have had record numbers in weddings and social events. The corporate business has been showing a resurgence as the year 2010 progressed. With only 53 rooms, we're still small. Joe and I keep saying we'd love to have 100 rooms.

DH: You have just completed your first year as general manager of the hotel. What was that like, in terms of being an owner as well?

RS: I do not see myself as a general manager; I detest titles. However, I have truly enjoyed the team who is so passionate and dedicated. It has been a real pleasure for me to be able to work with, not just the management team, but their staff as well. It has been a wonderful ride for me. Joe and I truly love our Hotel Baker family.

DH: The Hotel Baker benefited in having a corporation like Arthur Andersen, with headquarters in St. Charles in the past, bring in many visitors on business trips. Does the hotel still have that kind of clientele, or do weddings, anniversaries and special parties generate the most business?

RS: The hotel does not rely on any particular clientele, though we have narrowed in on the wedding business. The property sells itself and the reputation of the service we offer is impeccable. We have become a wedding destination. Our corporate business has been challenged, though many clients have continued to support the hotel. We are seeing a reawakening of groups coming in for business meetings and utilizing the guest rooms in the process.

DH: Has the hotel held up in terms of the renovations you have made in the past seven years? Are there improvements to come, or just general maintenance work?

RS: The hotel has an abundance of needs. It truly needs a lot of tender loving care. It is fortunate to have a team that is passionate about the hotel and the grounds. Our chief engineer, Curt Bison, has been at the hotel since when Craig Frank owned it. The Rose Garden patio overlooking the Fox River requires regular maintenance. The concerns of being next to a waterway are great.

DH: Is that concern mostly because of potential flooding?

RS: Yes, very much so, but there are other things like the “bug issue when we have outdoor ceremonies. Also, cleaning the suites' windows and screens of bugs and spiders is an ongoing job near a river.

DH: The rooms remain true to the history of the hotel, but also look very upscale and inviting.

RS: We don't push our Filipino heritage on the hotel, but I have incorporated some original Filipino art in some of the rooms, and the guests have made very positive comments about it. I always feel that if the room looks nice, the guest will treat it nice. The guest rooms and suites are being renovated in phases. The first phase has been completed and the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We would like to keep the quaintness of the hotel, but provide current comforts and technology.

DH: Have there been any big-name stars at the hotel in the past five years?

RS: Some of the legends in the last five years include Jerry Lewis .... There are others such as Davy Jones, David Cassidy, Martin Short, Mary Wilson and her band, and Rick Springfield, who has a favorite suite in the hotel.

Recently, an independent film company (filming “Munger Road) brought six movie stars to St. Charles. They stayed in the hotel and blended in well in the bar and restaurant among the locals. Most recently, members of Alice in Chains were our guests after a concert in Chicago. The band members signed a red electric guitar that can be seen at the hotel's ROX City Grill.

DH: Some of those names were recent acts at the Arcada Theater. With the Arcada continuing to bring in major music acts, it sounds as if the hotel would benefit.

RS: With the Hotel Baker and the Arcada's history, it makes sense to continue an ethical business relationship.

I believe that Col. Edward Baker and Lester Norris created these two venues, not by coincidence, but for a purpose to have a symbiotic relationship.

DH: In the past few years, the hotel has had its own impressive lineup of entertainment. Will that continue? RS: We always look forward to providing various musical and singing acts when the Rainbow Room is available. The weddings and social events have made it hard to book acts consistently. However, ROX City Grill, the hotel's restaurant, and the Piano Lounge, provide live entertainment Thursday through Saturday, and it has been very popular.DH: It seems that property that you own along First Street could complement the hotel greatly in the future. RS: Yes, Joe and Maurice McNally and Joe Klein own the former Manor Restaurant property and the plan is to put up a restaurant, retail and offices. I would love more banquet space, if possible.DH: Can you sum up what it has been like to own the historic hotel in one sentence? RS: It has been an extraordinary journey to be part of the beautiful, historic hotel. DH: Do you sometimes have to pinch yourself to see if this journey is real? RS: We never knew the magnitude of responsibility that would come with owning Hotel Baker. Once you have a piece of property, it becomes an addiction. We have met so many people in St. Charles and its neighboring communities who have been supportive of Hotel Baker. Our mission is simple preservation forever. We want to keep the vision of Col. Baker alive and preserve that history.