David Phil Villacis ditched a potential career in accounting after college to follow his true passion for wine and spirits. He brings an extensive background both in wine and food service as well as in viticulture gained from a stint tending to the soil and vines of a Willamette Valley, Oregon vineyard. During the pandemic, he also acquired industry sales experience as a wine Sspecialist for WINE.COM.
The additions include the highly lauded Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, 2021 "Sommelier of the Year" Wine Enthusiast Magazine Wine Star Award nominee as well as one of the magazine's "Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers." In 2018, Feast Magazine named her a "Rising Star." Previously, she received the 2015 Walter Clore Certified Sommelier Scholarship for top score and also attained the Certified Specialist of Wine certification through the Society of Wine Educators with a 99% score the same year. Her experience includes working alongside now Master Sommelier Andrey Ivanov at Reeds American Table in St. Louis.
Anthony Geary, Sommelier for Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, leads the Hotel's wine program and is responsible for achieving its many accolades. To help advance his vision of building one of the top wine programs in Missouri, he recently bolstered his team with two additional noted sommeliers. Now, the team of three, all Certified Sommeliers credentialed by the Court of Master Sommeliers, possesses a combined fifty years of experience in food and wine. It is the team's combined knowledge and diversity that sets it apart not only in St. Louis, but in the Midwest and beyond.
Julieta Mechkarska brings thirteen years of hospitality experience to her role as Food & Beverage Director for Four Seasons St. Louis. Although originally born and raised in Bulgaria, St. Louis is a bit of a homecoming for her as it was her first stop in the U.S. when she arrived after high school. After completing undergraduate and graduate studies, she landed her first hospitality role as Beverage Manager at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. She then joined Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas where she held various management positions and was relocated to Washington DC with the company. There, she also had the opportunity to assist in the opening of Trump International Hotel, Washington D.C. Most recently, Julieta was Director of Restaurants at The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas.
Together, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts' Luxury & Lifestyle Collection, and Staybridge Suites, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts' Suites Collection, today announced plans for two hotels in St. Louis, Missouri. The hotels will open in early 2025 as part of a new-build Downtown West development located at the corner of Market Street and Jefferson Street, a key location for connecting Midtown and Downtown.
Paris-based Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, along with Hawkeye Hotels, is excited to announce the grand opening of Le Méridien St. Louis Downtown. Press is invited to attend our ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Tishuara Jones at 3 pm on May 5.
21c Museum Hotels, the multi-venue contemporary art museum and award-winning hospitality company, has announced the appointment of JP Roberts as General Manager of their newest hotel, opening in the first quarter of 2023 in downtown St. Louis' historic YMCA building.
Amid a worldwide pandemic, RevPAR for Greater St. Louis[1] fell 54% in 2020 from the historical peak achieved the prior year. This compares to a 47.5% drop for the United States, as a whole, and a 57.6% drop for the top 25 markets in the nation, according to STR. In 2021, the greater St. Louis market’s RevPAR bounced back to just over 75% of the pre-COVID performance. This rebound is less than the 83% recovery experienced nationally, but stronger than the 67% recovery of the top 25 markets.
St. Louis' Koplar Properties in partnership with Homebase Partners and Concord Hospitality Enterprises announces the opening of AC Hotel St. Louis, a new destination in St. Louis' Central West End neighborhood, located on the eastern edge of the city's ever-popular Forest Park. Located on York Ave. (215 York Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108), in the heart of St. Louis' upscale retail district, the seven-story, 192-room hotel will open this December after a $44-million, ground-up build. This will be the first AC Hotel to enter the St. Louis market and further contributes to St. Louis' Central West End neighborhood as a destination for the city.
21c Museum Hotels, a multi-venue contemporary art museum and award-winning hospitality brand, part of world leading hospitality group Accor, will begin the renovation and restoration of downtown St. Louis' historic YMCA building located at 1528 Locust Street. Construction of 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022. The project includes a boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, wellness center, and multiple food and beverage outlets.
Amid a worldwide pandemic, the lodging industry is facing a downturn that is greater than the past two lodging-market declines combined. During the Great Recession, Greater St. Louis[1] occupancy fell roughly four points from 59% in 2008 to 55% in 2009. In 2020, occupancy fell from the 2019 benchmark of roughly 65% to 38%, reflecting a 27-point correction. Average daily rate (ADR) declined from $87 in 2008 to $82 in 2009, a 6% drop. In 2020, ADR decreased 21% from the rate achieved in 2019 ($107 to $85).
St. Louis' first Element by Westin recently held a ribbon cutting to signify its official opening. Located at 3763 Forest Park Ave., the $40 million Element St. Louis Midtown is a seven-story hotel with 153 extended stay rooms. The eco-conscious property features the rooftop UPBAR, which offers a variety of signature cocktails and food selections.
DoubleTree by Hilton St. Louis Forest Park opens its doors to guests as the newest full-service hotel in the Central West End of St. Louis and the latest addition to the growing DoubleTree by Hilton global portfolio. Located within four miles of downtown St. Louis, the 219-room hotel welcomes guests with comfortable accommodations, including newly renovated guest rooms, a new restaurant serving breakfast daily and updated on-site meeting space and fitness center. The property also includes an Applebee's Neighborhood restaurant serving lunch and dinner for all guests to enjoy.
Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality recently appointed James Metcalf to its newest Element by Westin. The hotel, which is set to open Oct. 30, is St. Louis' first Element by Westin.
Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality recently appointed Janessa Corpuz to its newest Element by Westin. The hotel, which is set to open Oct. 30, is St. Louis' first Element by Westin.
Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality is set to open St. Louis' sole eco-conscious Element by Westin on Oct. 30.
Midas Hospitality - a leading hotel development, management and investment firm - recently opened the St. Louis region's first Aloft hotel in the heart of the 200-acre Cortex Innovation Community.
The highly anticipated multi-concept "sports" hotel, Live! by Loews - St. Louis, MO, officially welcomes guests today in the heart of St. Louis' Ballpark Village. A social anchor for guests and locals, the 216-room hotel boasts four restaurants & lounges; 17,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including an expansive outdoor terrace; upscale suite options along with a 1,392 square-foot Presidential Suite overlooking Busch Stadium; and unparalleled access to Ballpark Village and the St. Louis Cardinals. The hotel is part of Ballpark Village's $260M expansion and a joint venture between Loews Hotels & Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation (NYSE:L), The Cordish Companies and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Robin Swick, the hotel's Director of Sales & Marketing, brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience in conference service, revenue management, sales and marketing, most recently serving as the Director of Sales and Director of Hotel Revenues at the Westin-St. Louis. Since June of 2019, Swick has been responsible for leading the pre-opening sales effort for Live! by Loews—St. Louis, including building the sales team, managing key partnerships, and securing group and transient business to ensure a successful opening.
Geneya Sauro, General Manager for Live! by Loews - St. Louis, M O joined Loews Hotels & Co. in 2001, and steadily progressed her career the past 19 years within the Loews family holding nearly every executive title in-house from Conference & Catering Director to Food & Beverage Director to Director of Operations. Originally from Toronto, CA, Sauro joins the St. Louis opening team from her previous position as General Manager for Loews Minneapolis Hotel.