Los Angeles, CA, January 9, 2013 – The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association's (BLLA) Inner Circle Club program announces the following hospitality supplier companies who have been accepted into the Club: Restoration Hardware Contract, Greenberg Traurig, Vizergy, Guest Direct and SUITELIFE Insurance Programs. BLLA's Inner Circle Club is an Exclusive Network of Select Companies with Extraordinary Benefits and who are recognized as top in their particular category.

The BLLA structured the Inner Circle Club to give organizations an opportunity to be headlined throughout the BLLA universe and is the highest level of sponsorship. These companies are selected and sent an offer to join the Club BY INVITATION ONLY. The Club is all about building partnerships and delivering business leads and connections directly to members. It also includes some areas of exclusivity by sector and certain unique opportunities to reach this rich sector of the independent boutique lifestyle hospitality community.

"Boutique and lifestyle hotels have historically been underserved by insurance companies due to high property values, liability concerns and valuable reputational assets," said Joe Dolce, EVP of the SUITELIFE insurance program. "We like what we see in the BLLA and are excited to support the association and its discerning membership with our highly competitive, best-in-class insurance solutions available through hotel members' current insurance brokers."

The first organization taking the leap to join the Club was Restoration Hardware Contract. Commenting on this is the Vice President, Jeff Bullied. "BLLA has been an integral industry partner. By uniting owners, suppliers and travelers, BLLA has supported the exposure of Restoration Hardware Contract's specialized hospitality products. We look forward to continuing to work with BLLA in this growing boutique and lifestyle sector."

Another Club member, Joe Hyman, CEO of Vizergy, said that "Vizergy is thrilled to support BLLA! We feel the Boutique & Lifestyle segment is growing, under-served and an exciting part of hospitality. Today as travelers place a high value on the travel experience, BLLA plays an important role in defining and supporting the unique challenges of the independent Boutique & Lifestyle property."

One benefit of the Club is top level recognition at all BLLA events. As an example, Club members receive the Diamond Level Sponsorship with a twist. Our distinguished and respected conferences are a key exposure window for their businesses. With attendees from all across the globe, members now bust out of local markets to a global economy. They also have a chance to build referral partnerships with the best of the best in the supplier and travel sectors through intimate access to other Club members.

Greenberg Traurig's Nelson Migdal, co-chair of the firm's Hospitality Group stated, "We support the BLLA as the leading association committed to furthering the unique interests of the boutique and lifestyle lodging segment of the hospitality market, a lodging segment that we expect will continue to be a driving force within the hospitality industry as a whole."

As the newest Club member, Guest Direct's CEO, Robert W. Nolan Jr. stated, "As a member of the BLLA Inner Circle Club we are excited to learn from the best, and to share our expertise along the way. Our primary focus is to help boutique & independent hotels and resorts maximize booking conversion rates through our highly-personalized voice reservation service that is tailored to the unique needs and attributes of each property. And in order to deliver the most effective solutions possible, we realize how vital it is to continuously engage with the market to ensure that our services address, and anticipate, the factors that drive repeat bookings. And what better, more targeted way to connect with this market than through the BLLA?"

Late Breaking News - Joining the Club this week is Fifty & Five who's CEO, Lucas Vandenberg stated, "We're honored to be working with the BLLA and excited to share our expertise in all things social media. We recognize BLLA as an industry leading organization with an impressive vision that focuses on representing the boutique, luxury and lifestyle markets worldwide. With the radical growth of social media channels, we're uniquely positioned to maximize the growth and effectiveness of the BLLA and their members' social footprints. Customers and clients are chatting online at a record breaking pace and our goal is to ensure that each member of BLLA keeps pace with this ever evolving space."

If you would like to be considered for Inner Circle Club membership, please contact BLLA directly at 818-883-4363, x.4 or send an email to: [email protected].

About The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA)

The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) is the first and only association dedicated to uniting the world's boutique and lifestyle hotels for the benefit of properties and suppliers as well as travelers. Created to be the unifying voice of this distinctive subset within the hospitality industry. BLLA's goal is to unite the world's collection of boutique & lifestyle properties and the suppliers that sustain them, offering them the opportunity to successfully compete on a level playing field with major hotel companies, as well as market themselves to meet the ever-increasing demand from discerning boutique-seeking clients. For more information or to become a member visit www.blla.org. Attend the Boutique Lifestyle International Leadership Symposium Oct. 21-23, 2013. www.boutiqueleadershipconference.com.

Frances Kiradjian
Founder & CEO
+1 818 264 4810
BLLA