Gwenn and her family at Lovango
When people who love to travel have kids and start traveling as a family, resorts that cater to children can be a littleunderwhelming. Twenty-five years ago, Gwenn and Mark Snider found themselves in that position. “We had three littlekids, and loved to travel with them. We longed for a place that our children would enjoy and we wouldn’t have to eat a kids meal. We hoped to change what the concept of ‘family travel’ meant,” she says.
And they did just that, building their first resort, Winnetu Oceanside Resort, on the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in 2000. “One of the goals with Winnetu was to create a place that not only wowed our children but wowed us as well. I think we have achieved this by plugging into the magic of childhood for all our guests, no matter their age. ” says Gwenn.
Twelve years later, they bought and reimagined The Nantucket Hotel & Resort, cementing their umbrella company, Little Gem Resorts, as the grand standard of luxury resorts that truly cater to the whole family. Last year, they opened the doors to Lovango Resort & Beach Club, a private island just off of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
While Little Gem Resorts has grown, this family-owned business is still all about creating amazing family experiences. “We want people to feel at home at all of our resorts. We’re not big – we read every review,” notes Gwenn, who serves as the Creative Director of the company, always thinking about anything guests “touch or feel”.
We asked her to share about growing Little Gem Resorts, working with her husband and more.
Visit Little Gem Resorts to book your next family vacation at the Winnetu in Martha’s Vineyard, The Nantucket Hotel or Lovango in the US Virgin Islands. When booking at the Winnetu, use code MOMS for 10% off between May 19th – 23rd and September 4th– 22nd. (Must book before June 1, 2025.)
The Winnetu
What an amazing business! What do all of your resorts have in common—and what separates them from each other?
Winnetu is an expansive property on many acres in Martha’s Vineyard, and the only hotel on the south side of the island. It’s a beloved family resort and perfect for generational and multi-generational travel and also just for you and your kids. Families come back year after year. My kids grew up working there and there’s this real sense of nostalgia and summer fun. It’s all suites, and there are kitchenettes for families to cook simple dinners or breakfasts.
The Nantucket Hotel
So lovely. How did you come to open The Nantucket Hotel & Resort?
We always dreamed of expanding and when the original Nantucket Hotel closed we had this amazing opportunity. My husband grew up going there with his family and had dreamy memories of his childhood on Nantucket.
The Nantucket Hotel was built in 1891, and it holds so many memories for families. We bought it in 2012 and it was a shell that we rebuilt. It’s very much also about summertime in New England. The Nantucket Hotel is in the center of town and is the heartbeat of Nantucket. Open year round, locals come when the power goes out!
A favorite (of mine and our guests) at both resorts are our weekly traditional New England clambakes, with fresh Maine lobster, cold Cisco beer, and sunset s’mores! Paired with live music, they’re always a memorable summer night.
Love that! And now Lovango – your first resort not located outside of New England! Can you tell us about this new project?
Lovango came about because my husband is truly an entrepreneur and said “Why don’t we think about a third one?” He was thinking of something that would be the opposite season of our other resorts, but a U.S. territory, so we are able to move our New England staff down there and bring our USVI residents to New England.
How has it been building in the USVI after opening two resorts in New England?
Lovango has been extremely challenging. There were only some docks and a small building in the village. We were basically dropped off with a peanut butter sandwich and a Bunsen burner…and we quickly became enchanted. We thought what it would be like to create our own culture on this island. Even though we are a private island, we are only five minutes from Cruz Bay in St. John, and 10 minutes from St. Thomas.
Lovango, photographed by Nicole Canegata
Who is your typical clientele?
Our clientele is somewhat self-selecting. We have built sustainably using a soft footprint. We have 1 and 3-bedroom air conditioned villas as well as treehouses and tents. Teenagers often stay in the treehouses and tents and grandparents and parents will be in the villas. We also have couples on trips and girls trips.
What a fabulous entrepreneur story. What is it like working with your spouse?
Almost anybody can work with their partner. If you have separate spheres and you respect the talent you each bring, it’s a wonderful life. Before we put a shovel in the ground with Lovango, I said if you don’t let us go bankrupt I will make it beautiful. There is no daylight between our work and our personal life, but we’d had a great time. We’ve built something together that incredibly satisfying.
Visit Little Gem Resorts to book your next family vacation at the Winnetu in Martha’s Vineyard, The Nantucket Hotel or Lovango in the US Virgin Islands. When booking at the Winnetu, use code MOMS for 10% off between May 19th – 23rd and September 4th– 22nd. (Must book before June 1, 2025.)
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