Manuel Martinez has been appointed as General Manager at The Watergate Hotel

Martinez began his career at The Palace Hotel in Madrid, Spain before making the move to the states. Here, he has held leadership positions at some of the most prestigious hotels in the world including The Essex House and Ritz-Carlton Central Park South hotels in New York City. His extensive experience includes roles as Hotel Manager at The St. Regis New York and General Manager at The St. Regis Washington D.C. and The Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City. Martinez was most recently the General Manager of the Five-Star luxury hotel, The Mark, in New York City.

Martinez is a graduate of Cornell University, where he received a Masters Certificate in Hospitality Management. Additionally, he holds degrees from New York University and Harvard University's Managing Mentor School. A native of Madrid, Spain, Martinez is fluent in both English and Spanish

Reopened in June of 2016, this American icon is situated on the banks of the Potomac River, offering a luxurious urban resort experience for the world's most discerning leisure and business travelers. Originally designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti in 1961 to look like a sail on the Potomac, the hotel made waves with its groundbreaking contemporary style and came to epitomize the fabulous lifestyle and sophistication of its time when it opened in March 1967. The Watergate Hotel now features 336 stylist guestrooms; signature restaurant Kingbird; The Next Whisky Bar; Top of the Gate rooftop bar; Argentta Spa; a state-of-the-art fitness center and 27,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

Manuel Martinez is an alumnus of Cornell | Nolan School of Hotel Administration – Class of 2006.