Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney W. Graham.
Whitney, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
RITUAL is a way of life. RITUAL luncheonette, apothecary, wellness studio, and now HOTEL RITUAL located in Jacksonville, Texas-nestled deep within the piney woods of East Texas.
RITUAL is a slowing down, a turning within, a return to all those rituals which keep us healthy, happy, sane, and living life to its fullest. RITUAL is about retreating, renewing, and raising your vibe. RITUAL is a reminder to stay true to self in the wildest of times.
RITUAL is unplugging from your virtual reality, staying grounded, while digging deeper to release toxic energy both from the mind and body. Remembering to let go of what no longer serves us. What we put in, on, and around our body matters, this includes people and thoughts. Some of us may go through life never actually unplugging to reset.
After managing an anti-aging company with business in 30 countries, for the two most renowned scientists in molecular anti-aging research and product formulation, I became extremely interested in the human body’s naturally occurring wound-healing mechanism. After much research and forethought, the luncheonette was created to give people a place to reset with healthy high vibe foods along with yoga classes, a labyrinth, and an organic apothecary.
Fast forward 2.5 years, the luncheonette seats were filled and guests needed a place to rest and reset for a longer period of time. Enter HOTEL RITUAL + Wellness Center, a Tudor style mansion with four water amenities-sauna, jacuzzi, heated and cooled pool, rain shower, spa treatments, secluded suites, and a separate carriage house with a full kitchen, bartender service with premium craft cocktails, full gourmet breakfast, and butler’s pantry with hot organic tea, local honey, freshly baked cookies, and sweet and salty snacks…everything is included so you can rest assured your stay will be worry-free. The RITUAL luncheonette expansion of BAR RITUAL and event space will be open in Spring of 2021.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Challenging is an understatement. Learning to cope with the restraints we have faced this year has been very difficult for all small and large businesses, in addition, there have been constant roadblocks for hospitality focused businesses.
HOTEL RITUAL had been fully booked for the first year and a half until the pandemic became a reality. From March 2020 until the travel restrictions were lifted in mid-May 2020, we were at zero reservations and everyone canceled well into the summer and beyond. I honestly decided to take it day by day, focus on elevating our experiences and pray. Once the travel restrictions were lifted, we became fully booked on weekends again due to the fact that the hotel layout itself provides for social distancing at its finest.
We have continued to reinvent our offerings to our guests to create an environment that can be easily accessed and utilized even through the pandemic. Self-care must still go on. Even as of recent, during the Christmas holiday, we have offered to many a newly created drive-thru self-care which involves a contactless way to sauna, apply hair and skin treatment, exfoliate in the rain shower, feeling brand new from head to toe, in about an hour. Drive thru self care is a cost-effective, efficient way to kick your wound-healing mechanism into gear, detox body and mind, and emerge renewed without any downtime.
We’d love to hear more about Ritual.
At RITUAL, we are offering a life-style shift away from anything that no longer serves you. A safe place to reset. You do not have to travel outside the US, in most cases, you do not have to take a plane or a train to get here. We are doing big things for the human spirit in a small space. Our team is focused on providing the highest quality of product and service; we are doing everything with a servant’s heart. Creating a space for people to take time to heal and reset before reentering the real world.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Running through the piney woods, jumping over creeks decorated with ferns and turtle shells, bouncing off of iron ore boulders, smelling the crispy clear air, gazing at the periwinkle sky, swimming in the lake, and feeling the red dirt between my toes. I’m a red dirt girl. Once the piney woods gets in your soul… well let’s just say it’s like water in wine-the two will never be separated again. I hope everyone will come experience the beauty of East Texas and renew with us at HOTEL RITUAL.
Pricing:
- Special discounted rate of $150/pp/per daily experience
Contact Info:
- Address: HOTEL RITUAL
540 El Paso Street
Jacksonville, Texas 75766 - Website: www.hotelritualtexas.com
- Phone: 903-339-1155
- Email: ritualonmain@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Anne Brookshire Photography
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