Spotlight On: Christophe Le Chatton, General Manager, The Ballantyne

Key points:

• • Hospitality demand is shifting toward experiences, wellness, and connection, reshaping hotel offerings and guest expectations.
• • The Ballantyne benefits from Charlotte’s growth with strong group business during the week and leisure-driven weekend demand.
• • Service, staff culture, and continuous reinvestment are key to staying competitive in an evolving luxury market.

April 2026 — Invest: Charlotte spoke with Christophe Le Chatton, general manager of The Ballantyne, about how the property is adapting to Ballantyne’s evolution, changing guest expectations, and the importance of service in hospitality. “Experiences are what people are looking for,” Le Chatton said, as he discussed the growing demand for connection, wellness, and memorable on-property experiences.

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What trends have had the biggest impact on your property’s performance over the past year?

For us, it has been more about the property itself. In 2026, the big changes for us were the continuous evolution of the region, Ballantyne particularly, and some of the added services within the hotel itself. Losing the golf course at the end of 2020 forced us to rethink how we use the space. We had an area where we used to store golf carts, and because it is on the park level and in the middle of the Ballantyne neighborhood, it was a great space to reimagine.

In the spirit of golf, and based on what people were asking for, we decided to build a new outlet called Dunbar Social by Swing Suite Topgolf. It is an indoor-outdoor facility where we serve food and beverage, but more importantly, we have five bays where people can come and play different games. That has given the hotel a new venue for people coming to the Bowl, whether they are there with children, for dinner, or for activities. Experiences are what people are looking for.

It has also helped from a group standpoint. We have a lot of groups here, and they come for meetings, food and beverage, and team building. This gave hotel guests, and particularly our groups, a new destination to enjoy. At the end of the day, they can go to the Dunbar and play Topgolf or other activities, and that really brings bonding. Companies today, especially those with many employees working remotely, are welcoming these types of experiences because they bring people back together.

One of the trends I see is that companies are realizing that remote work is good and efficient in some ways, but it also disconnects people from the culture of the company. Meeting planners are looking to reconnect people and create the kind of connection where people want to work together and be with each other. What we have done here is recreate experiences that go above and beyond.

From a leisure standpoint, I am seeing that people are looking for connection. They want to be recognized and acknowledged. If they have special celebrations, they want our team to be part of the experience. They are also looking for activities. We do a high tea on the weekend, and it is not just coming and sitting and sipping tea. It is a full experience. It is an opportunity for mothers and daughters to connect and spend some time together. They dress up, there is almost a protocol that takes place when they come, and we cater to that.

We also have a spa, and in the last year and a half, I think a lot of people are looking not just for a massage or a hydrofacial, but for an escape. They are looking for a place where they can go and really get some time for themselves. Because we have an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and treatment rooms, they can spend real time here relaxing. Some of the trend that I am seeing is people need quality time to rejuvenate.

How is Charlotte’s growth showing up in your hotel’s performance, and where are you seeing the most demand?

Our hotel has performed better every single year since COVID. We are a unique property, almost in the suburb of the city, and we serve different types of demand throughout the week. During the week, we are a full hotel with groups. We do a lot of groups of different sizes, and we have also seen more people wanting full buyouts, often because of privacy and safety concerns.

We have multiple meeting spaces, two ballrooms, and all the activities I mentioned earlier, which gives groups an opportunity to say this is where they want to spend the next three days with their associates and attendees. During the week, that has been amazing for us. We also have a strong sales team that caters to different markets. You need diversity. You cannot just have groups. You need business travelers and social business as well.

We have guests who come week after week, and many are top Marriott Bonvoy members. They expect upgrades and the benefits that come with that membership, and that is one of the challenges, but this diversity of customers is what makes us special.

On the weekend, we turn into more of what I call an urban resort. People come here to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. They know we have a great restaurant, and they want relaxation, celebration, and quality time. Sometimes they come away from the kids. We also do a lot of weddings. We did 47 weddings last year. Those are the people who fill up the hotel on the weekend and take advantage of the services we have on property.

So we go from a city-type hotel during the week, with a mix of businesses, to a more social venue on the weekend, where people come for special moments, celebrations, weddings, events, and relaxation. That is the unique situation we have here, and I think it is what makes The Ballantyne extremely successful.

With more hotels opening in the region, how are you maintaining your position in the luxury segment?

It goes back to one simple thing, and that is service. People are expecting experiences, but they are also expecting connection. You need to make sure that, as part of your training and onboarding, you set the tone for what the expectation is and create an environment where associates feel they can connect with guests and learn about them. By learning about them, you create special moments.

At the end, what sets people apart is not just the product. Obviously, you need to have a great product that you maintain to the highest level, but it is the personal connection from the valet to the doorman to the front desk that sets the tone. Guests expect a clean room. That is the baseline. What makes the difference is the connection. If they order room service, they want somebody who remembers their name and remembers if they have been here before. They want to feel special. To me, that is what really sets great hotels apart from average hotels.

Where are you focusing investment to stay competitive over the next few years?

From a product standpoint, we are looking at doing a full renovation at the end of 2027 or 2028. The last renovation we did was in 2017-2018, so we are due for our next renovation. We fully renovated our Gallery Restaurant this January with a full refresh, and now my big project will be to work on the renovation of the rooms and eventually the spa as well, which is also in the cycle.

It is important to have owners that understand the importance of keeping the product current and reinvesting in it, because wear and tear can quickly set you in the wrong direction when it comes to repeat customers and guest expectations.

What is working best when it comes to attracting, retaining, and developing staff?

When you hire people, you need to hand-pick them. Do not do it out of despair. Make sure you bring in the right talent. The right talent is not necessarily the people who come with technical skills first. It is people who have the right attitude, the right demeanor for hospitality, a great smile, and positive body language.

Once you establish that, then you ask what is going to be the best place for them. As a mentor, I think it is not about telling people what they want to do. It is about helping them understand where they could be and showing them potential they may not see in themselves. I remember when I was a young man and a chef, someone told me I had the ability to connect with people and should maybe work in a restaurant. That was not my original path, but somebody saw something in me that I did not know existed.

That is where I look at our role as senior leaders. It is about asking where this person would be best fitted now in order to help them develop and be successful. It takes personal investment from leaders. It is not just about filling jobs and training people. It is about making sure we have the right tools for the right job.

We do a lot of training. We have a partnership with Gallagher Bassett and Stephen Covey. We do a lot of training to give people tools to deal with situations that may not come naturally. On the floor, it is constant coaching. We know people are going to make mistakes, but we address those mistakes and ask how they would do it differently next time. I like to spend a lot of my time on the floor, and I think that is important, to be visible and to support the culture.

As you look ahead, what gives you confidence about the Charlotte hospitality market?

For the market, I would expect to see a little bit more luxury hotel. We have a lot of good four-star properties, and we have the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Bohemian, and the JW Marriott, but I would like to see more luxury hotels coming into the market. To me, that would show that the city is not just a mid-sized city, but really a city that competes against larger cities. It would also have a ripple effect on the quality of staff coming into the market.

When I look at the city, we are already a great destination. Banking brings a lot of business travelers. Sports activity brings fans from all over the world, and that keeps getting bigger year after year. Bank of America Stadium also brings concerts. The city is evolving. The arts are also important, and Blumenthal bringing international shows into the city is part of that evolution.

My biggest fear is transportation. You do not want to be in a city that becomes paralyzed because traffic prevents people from wanting to move there or come there. Safety is key as well. Those are the two things that, as a city and for us as hoteliers, we have the responsibility to bring up and demand attention to before they become unmanageable.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

One thing I would add is our desire to continue to strengthen our relationship with CPCC and Johnson & Wales University. It is not just about creating students and giving them a diploma or a bachelor’s degree. It is about preparing them for the industry and what they will be facing when they come into it.

On a personal note, I am working with several people at Johnson & Wales, including the chancellor, to improve that relationship and make sure we spend more time connecting with students while they are still in school. We need to give them the opportunity to see some of the events we do and expose them to the industry before they are thrown into it. Oftentimes, there is a big gap between the moment they graduate and the moment they go to work, and that gap can be mitigated by better involvement from us and more openness from the institution.

How do you see the rest of the year going?

I am optimistic. We have a lot of groups, especially in the fall. The big question right now is about the summer. Even though there is uncertainty, I believe American citizens are going to be more resistant to traveling abroad because of the uncertainty around the current state of world affairs.

I believe people are still going to want to travel, because everybody craves experiences and needs to rejuvenate. I think we are going to see a lot of people traveling by car. They are going to want to discover places, and for us, as an urban resort, I think that from a 100-mile radius, people are going to want to come and have staycations and take advantage of our offerings.

So I am optimistic, even though we are looking at short-term bookings. I think it is going to be more last-minute demand, and I think people are going to want to take care of themselves and spend their money on that.

Want more? Read the Invest: Charlotte report.