JACKSON, Wyo. — The Rusty Parrot is reopening its doors to guests Monday, July 1, following extensive renovations stemming from a 2019 fire.
“We are excited about the reopening, recognizing that it has been a long journey,” General Manager Brandon Harrison told Buckrail. “You can feel the soul of the old place, but it is totally new and different.”
The November 2019 fire that prompted the nearly five-year closure started on the south deck of the lodge, causing extensive damage to the family-owned boutique hotel, which opened in December 1990. Harrison explained that with remodeling required, they took the opportunity to update the entire property.
“We’ve worked hard to retain the character and intimacy and have it evoke memories of the old property, but we took the opportunity to improve just about all areas of our operations,” Harrison said.
The building was essentially turned 180 degrees, and the layout was reconfigured. Parking is now underground, the guest rooms — now located on the second and third floors, increased to 40 from 32, and match the number of seats in the dining room, up from 36. The third floor deck was expanded and boasts views of Snow King and the town of Jackson.
From the finishes in the rooms to the restaurant and spa, Harrison said the improvements span all departments and the focus continues to be on retaining the character of old Jackson.
The reimagined Wild Sage restaurant aims to offer the top tier of fine dining under Chef Hugo Goodwin, with a “slower paced turn, focused on conversations and a quiet environment.”
“We were well known for being an under-the-radar special date-night spot,” Harrison said, noting they aim to reclaim that label The Body Sage spa was also improved. It will reopen in the main building with more treatment rooms and offerings, and continue to cater to locals and visitors alike.
“Both repeat clients and local utilization of the spa is a high portion of what we do and we plan to continue that,” Harrison said.
Discussing what locals can expect, Harrison said, “The local clientele is important to us, we love to have locals come in and see our style and level of hospitality.”
While the interior may have changed, the Rusty Parrot remains family-owned and operated, as it has been for over 30 years. “I worked on the construction crew when [my father] first built the place in 1990,” Harrison said. “It has been a lot of work to get to this point and we are excited to get in front of guests again.”
