The final construction of Holiday Inn Resort’s new restaurant and event space, Beach House, is under way in Jekyll Island, Ga., and is expected to be completed in mid-June, just in time for a July 1, 2016 opening. The hotel’s complete ground-up $22-million renovation was finalized last March, and the Beach House represents the final phase of construction. Beach House will be both a full-service restaurant as well as 3,000 square foot of event space for meetings, reunions and weddings.
The culinary team is led by food and beverage director Luke Kelly. A local to the area, Kelly is a graduate of Brunswick High School, the College of Coastal Georgia and Georgia Southern University. Since he was 16 years old, Kelly has worked in the hospitality industry. His first restaurant job was at Buccaneer Beach Resort in Jekyll Island, where he worked every position from the host to the head chef position at the resort. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida to work for a few years in corporate restaurants, including Longhorn Steakhouse and Bennigan’s, before returning to Jekyll Island to lead the food and beverage operations at the Oceanside Inn and Suites. In September 2013, Oceanside Inn and Suites was closed down for a complete renovation and opened March of last year as Holiday Inn Resort.
“I am extremely excited to be a part of the revitalization of this amazing property, first with the Holiday Inn Resort opening, now with our own independent restaurant, Beach House,” said Kelly. “With its added 3,000 square feet of event space, we will be the perfect spot for weddings, family reunions, company meetings and more.”
The Beach House Restaurant will offer fresh, locally-sourced seafood, house-made pizza, fresh salads, and pasta. The Tap Room at Beach House will feature 24 draft beers, including an array of craft brews that can be expertly paired with food selections. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Beach House will also be available to host private parties and dining events.
In addition to the mouthwatering locally-inspired menu and full bar with flat screen televisions, Beach House will offer outdoor dining with seating area and outdoor fireplace, a kid-inspired menu, a daily happy hour, live entertainment, and an indoor 12-foot shuffle board table and outdoor bocce ball lawn.