Today sees the much-awaited opening of the latest addition to IHG Hotels & Resorts' growing Luxury & Lifestyle collection, as the team at Hotel Indigo Miami Brickell safely welcomes their first guests with a uniquely local experience.
SH Hotels & Resorts, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group led by Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht, today announced that it will open its award-winning Treehouse Hotel in Miami, the brand's first U.S. location, in 2023. Treehouse Hotels debuted in London in 2019.
Josh Elliott is the Executive Chef at THesis Hotel Miami, located at the intersection of Coral Gables, South Miami, and Coconut Grove, overseeing Mamey restaurant, the rooftop Mamey on 3rd and soon to market Orno restaurant. In this role, Elliott collaborates with visionary Chef Niven Patel, THesis Hotel Miami's Director of Culinary.
Philip Thompson has been named executive chef and is tasked with creating unique experiences for guests, ensuring food quality and overseeing kitchen operations. Thompson is a vastly experienced Hilton Chef with more than two decades of global culinary experience with the brand. Born in England and classically trained in France, Thompson grew his culinary career by working his way through various Hilton hotels in the Washington DC region. In his most recent position, Thompson served as executive chef at the Hilton flagship, Hilton McLean, Tysons Corner, where he led and managed teams at multiple dining concepts and on-site culinary projects including outdoor chefs garden and rooftop beekeeping. Throughout his career, Thompson has had the honor of working Presidential black-tie events, such as multiple White House Correspondents Dinners, and has overseen philanthropic partnerships with No Kid Hungry, local food banks, Tables Without Borders, and more. Thompson specializes in seed-to-table cuisine and has a passion for sourcing and working with local, sustainable ingredients.
Virgin Hotels Miami is slated to open in 2023 and will be a 40-story new-build hotel. Featuring close to 250 chambers; a spa; over 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space; and multiple dining and drinking outlets, including the brand's signature culinary experience Commons Club, a restaurant, bar, and modern social club; a beer garden live music venue; and Funny Library Coffee Shop. Virgin Hotels Miami, managed by Virgin Hotels, is being developed by Blue Jay Capital with BLUR Workshop as the architect.
Jacqueline "Jackie" Volkart has been appointed dual general manager at The Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Miami Beach, including the newly re-imagined, 376-room Ritz-Carlton, South Beach and the 95-room Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour. She joins the Miami resorts with over 30 years of hospitality management experience.
The St. Regis Bal Harbour, the Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond resort that was recently named a top resort in Florida by Conde Nast Traveler, is proud to introduce award-winning chef Ricardo Jarquin as the luxury resort's new executive chef.
A Florida native, Ramirez brings 24 years of well-rounded, South Florida sales industry knowledge to Hilton Aventura Miami, having held various management positions at a variety of high-profile hotel brands, including Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, InterContinental Hotel Group and more. Throughout his career he has worked with Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts, Victor Hotels, and a variety of resorts managed by Interval International, where he was responsible for developing sales, marketing and revenue strategies to reach specific revenue goals year over year. Most recently, Ramirez served as complex director of sales and marketing at AC Marriott Aventura and Aloft Miami Aventura. As part of the opening team for Aloft Aventura, Ramirez has first-hand experience with spearheading hotel openings in the Aventura market. At Hilton Aventura Miami, Ramirez will be responsible for overseeing sales and marketing, developing strategies for revenue growth, managing a team of sales associates, and working with marketing teams to ensure consistent media messaging and social communication strategy.
A seasoned hospitality executive, Fischer opened the Marriott Castle Harbour Bermuda early in his career as the food and beverage complex manager. From there he took on a variety of roles at Marriott's headquarters in Bethesda, MD, and then worked his way up through numerous operational, sales and general manager positions including the Marriott Dallas/Fort Worth Westlake and Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center. Fischer left Dallas and moved on to New York to become the multi-property director of sales and marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he played an instrumental role in the $180 million renovation of Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. For the past seven years Fischer has served as the general manager of Hilton Westchester in New York, known for their spacious event venues and farm-to-table culinary approach. Now taking the helm of the new Hilton Aventura Miami, Fischer will oversee all operations, be responsible for staff development, financial planning, sales and revenue management, and ensuring overall guest satisfaction.
IHG® Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies, announced today that the first Atwell Suites™ hotel is now under construction in Miami. Expected to open by summer 2021, the first Atwell Suites will be a 90-room hotel located in Brickell, an urban neighborhood home to Miami and South Florida's financial district, as well as many foreign consulates. The hotel is part of a new high-rise, mixed-use property which will also include a new 140-room Hotel Indigo Miami Brickell. This property is owned by Francisco Arocha, Pedro F. Villar, Albert Ovadia and Sunview Companies.
In his new role at The Biltmore, Sam Francois will be responsible for optimizing current and new revenue streams for the hotel and its amenities, including its world-renowned golf course. He will also oversee public relations and communications efforts while directing all marketing initiatives at the Hotel and its divisions. Francois joins The Biltmore with more than 15 years of marketing, ecommerce, and communications experience.
Chawnacee Bryan recently joined The Biltmore Hotel as the new Director of Spa & Fitness. Bryan brings more than 20 years of experience in the wellness industry, running 5-star spas along the east coast of the United States. As a seasoned hospitality executive with a strong focus on spa and wellness management, she has become an expert in discovering and delivering natural and healing tactics from around the world. In her new role at The Biltmore, she will be supervising teams, implementing effective communication and organizational procedures to deliver premium guest experiences in the spa, salon, and fitness center - while helping boost retail sales in the Spa's boutique shop. Chawnacee began her career at a renowned 5-star resort in Boca Raton. She studied Psychology, attended Massage Therapy School, and also attended the Institute for Integrated Nutrition.
The Biltmore is proud to announce that it has promoted Lara Pavloff, as the Hotel's Director of Golf. Previously, she served as the Assistant Golf Professional and worked her way through the ranks to become Head Golf Professional and Tournament Director. Throughout her tenure at the Biltmore, she has worked on the PGA of America's apprentice program. She is now a Class A member of the PGA of America and is also a Titleist Performance Institute certified golf professional. Pavloff earned her Bachelor's Degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She grew up playing golf with her dad, Mike Pavloff at the Oxford Country Club where her house was located on the second hole fairway.
InterContinental Miami, the Iconic Downtown property, is proud to announce the appointment of Gina Genna as director of marketing. In her new role, Genna will oversee the hotel's brand, marketing, and communication strategy, working closely with the hotel's director of sales and marketing to ensure that InterContinental Miami maintains its competitive positioning in the South Florida market.
Mr. C Miami - Coconut Grove, the premier boutique hotel operated by the fourth generation Cipriani family, has today announced hospitality industry veteran, Jaime Stuyck, as the hotel's new general manager. Mr. Stuyck will oversee all day-to-day operations for the acclaimed 100 guestrooms and suites, designed by Martin Brudnizki, as well as the hotel's two dining concepts: rooftop restaurant and Coconut Grove hotspot, Bellini Restaurant & Bar, and the charming lobby garden, Il Giardino.
In his new role, Mr. Sampert will oversee the day-to-day operations of the 653 room Bayfront hotel, which includes the recent addition of a 30,000 square foot turf-covered flexible lawn space with sweeping views of downtown Miami and Bayfront Park that will lend itself well to meetings, events, new programming, and social gatherings.
ALICE, the operations platform powering the world's best hotels, is excited to announce Laura DeAngelis as Sales Director for the Southeast.
Matthew Quick has been appointed hotel manager at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, where he will oversee the re-opening and all resort operations at the newly renovated iconic oceanfront resort.
As part of the leadership team who assisted in the opening of The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami, Wise looks forward to returning to the recently redesigned property in a full-time capacity. Wise brings her experienced skills in leadership development, strategic business planning to further support the property's rooms division, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, retail operations, poolside and recreation operations and Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment programming. Wise joins the Coconut Grove team with over 20 years of experience with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and over 14 years of experience as Executive Assistant Manager, Rooms Division at both city and resort hotels. She was most recently at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, a Five-Diamond Resort with 463 guest rooms.
Habitat at 1 Hotel South Beach's team is excited to announce the appointment of Chef Thanawat Bates as executive chef of the restaurant. Thanawat Bates is an award-winning executive chef who has expressed his passion for food with a unique and creative flair for over 15 years. His education at the American Culinary Federation and experience creating exceptional cuisine helps him deliver the highest quality, consistency, and service to guests at Habitat restaurant at 1 Hotel South Beach.