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`Cuddle And Bubble'
Cupid On Cape Cod

RUTH ROVNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

I

t was a sunny day in Hyannis,
and we'd enjoyed a full day of
sightseeing on Cape Cod.
Afterwards, we strolled up
Main Street in Hyannis — the
unofficial capital — with its var-
ied shops and restaurants.
Returning to our hotel, we
were ready to relax. In the room,
we turned on the faucets of the
Jacuzzi, set the timer, poured in
the bubbles and enjoyed a long
soak. At the International Inn in
Hyannis, every guest room has
its own Jacuzzi, a unique situa-
tion on Cape Cod.
The hotel emphasizes its spe-
cial facilities. "Cuddle and bub-
ble in a Jacuzzi built for two," is
the slogan on the sign just under
the name of the inn. The theme
is emphasized at this luxury inn
catering mainly to couples.
Our visit was also a chance to
see an example of Jewish entre-
preneurship at its most success-
ful.
"People know me by now as
`Mr. Cuddle and Bubble,' " says
owner Arthur Rittel. From the
start, he had emphasized the con-
cept of a romantic hotel for cou-
ples.
. It's been a winning idea. His
inn now has the highest year-
round occupancy rate of any ho-
tel on the cape. Even in the dead
of winter, the idea of a romantic
getaway brings couples here
when other hotels are empty.
Mr. Cuddle and Bubble is a
natural for the hospitality in-
dustry. A Brooklyn native, he is
personable, informal, gregarious,
but also a savvy marketing ex-
pert who right away saw the
chance to give his inn unique-
ness.
He transformed the property
he bought in 1985, when it was
a 125-room Quality Inn. First he

renamed it International Inn to
give it a more cosmopolitan fla-
vor. Then he decided to capital-
ize on the 20 guest rooms that
had Jacuzzis.
He enlisted a graphic artist
who worked out a sketch of a cou-
ple surrounded by bubbles, a de-
sign still used in his ads and
brochures. Then they brain-
stormed to come up with the
right phrase to accompany the
graphics.
"We tried out many ideas, but
as soon as I heard 'cuddle and
bubble,' I said that's it."
Business has been bubbling
ever since. Mr. Rittel supervised
an extensive renovation of the ho-
tel. One goal was to give every
room its own Jacuzzi. The reno-
vation also included turning stan-
dard guest rooms into luxury
rooms or suites that feature
canopy beds, separate living
room area, and huge luxurious
bathrooms complete with double
sinks, double shower heads and
Jacuzzis.
Busy as he is, Mr. Rittel is also
actively involved in the Jewish
community. A longtime member
of the Cape Cod Synagogue, the
large Reform congregation based
in Hyannis, he served as cantor
for four years before the congre-
gation enlisted a full-time can-
tor. He also is active in the
Jewish federation of Cape Cod.
With his Orthodox back-
ground, Mr. Rittel still performs
as a cantor on occasion — one be-
ing the marriage of his son two
years ago.
This innovative CEO is con-
tinually finding new ways to en-
hahce his hotel's theme.
For instance, there's the
Overnighter Cuddle and Bubble
Club, a gift shop with Cuddle and

CUDDLE page 72

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The Jewish Community Center

presents the

Cunard Dynasty Cruise
to the
PanamaCanal

January 17 through January 29, [996

Cozumel • George Town • Panama Canal Transit • Costa Rica • Acapulco

Cruise Package Includes:
• Round-trip airfare from Detroit
• Airport transfers
• Pre-cruise night in Fort Lauderdale at the Ramada Beach Resort
• Round-trip transfers to the Flea market in Fort Lauderdale
• Pre-paid gratuities

JCC Group Prices from $2,175 per person

CD

RUTH ROVNE R

For more information call or stop by the
Maple/Drake JCC
810-661-7637

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Rates are per person, based on double occupancy inside category. Ship registry: Panama.

ifilWs1

C-)

O

EXPRESS

CUNARD

This hotel offers romantic getaways.

Travel

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