July 1, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by The Ramkota Companies Inc. 

Picture this: You’re returning from a long day of air travel, it’s nearly midnight, and you’ve got a long drive home.

Or you booked an early morning flight, and the idea of a long drive in to catch it is less than appealing.

Or – the inevitable in Sioux Falls – unexpected weather hits, and your travel is disrupted.

For passengers at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport, a place to get some sleep and travel refreshed is just a walk away.

AeroStay Hotel, a 76-room hotel owned by The Ramkota Companies Inc., has been welcoming guests at its hotel attached to the airport since 2015. And general manager Rachel Hatch has been there from the first check-in.

“We have been nothing but successful and are just continuously getting the word out as people stay and we get busier,” she said. “Because we’re physically connected to the airport, that makes it really simple for passengers.”

Most hotel managers can measure success just by the volume of rooms or events booked. For Hatch, passenger traffic through the airport tends to provide a clear indicator too. And that’s improving.

“During the worst of COVID, we might have seen flight loads of 500 to 700 people daily, but now we’re at 1,300 to 1,800, which is exactly where we were pre-pandemic, and we have been seeing that in increased business too,” she said.

Travelers at AeroStay liken it to a European-style hotel, she added.

“You don’t need a lot of space because you’re here such a short time, but we still have rooms with two queen beds, so they definitely accommodate families,” Hatch said. “Plus, there’s a desk so you can get some work done and a nice television and coffee station in the room. And kids love it because you can look at the planes right out your window.”

The lobby offers tall table seating, food and beverages for purchase and instant access to flight updates.

“Sometimes I even wish we could expand, especially when we experience bad weather and canceled flights,” Hatch said.

But that’s where the Ramkota families of hotels helps out. AeroStay is able to connect guests with other Ramkota hotels in Sioux Falls and even shuttle them back and forth.

“We work together hand in hand,” Hatch said. “So the relationship really comes in handy.”

For her personally, it’s a long-term relationship. She began at Ramkota in 2011 as a restaurant server at the Best Western Ramkota Plus. After two months, management offered her a position at the front desk.

“I’d been in the serving industry 10 years so I needed to get my computer skills up, so I did that a year and then decided to apply for a leadership position in housekeeping to get out from behind a desk,” she said.

She began as assistant head of housekeeping, and when Ramkota developed the AeroStay property, Hatch was asked to serve as assistant general manager.

“And then our general manager and his wife had their first child the night before opening day, so I opened the hotel myself the first week, and about a year later they moved to a new opportunity, and I was made general manager,” she said.

That’s not an entirely uncommon story within The Ramkota Companies, president Josh Schmaltz said.

“You might not think you’d start off serving in one of our restaurants and go on to manage an entire hotel, but that’s absolutely possible here,” he said. “People like Rachel are a huge reason for our success, and we love being able to offer them new and rewarding opportunities as they develop their careers.”

And because Ramkota is structured as an ESOP, or employee stock ownership program, Hatch is able to share in the hotel and company’s success.

“Not everyone understands the magnitude of that,” she said. “But for me, at 37 and having been with the company nine years, it’s very beneficial, especially if I stay here for my career. And it’s a great company to work for, if you show your hard work and dedication. They have a lot of people who believe in you, which has helped me get where I am.”

Plus, Hatch enjoys her work. Whether it’s a local family checking in for a great view of the Air Show or an international traveler, “it’s always fun to visit with people,” she said.

“And if they’ve had a stressful layover and we can provide a little humor and make you feel at home, that’s our goal.”

She also is looking to grow her team.

“We’ve been so busy, we’ve sold out the last three weeks straight, so we’re all pitching in,” she said. “I could use five or six more people on the team, so if you’re looking for a great opportunity, let us know.”

To learn more about AeroStay, click here. For job openings, click here.