New, upcoming and established hotels appointed new general managers in the last few days of April. Before May arrives, here are some names to know at hotels from Hawaii to New York City.
AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu
Highgate has appointed Hayato Nogaki general manager of the AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu. Nogaki will oversee managerial operations of Oahu’s first AC hotel in downtown Honolulu, which opened in March.
Nogaki most recently was general manager for Omni Charlotte Hotel. Prior he held management positions at Hotel Bennett, The Resort at Pelican Hill, The Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Carmel Valley Ranch, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island and The Ritz Carlton Kapalua. A graduate of Cornell University, Nogaki holds honors from the general managers Program, Business Administration and Management.
Condado Ocean Club
Condado Ocean Club, the only adults-only oceanfront boutique hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, appointed Betsy Mujica as general manager. A native of Puerto Rico, Mujica has been with the Condado Ocean Club team since October 2020, where she previously was director of sales. In this new management role, Mujica will oversee the property’s day-to-day operations, sales and marketing.
The first woman general manager within The Condado Collection portfolio, Mujica began her career in sales and marketing for other hotels on the island in 1995. She joined Condado Ocean Club in 2017.
Marriott Long Beach Downtown
Hospitality veteran Rahul Vir has been named general manager of the upcoming Marriott Long Beach (Calif.) Downtown, overseeing 140 employees as well as all day-to-day operations of the 376-room property.
Vir joined Marriott International as opening director of food and beverage at the Renaissance São Paulo Hotel. He has since been general manager of Renaissance São Paolo and general manager of the Irvine Marriott Hotel. He later joined Marriott’s Caribbean and Latin America team as area vice president for South America, taking charge of all managed and franchised hotels throughout South America. In 2016, in preparation for the integration of the Starwood portfolio and the realignment of the new organization, Vir transitioned to the role of Marriott International’s area vice president for Central America and Northern South America and also was vice president, Marriott Select Brands and Owner & Franchise relations.
The hotel is scheduled to open in June.
Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown
Le Méridien Fort Worth (Texas) Downtown, set to debut in the summer, appointed Chase Chasteen as general manager. The property was developed in collaboration with premier real estate investment and development company Blueprint Hospitality and will be managed by Remington Hospitality.
The hotel is Chasteen’s ninth full-service hotel and sixth under a Marriott flag. Notably, this property stands as his inaugural hotel opening experience. A Fort Worth native, Chasteen has a deep-rooted connection to the community and eagerly anticipates contributing to the vibrant landscape of his hometown.
Radio Hotel
Radio Hotel, the first and only full-service boutique hotel in the New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights, appointed Danielle Dymond as the new hotel general manager. As former director of sales and marketing at Radio Hotel, Dymond will also oversee and execute hotel marketing strategies.
Dymond began her career with Radio Hotel, a Sightline Hotel, in November 2021 as the pre-opening director of sales and marketing. The property, which opened in September 2022, incorporates the unique look and feel of the neighborhood, New York City’s Little Dominican Republic. Dymond held key roles as director of sales in business travel, corporate group, wholesale/fit, leisure and consortia and travel agency verticals. Danielle launched her hospitality career in New York City with an early title at The Hotel Pennsylvania, an independent hotel, followed by roles at Swissôtel, Ian Schrager Hotels, Loews Hotels and Hilton Hotels, where she filled a multi-property position, followed by her working with InterContinental Hotels Group as an area director in New York and various independent properties in the region.
Romer House Waikīkī
Highgate appoints Daniel Texeira—who opened AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu in December—general manager for the upcoming Romer House Waikīkī, Oahu’s first adults-only hotel, set to open in early June as sister property of the family-friendly Romer Waikiki at the Ambassador.
With more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Texeira joins Romer House Waikīkī after leadership roles at ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach as director of operations and performance development manager for Marriott International Hawaii. Texeira also held previous positions at Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa and Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa on Oahu.
Virgin Hotels Chicago
Virgin Hotels Chicago, the brand's flagship property located in the Loop neighborhood, appointed Anderson Foote as the hotel's new general manager.
Before joining Virgin Hotels, Foote worked at The Graduate Evanston where he oversaw a modernization project. Throughout his career, Foote has managed multiple Chicago hotel such as the Hyatt Centric The Loop, The Talbott Hotel and Park Hyatt.