DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
122 | ‘5-Star Mentality’ for a 3-Star Brand with Suresh Chawla
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
Suresh Chawla was born in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, and moved with his parents (Dr. and Mrs. V.K. Chawla) and brother Dinesh to America in 1977.
He has worked with Chawla Hotels since they opened their first property in Greenwood, MS in 1989. He currently serves as President and CFO of Chawla Hotels, which owns 17 limited service hotels, and is currently developing the first Scion Hotel in Cleveland, MS.
Suresh earned a BBA in 1990 and an MBA in 1991 from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS.
In This Episode, Suresh Reveals:
- The challenges his father Dr. VK faced nearly 30 years ago when he built his very first property.
- His father’s desperate phone call to now President Donald Trump in the late 80’s, and how that conversation helped him get the financing he so desperately needed.
- Their current portfolio of 18 properties, including the world’s first Scion property currently under development, and the three conversions to the American Idea brand currently under way.
- How he feels about the risks of converting to two unproven brands, and why he feels confident that they will succeed.
- Their experience working with the Trump Organization, from first contact, to negotiations, to the official announcement of their partnership at Trump Towers this past June.
Resources & Links
Mentioned in this Episode
- Asian Hospitality Magazine
- Trump Hotels Website
- Developer Information
- Email: development@trumphotels.com
Suresh Chawla
- deltamotels@yahoo.com
Chawla Hotels
- Chawla Hotels
- P.O. Box 1701 | Greenwood, MS 38930
- Phone: (662) 453-1822
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
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317 | Together Again: U.S. hotel industry begins to see return of small meetings
Ginny Morrison of Evanston, Illinois, is a 33-year veteran of Spire Hospitality, a hotel management company with a portfolio that spans coast-to-coast. As vice president of sales and marketing, Morrison saw the coronavirus pandemic decimate the meetings business. More than a year later, she’s witnessing a comeback as small-meeting planners are actively booking events for the last half of 2021 and beyond. As public health agencies expand COVID-19 vaccination programs across the U.S. and states ease up on public-gathering restrictions designed to keep the virus at bay, the hotel industry is seeing small meetings begin a comeback. In Episode 317, Long Live Lodging covers the state of the small-meetings sector and how hotels can grab their share of the meetings business during and post-pandemic. This report is part of our ongoing coverage about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the hospitality industry.
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316 | Pandemic Trailblazer: Hunter Hotel Investment Conference leads lodging industry’s 2021 event circuit
The Hunter Hotel Investment Conference will be the industry’s first large event to be held during the coronavirus pandemic. The Atlanta event will be a hybrid format of in-person and virtual access, also an industry first. Lee Hunter, chairman of the conference, knows the level of expectation is high among other conference planners as well as industry professionals eager to network after more than a yearlong hiatus. Episode 316 of Lodging Leaders podcast features Hunter as he tells what it takes to re-launch the industry’s conference circuit amid the COVID-19 outbreak.