Great Wolf Lodge, North America’s largest family of indoor water park resorts, has partnered with Hylite, a web-based platform for frontline employee recognition, to relaunch the High Paws Recognition Program as a fully digital employee engagement program. Now live across all 22 U.S. resort locations and the corporate support center, the program empowers over 13,000 employees, affectionately known as Pack Members, to feel valued and rewarded for their hard work.
Hylite is web-based, with no app to download or logins to create, making it easy for guests and Pack Members to recognize meaningful moments, like entertaining a child with a magic trick or remembering a family’s drink order from the day before. Each recognition prompts a real-time text or email, keeping appreciation specific and timely.
In the dynamic hospitality setting, where non-desk teams span across shifts, departments, and locations, this immediacy ensures that great work never goes unnoticed. Recognition brings a greater sense of purpose and connection to the job and, in turn, helps Great Wolf Lodge deliver its mission of Bringing Joy to Families.
“Our Pack goes above and beyond to bring joy to families every single day, and it was important for us to offer a way for our guests and fellow Pack Members to share recognition when special moments are being created,” said Rachel O’Connell, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Great Wolf Resorts, “Partnering with Hylite gives us a best-in-class tool that captures those everyday moments of excellence and ensures that gratitude reaches the Pack Members who make the magic happen.”
In 2024, two pilot locations generated approximately 10,000 guest reviews, recognizing nearly 70% of all team members. Since the peer-to-peer recognition feature launched in March 2025, Pack Members have sent more than 40,000 employee Hylites, roughly translating to one recognition per employee per month.
Through Hylite’s easy-to-use platform, guests also have the option to instantly copy their message to Google Reviews. For May 2025, Hylite is credited with 20% of 5-star reviews across all 22 national locations.
“Great Wolf Lodge is known for adopting technology that enhances both the guest and pack experience,” said Marissa Fetter Hochster, CEO of Hylite. “Hylite fit right into that strategy. It was also a natural extension of their existing ‘High Paws’ program, which had previously been paper-based and internal. By moving it online and inviting guest participation, Great Wolf Lodge is setting a new standard for frontline recognition.”
As a result of the rollout, Pack Members feel appreciated, and Great Wolf Lodge guests experience exceptional service. High Paws is now live across all Great Wolf Lodge resorts nationwide, as well as the corporate support center.