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Home My WebLink About07/21/21 VISIT BAKERSFIELD AGENDAVISIT BAKERSFIELD TI S01M,or,� , ^dCary tsr,E,°P« I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL VISIT BAKERSFIELD AGENDA July 21, 2021 Telephonic Conference Call 8:00 a.m. SPECIAL NOTICE Public Participation and Accessibility July 21, 2021 Visit Bakersfield Board Meeting On March 18, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N29-20, which includes a waiver of Brown Act provisions requiring physical presence of the Visit Bakersfield Board or the public in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on guidance from the California Governor's Office and Department of Public Health, as well as the County Health Officer, in order to minimize the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus, the City of Bakersfield hereby provides notice that as a result of the declared federal, state, and local health emergencies, and in light of the Governor's order, the following adjustments have been made: 1. The meeting scheduled for July 21, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. will not be open to the public. 2. Consistent with the Executive Order, Visit Bakersfield Board members may elect to attend the meeting telephonically and to participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they were physically present. 3. The public may participate in the July 21, 2021 meeting and address the Board as follows: • If you wish to comment on a specific agenda item, submit your comment via email to the City Clerk at City_Clerk@bakersfieldcity.us no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Please clearly indicate which agenda item number your comment pertains to. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. If your comment meets the foregoing criteria, it will be read into the record during the meeting. • If you wish to make a general public comment not related to a specific agenda item, submit your comment via email to the City Clerk at City_Clerk@bakersfieldcity.us no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. If your comment meets the foregoing criteria, it will be read into the record during the meeting. III. PUBLIC STATEMENTS A. Correspondence received IV. MINUTES A. Approval of Minutes of the AprH 21, 20'21 meefing V. TREASURER'S REPORT A. Approvd of' Treasurer's Report of July 21, 2021 V1. STAFF REPORT A. Manager's Report 11 11. OLD BUSINESS A. None, V111, KNEW BUSINESS A. Appointment of Nominafing Committee X. CLOSED SESSION A., None Respectfully submr iffed,, Chrisfian Clegg City Manager City of Bakersfield Visit Bakersfield Minutes Meeting of April 21, 2021 Visit Bakersfield, 515 Truxtun Avenue Regular Meeting - 8:00 AM I. Call to order Visit Bakersfield Board of Directors regular meeting was called to order by David Lyman via Zoom.com on this 21 st day of April at 8:00 a.m. II. Roll call Andrea Marroquin, Visit Bakersfield, conducted roll call. Directors Present: Chris Huot Denise Taylor -Connor Beth Brookhart-Pandol Tamara Baker Directors Absent: Randy McKeegan Steve Hughes Kim Huckaby Ed Dorsey Ryan Uhles Debora Hill Kenneth "Ziggy" Siegfried Jessica Ramirez Others Present: David Lyman, Visit Bakersfield Andrea Marroquin, Visit Bakersfield Joe Simpson, Visit Bakersfield Evangelina Medina, Visit Bakersfield Matt Billingsley, Visit Bakersfield Christina Olsen, City Attorney's Office III. Public Statements None " sil 1cikeirsfield 1c)cird Meelhr)g Apr21, 2021 'cine 12 IV. Minutes A. Approval of February 17, 2021 Minutes Motion by Kenneth Siegfried, seconded by Tamara Baker. All in favor. Motion approved. V. Treasurer's Report A. Approval of Treasurer's Report of April 21, 2021 Treasurer's Report presented by Joe Simson. Motion by Jessica Ramirez, seconded by Beth Brookhart-Pandol. All in favor. Motion approved. VI. Staff Report • Matt Billingsley discussed STR data, sales update, then provided additional updates. • Evangelina Medina gave updates on current and upcoming projects. • Joe Simpson gave an update on marketing efforts. • Andrea Marroquin provided an update on the Visit Bakersfield online store and visitor requests. VII. Old Business None VIII. New Business A. Approval of FY 2021-2022 Visit Bakersfield Budget. Motion by Ryan Uhles, seconded by Debora Hill to approve FY 2021-2022 budget and present it to City Council for approval and adoption. All in favor. Motion approved. B. Nominating Committee Report. Motion by Denise Taylor -Connor, seconded by Debora Hill to re-elect Jessica Ramirez and Ryan Uhles to a two-year term beginning July 1, 2021; elect Amy Smith to a two-year term beginning July 1, 2021; elect Matthew Spindler to a one-year term beginning July 1, 2021 due to the resignation of Steve Hughes; and elect Kenneth Siegfried as Chair, Ryan Uhles as Vice -Chair and Randy McKeegan as Treasurer for a one-year term beginning July 1, 2021. All in favor. Motion approved. " sil 1cikeirsfield 1c)cird Meelhr)g Apr21, 2021 'cine 13 IX. Board Statements • Chris Huot gave the board a brief update on current City operations. • Kenneth Siegfried thanked the Board for electing him as Chair. X. Closed Session None XI. Adjournment Chair adjourned the meeting at 8:39 a.m. PREPARED 07/12/21, 14:15:13 EXPENDITURE REPORT PAGE 1 HTEPGM/GM601U BY FUND PERIOD 01/2022 2021-22 2021-22 2021-22 2021-22 2021-22 ADJUSTED YEAR TO DATE CURRENT UNENCUMBERED ACCOUNT NUMBER ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION BUDGET ACTUAL ENCUMBRANCES APPROPRIATIONS TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAXES 191-6590-675.10-01 REGULAR PAY 374,073 .00 .00 374,073.00 191-6590-675.10-14 SPECIALITY PAY 1,825 .00 .00 1,825.00 191-6590-675.10-15 AUTO ALLOWANCE 2,039 .00 .00 2,039.00 191-6590-675.10-31 LIFE INSURANCE 401 .00 .00 401.00 191-6590-675.10-33 MEDICARE INSURANCE 3,483 .00 .00 3,483.00 191-6590-675.10-35 MEDICAL INSURANCE -ACTIVE 51,446 .00 .00 51,446.00 191-6590-675.10-38 WORKERS COMP INS ALLOC 5,064 .00 .00 5,064.00 191-6590-675.10-44 PERS - MISCELLANEOUS 133,327 .00 .00 133,327.00 191-6590-675.10-48 CITY to MATCH - RHS PLAN 1,386 .00 .00 1,386.00 191-6590-675.30-39 OTHER PROFESSIONAL 127,800 .00 .00 127,800.00 191-6590-675.40-23 INTERNAL COMM EQUIP 29 .00 .00 29.00 191-6590-675.40-24 INTERNAL TELEPHONE EQUIP 3,565 .00 .00 3,565.00 191-6590-675.40-26 INTERNAL COMPUTER EQUIP 11,938 .00 .00 11,938.00 191-6590-675.50-11 LIABILITY INS ALLOCATION 3,124 .00 .00 3,124.00 191-6590-675.50-12 PROPERTY INS ALLOCATION 591 .00 .00 591.00 191-6590-675.50-33 TELEPHONE -CELL PHONE CHCS 1,800 .00 .00 1,800.00 191-6590-675.50-41 ADVERTISING 32,000 .00 .00 32,000.00 191-6590-675.50-51 PRINTING AND BINDING 23,200 .00 .00 23,200.00 191-6590-675.50-53 INTERNAL GARBAGE 553 .00 .00 553.00 191-6590-675.50-54 INTERNAL SEWER 323 .00 .00 323.00 191-6590-675.50-61 REIMBURSABLE EXPENSE 1,500 .00 .00 1,500.00 191-6590-675.50-62 ENTERTAINING GUESTS 3,000 .00 .00 3,000.00 191-6590-675.50-64 TRAVEL (OPERATIONAL) 65,500 .00 .00 65,500.00 191-6590-675.50-65 DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 8,751 .00 .00 8,751.00 191-6590-675.50-91 OTHER OUTSIDE SERVICES 11,910 .00 .00 11,910.00 191-6590-675.60-21 WATER 2,500 .00 .00 2,500.00 191-6590-675.60-22 NATURAL GAS 750 .00 .00 750.00 191-6590-675.60-23 ELECTRICITY 2,000 .00 .00 2,000.00 191-6590-675.60-31 OFFICE SUPPLIES 3,000 .00 .00 3,000.00 191-6590-675.70-12 CONTRIBUTIONS 197,000 .00 .00 197,000.00 * VISIT BAKERSFIELD 1,073,878 .00 .00 1,073,878.00 ** CONVENTION VISITOR BUREAU 1,073,878 .00 .00 1,073,878.00 *** ECONOMIC/COMMUNITY DEVEL 1,073,878 .00 .00 1,073,878.00 **** TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY ---------------- TAXES ----------------- 1,073,878 ----------------- .00 .00 ----------------- 1,073,878.00 ---------------- ----------------- 1,073,878 ----------------- .00 .00 ----------------- 1,073,878.00 Citv of Bakersfield Check Reaister - CVB REPORT Payment Number Vendor Number Vendor Name Payment Date Check Total 21111 15868 TEL TEC SECURITY SYSTEM INC Apr 8, 2021 $45.00 21199 7685 STINSON STATIONERS Apr 22, 2021 $178.89 21500 15868 TEL TEC SECURITY SYSTEM INC May 27, 2021 $45.00 21522 15868 TEL TEC SECURITY SYSTEM INC Jun 3, 2021 $45.00 21608 7685 STINSON STATIONERS Jun 17, 2021 $206.77 21661 7685 STINSON STATIONERS Jun 24, 2021 $80.32 21762 15868 TEL TEC SECURITY SYSTEM INC Jul 1, 2021 $45.00 21776 7685 STINSON STATIONERS Jul 8, 2021 $198.05 722199 31074 ON THE HORIZON COMMUNICATIONS Apr 15, 2021 $2,000.00 722226 31106 SEE SOURCE LLC Apr 15, 2021 $3,848.00 722241 27973 TEMPEST INTERACTIVE MEDIA LLC Apr 15, 2021 $200.00 722252 26060 VANGUARD CLEANING SYSTEMS INC Apr 15, 2021 $576.75 722305 6114 PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY Apr 15, 2021 $82.74 722421 3067 FOX THEATER FOUNDATION Apr 22, 2021 $7,250.00 722628 1696 CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE Apr 29, 2021 $250.10 722711 28621 CERTIFIED FOLDER DISPLAY SERVICE IN Apr 29, 2021 $4,441.67 722736 28725 ELITE SIGNS AND PROMOTIONS Apr 29, 2021 $6,458.44 722799 31228 MADDEN MEDIA Apr 29, 2021 $35,893.94 723708 31151 EINSTEIN VISUALS May 13, 2021 $160.00 723763 30062 MEREDITH CORPORATION May 13, 2021 $4,200.00 723780 31074 ON THE HORIZON COMMUNICATIONS May 13, 2021 $2,000.00 723806 31106 SEE SOURCE LLC May 13, 2021 $3,848.00 723821 27973 TEMPEST INTERACTIVE MEDIA LLC May 13, 2021 $200.00 723836 26060 VANGUARD CLEANING SYSTEMS INC May 13, 2021 $576.75 723996 2901 FEDEX May 20, 2021 $20.00 724153 6114 PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY May 20, 2021 $34.21 724168 20601 VERIZON WIRELESS May 20, 2021 $124.55 724238 10623 CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND May 24, 2021 $68.48 724306 31151 EINSTEIN VISUALS May 27, 2021 $230.00 724408 23607 SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH May 27, 2021 $2,200.00 724452 1696 CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE May 27, 2021 $246.70 724453 11937 CITY OF BAKERSFIELD May 27, 2021 $9.00 724528 3067 FOX THEATER FOUNDATION Jun 3, 2021 $7,250.00 724756 21689 GRIEGO, CECELIA Jun 10, 2021 $99.00 724806 31074 ON THE HORIZON COMMUNICATIONS Jun 10, 2021 $2,000.00 724845 27973 TEMPEST INTERACTIVE MEDIA LLC Jun 10, 2021 $6,200.00 724862 26060 VANGUARD CLEANING SYSTEMS INC Jun 10, 2021 $576.75 725030 5160 LYMAN, DAVID Jun 17, 2021 $135.00 725032 31228 MADDEN MEDIA Jun 17, 2021 $35,893.93 725058 23214 ORKIN PEST CONTROL INC Jun 17, 2021 $68.00 725071 32279 POWER PLAY MARKETING Jun 17, 2021 $4,500.00 725116 30247 US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION Jun 17, 2021 $1,655.00 725170 6114 PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY Jun 17, 2021 $31.98 725289 1696 CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE Jun 24, 2021 $305.43 725335 20601 VERIZON WIRELESS Jun 24, 2021 $132.35 725545 31106 SEE SOURCE LLC Jun 24, 2021 $3,848.00 725679 23708 DMA WEST Jul 1, 2021 $880.00 725950 20601 VERIZON WIRELESS Jul 8, 2021 $32.68 725972 32133 BANDWANGO Jul 9, 2021 $6,078.20 726058 31074 ON THE HORIZON COMMUNICATIONS Jul 9, 2021 $2,000.00 50 Overall -Count Overall - Tcatal $147,449,66 Jul 12, 2021 , 1 2:16:26 PM ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Meeting Date: July 21, 2021 Agenda Item: VIII.A. To: Board of Directors From: David Lyman, Manager Subject: Appointment of Nominating Committee Recommendation: To be determined by the Board of Directors. Background: Section 8.01 of the CVB Bylaws states, "The Chairman of the Board shall appoint a nominating committee of no less than three (3) Board persons no later than the first Board meeting of each fiscal year." S:\Board Meeting Items\Board Meeting - Agenda Packets\2021-2025\2021\07 Jul 2021\New Business A - Appointment of Nominating Committee.docx The following provided for information only; no action required. A third of former hospitality workers won't return to the industry during the labor shortage because they want higher pay, better benefits, and a new work environment ��1 Il �u��liuyia.�u�uli ° TM � ge li��,:�lp, tah y�..vvoi l<,ei,°.;..i��.e„ tauian lir�la�^ pay�..,,nrage ..Jobb, 1 ,°;�� ivey 22.21 7 uyir�uu��a...uak�suuill,��l�,c�i� , I°i�ails��„ Grace Dean 2021-07-08T12:12:42Z A waiter wears a face mask at a restaurant in New York City on November 10, 2020. Noam Galai/Getty Images • A third of former hospitality workers say they won't return to the industry at all, per a survey by Joblist. • They want better pay and benefits than the industry can offer, they say. • Hospitality pays less than other industries, but the labor shortage is forcing companies to push wages up. • See more stories on Insider's business page. Low pay, bad benefits, and a stressful workplace are putting off former restaurant and hotel staff from returning to the industry, according to a survey by job site Joblist. Massive lay-offs, remote working, and caring responsibilities have forced thousands of Americans to consider switching their careers during the pandemic. Some were forced out of their roles because their employers downsized or even shut down during the pandemic. 1/4 Others have been "rage quitting" in search of better pay and conditions. Half of former hospitality workers said that they wouldn't return to their previous job in the industry, according to the survey. A third of former hospitality workers said they weren't even considering reentering the industry, according to Joblist's second-quarter survey of around 13,000 job seekers, first reported by Bloomberg. Read more: These 9 food tech startups are capitalizing on the labor crunch with tools that help franchisees hire or automate the restaurant workforce Just over half of respondents said that they were switching industries because they wanted a different work setting. About 45% said they wanted higher pay, and 29% wanted better benefits. One in five said they wanted jobs with more flexibility, and 16% said they wanted to work remotely. One former chef told Insider in June that he switched from 80 -hour weeks working in a restaurant to a career in software development after restaurants shut and he had the time to return to education. Wages in the hospitality sector are growing Traditionally, the hospitality sector pays much lower wages than other industries. The average pay for hourly workers in non -supervisory roles in the leisure and hospitality sector was $16.21 in June, compared to $25.68 across private non-farm payrolls, per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)'s June jobs report. But the hospitality sector, like many other industries across the US, is in the midst of a huge labor shortage that's forcing some companies to push up wages. McDonald's is lifting wages in its corporate -owned restaurants by an average of 10%. A Texas chicken restaurant chain is giving teenage fast-food workers $50,000 -a -year manager jobs. And an ice -cream -parlor in Pittsburgh more than doubled its wage to $15 an hour — and says it received "well over 1,000 [job] applications." Average pay for hourly workers in non -supervisory roles in the leisure and hospitality sector jumped from $15.84 an hour in May to $16.21 in June, BLS data shows. It typically takes a whole year for wages to grow this much, The Washington Post reported. Companies are rolling out other perks to attract new hires, too, like sign -on bonuses, fitness machines, and Phones. 2/4 But the sector is still struggling to find workers. The leisure and hospitality sector added 343,000 jobs in June — but total employment across the sector is still down by 2.2 million, or 12.9%, from February 2020. The labor shortage caused some businesses to cut operating hours, slash production, and raise prices. Nearly half of US restaurant owners said they struggled to pay their rent in May because staffing shortages reduced their revenues. The Federal Reserve said that the labor squeeze could last months, but Bank of America expects the job market to recover by early 2022. 3/4 7/15/2021 iiIViVVWIWNNNk UI B IYIUy/IIIiYIIP11Yi& 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure QJ (�1DD71� rrU s Np The Future of Hotels Is Female — and These 6 Hoteliers Are Changing the Game When it comes to running hotels, men have traditionally ruled. But a new generation of female entrepreneurs is shaking things up—and changing the face of the industry. By Lindsay Talbot July 08, 2021 W hen Liz Lambert opened the e Hotel ale as o nosy fromuthe Manha dust over 20 years ago, it felt like something radical: a motorc cle-ridin fet me r Austin, nha P m.......t. e ttan D.A:s office leaves her job, returns to her home state, and finds success in an industry that's always been dominated by men. Lambert set up the Bunkhouse Group, a company that now operates 10 hotels in Texas, California, and Mexico. More importantly, she paved the way for future women hoteliers—visionaries behind some of our favorite independent properties around the country. Like Lambert (who left Bunkhouse in 2019), few of this new class have traditional backgrounds in hospitality. That didn't stop them from pursuing ambitious projects—none of which had the backing of a big real estate developer or a corporate chain. These six women have used hotels as platforms for their passions, from interior design and architecture to food and the great outdoors. Emma Goodwin https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 1/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure Emma Goodwin in the Surfrider hotel's library. I CREDIT: JESSICA SAMPLE The Surfrider Hotel — Malibu, California Tucked among the oleanders and verbenas on the cliffs of Malibu, California, there's a rooftop bar that now serves as a gathering place for style -conscious visitors. Flickering firepits, overstuffed sofas, and a cinematic view of the ocean make it the place to be for a sundowner or aprbs-surf cocktail. This dreamy scene was created by Emma Goodwin, the force behind a 20 -room boutique hotel that takes its name from the iconic Surfrider Beach across the Pacific Coast ..... Highway. https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 2/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure From left: The Surfrider's sign sits high above the Pacific Coast Highway, the rooftop overlooks Surfrider Beach. I CREDIT: JESSICA SAMPLE A Brisbane, Australia, native with a Zen sensibility when it comes to interior design, Goodwin and her architect husband, California native Matthew Goodwin, had not worked on a hotel project before. But when they heard that a run-down 1950s motel was for sale on a prime stretch of the PCH, something clicked, and the couple realized it was the ultimate opportunity to express their idea of the good life. "We approached the process as if we were guests expecting our fantasy of the perfect hotel," Emma explains. https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 3/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure From left: A piece by local artist Ali Beletic in the lobby, the hotel's entrance. I CREDIT: JESSICA SAMPLE This meant filling the place with all of their favorite things: custom four-poster beds covered in soft Bellino linens, waffled bathrobes from Parachute Home, and organic bath products from Grown Alchemist. Guests can use a quiver of surfboards by local shaper Wax Surf Co., and hammocks are strung on every balcony. The couple added personal touches, too, like their own Le Corbusier drawings from the 60s, which hang in the library. "A hotel isn't just about design but about an entire sensory experience;" Goodwin says. "It's something I think women are very good at" Among her favorite hotels in the world? Hotel 11 Pellicano, in Italy, and Raes on Wategos and the Atlantic Byron Bay, in Australia—all of which are run by women. "I think the industry would be so much better if there were more females in it" thesurfridermalibu.com, doubles from $400. Jamila Ross https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 4/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure Jamila Ross in front of a mural on the property. I CREDIT: MARY BETH KOETH The Copper Door B&B — Miami, Florida "My vision was a modern take on a grandma's bed -and -breakfast;" says Jamila Ross, who opened the Copper Door B&B in the Overtown enclave of Miami in 2018. "1 wanted the vintage vibe, individually designed rooms, homestyle breakfasts, great conversations ion around a communal table—but elevated, with a feeling of cool" Ross, originally from Yonkers, New York, first established herself in the food world after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in the Hudson Valley. She then spent a decade working for chefs and hotels in New York State, Los https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 5/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure Angeles, Kuwait, and Dubai. After arriving in Miami, she met her future husband, Akino West (he's also a chef and has a stint at Copenhagen's Noma under his belt). They planned to start a restaurant of their own. From left: Guest rooms at the Copper Door B&B feature custom wallpaper, breakfast at Rosie's. I CREDIT: MARY BETH KOETH Instead, the couple fell in love with an Art Deco hotel that had been boarded up for nearly 20 years. Ross and West soon got to work on transforming the 1940s building into a one -of -a -kind small hotel, with custom botanical wallpaper, bamboo furniture, and rotating installations by local artists. In response to the pandemic, last spring they added Rosie's, an outdoor pop-up breakfast spot, which is now one of the hottest brunch reservations in town. I hope our culture gets to a place where the idea that anyone can be an entrepreneur on this scale is normalized." Ross lives with West on site at Copper Door to oversee the day-to-day operations, and she's keenly aware of the uniqueness of her position. "In American culture specifically, the owners of hospitality businesses tend to not be present, and they're certainly not a twentysomething woman, let alone a Black woman;" she says. "I hope our culture gets to a place where the idea that anyone can be an entrepreneur on this scale is normalized" copperdoorbnb.com; doubles from $115. Sara Combs https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 6/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure From left: Sara Combs at the Joshua Tree House, in California, one of the property's desert -inspired guest rooms. I CREDIT: NOLWEN CIFUENTES The Joshua Tree House —Joshua Tree, California Not many hotel projects start with a Craigslist ad. But the Joshua Tree House is far from a typical hotel, and its co- owner, Sara Combs, is far from a typical hotelier. It all started in 2014, when Combs and her husband, Rich, were craving time away from the hustle of their San Francisco tech jobs. They headed south on a road trip and wound up in Joshua Tree, about 45 minutes outside Palm Springs. Related: A Guide to California's National Parks They were so taken by the otherworldly desert vibes that they began looking for real estate—and fell hard for a 1949 hacienda they saw posted for sale on Craigslist. To help pay off the mortgage, they put their new digs on Airbnb, naming it the Joshua Tree House. Images of the place soon went viral, thanks to Sara's natural eye for interiors. "There weren't many properties like this— surrounded by nature but also focused on elevated design;' she says. She grew up in Connecticut and studied environmental design at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Buoyed by this success, the Combses began searching for another renovation project nearby, eventually adding a mid-century casita to the original property. https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 7/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure From left: The dining room at the Hacienda, the swimming pool. I CREDIT: NOLWEN CIFUENTES "There's something really feminine and personal about these spaces;" notes Combs, who selected every element of the decor. "It's about creating an entire mood" In 2019, the couple decided to branch out and open another desert property—this one outside Tucson, Arizona, bordering Saguaro National Park. A five -bedroom inn on 38 acres, the Posada by the Joshua Tree House reflects ............................... Arizona'sadob ... vernacular and is furnished with pieces that conform with Combs's signature spare, boho look. "I'm passionate about offering an experience for other people to reflect, reset, and recharge;" she says. thejoshuatreehouse.com; doubles from $285. Sylvia Wong https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 8/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure Sylvia Wong, owner of the Roundtree. I CREDIT: AMANDA VILLAROSA The Roundtree — Amagansett, New York Opening a hotel in the summer of 2020 may not have been ideal timing, but if ever a property was made for social .�............. ............................................................................. ...................................... distancing, ncing, it's the Roundtree. On two idyllic acres stand a series of shingled buildings—a classic style that has become synonymous with the East End of Long Island. Rolling lawns are dotted with Ping-Pong tables, firepits, and lounge chairs, and interiors have a soothing palette of natural wood and slate. "I want guests to feel like they're staying at their second home;" says owner Sylvia Wong, who opened the Roundtree as a 180 -degree career move after working at Manhattan tech and investment firms. Her story is one of passion for place: https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 9/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure the first-time hotelier fell in love with the history and bucolic charm of the Hamptons—and with Amagansett, ................... specifically. specifically. From left: The check-in lounge of the Roundtree's Main House, the building's classic shingled fagade. I CREDIT: AMANDA VILLAROSA Like many busy New Yorkers looking to get out of the sweltering city, Wong escaped to the Hamptons every summer weekend for years. "One of those weekends I hopped on the Jitney shuttle to view a property I had seen online, and I immediately felt inspired;' she says. One of the hotel's cottages is more than 250 years old, a barn is a century old, and the whole place previously belonged to one of the town's oldest families. Guests who walk to Amagansett's small commercial center or to Indian Wells Beach will realize Wong has created a world that offers a unique experience in this rarefied corner of America: the feeling of living like a local. theroundtreehotels.com, doubles from $1,095. Jen Turner https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 10/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure Jen Turner at the Carpenter Hotel. I CREDIT: MIRANDA BARNES The Carpenter Hotel — Austin, Texas "I am a deep believer in the idea that the preservation of funky old buildings helps maintain the character and continuity of a place;' says architect Jen Turner. "They're kind of like folk songs" A Houstonian and University of Texas at Austin graduate, she worked in Manhattan for 11 years before moving back to Texas. Turner and her husband, Jack Barron, opened the Carpenter Hotel in Austin's Zilker neighborhood in 2018. The hotel is centered on a 1948 Modernist landmark that was once the home of the carpenters' trade union. The single -story building, as well as the four-story annex that houses the 93 guest rooms, was a canvas for Turner to display her skills. The property is characterized by strong, clean lines with a Bauhaus influence and details that range from industrial concrete staircases to a 40 -foot metal sign above the pool that reads simply HOTEL. "How do you move about a space, what do you need on a bedside table? Those are all things that 1 really put thought into." There are touches of old Texas, too: vintage bowling -alley banquettes found at the famed Round Top antiques fair are used as seating in the restaurant; recycled oil pipes around the ground -floor parking area add a rustic patina; and terra- cotta blocks from San Antonio's century -old D'Hanis Brick & Tile Co. line the hotel's exterior. https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 11/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure From left: Vintage chairs in the lobby at the Carpenter Hotel, a guest room. I CREDIT: MIRANDA BARNES "One thing people have always said about the Carpenter is that we thought of everything. Maybe that's something women do—not necessarily better, but more often;" she says. "How do you move about a space, what do you need on a bedside table? Those are all things that I really put thought into" The Carpenter has been such a hit that Turner—who had no previous hotel experience—has several more hospitality projects in the works, including Wo Fat Hotel & Restaurant, a 23 -room hotel above the oldest dim sum restaurant in Honolulu. carpenterhotel.com; doubles from $225. Nathalie Jordi https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 12/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure Nathalie Jordi at Hotel Peter & Paul. I CREDIT: EM FERRETTI Hotel Peter & Paul — New Orleans, Louisiana Cookbook writer, Uber driver, ice -pop entrepreneur, bicycle -tour guide, London cheesemonger: Nathalie Jordi's path to becoming a hotelier has been a winding one. But after moving from New York to New Orleans in 2009 and later spending a year working the front desk at a hotel in the city's French Quarter, the Miami native found her calling. At the time, Jordi was living in the Marigny district, known for its jazz clubs and caf6s. "I felt like there wasn't a place in New Orleans that I was enthusiastic about, in a neighborhood I'd want to be in. I was excited to create that;' explains the developer behind Hotel Peter & Paul. Then she discovered, just four blocks from her home, a group of 1860s https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 13/15 7/15/2021 6 Female Hotel Entrepreneurs and Their Secrets to Success I Travel + Leisure buildings consisting of a Catholic schoolhouse, a church, a rectory, and a convent. The complex sat abandoned for 13 years until Jordi took an interest and found out it was for sale. "A hotel is a living thing. We are just continuing a conversation the neighborhood has been having for hundreds of years." She approached the New York—based design firm ASH NYC about a site visit. They all agreed it was a dream project. After all, where else could you build an entire hotel from the grounds of a 19th -century religious compound? Five years of zoning headaches and painstaking construction later, Peter & Paul opened its doors in 2018—thanks in part to the committed group of women Jordi hired to work on the project. From left: The entrance to the old schoolhouse, a guest room in a former convent. I CREDIT: EM FERRETTI "During construction, our architect, construction manager, interior designer, and historic consultant were all women;" Jordi says. The 71 guest rooms are furnished with canopy beds and gingham sofas, while the former rectory houses a neighborhood bar and restaurant—plus an ivy-covered sunroom inspired by Monet's house in Giverny, France. "A hotel is a living thing;" Jordi says of her hospitality philosophy. "We are just continuing a conversation the neighborhood has been having for hundreds of years. These buildings have seen so much—epidemics, wars and heartbreak, progress and joy—and we're just the latest custodians. We wanted the layers and patina to be palpable." hotelpeterandpaul.com; doubles from $139. https://www.travelandleisure.comlhotels-resortslboutique-hotelslfemale-hoteliers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm 14/15 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly WHERE TO STAY NOW The Great Roadside Motel Comeback Motels were once a reliable respite for budget -conscious road warriors or transitory locals, but today's motel owners are seeking a younger generation of travelers who have more cash to spend. By Cynthia J. Drake April 27, 2021 0 Outdoor sp�ce at t e Th nde ird tel i Marf Kate Berry��r�� 8 ��our First �ree �rticle � Already a SUBSCRIBE �'111� https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 1/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly In 1929, a used -car salesman in Waco named Edgar Lee Torrance opened what would become the first motel chain in America. With its cheesy white - stucco wink to the Alamo's facade, Torrance's Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts featured individual carports for guests, telephones in each room, and "a Beautyrest mattress on every bed," according to newspaper advertisements. The chain's eventual expansion to twenty courts in six Southern states predated the nation's first Holiday Inn, which didn't open until 1952, and Howard Johnson's, which was founded in 1954. Torrance helped cement Texas's reputation as a state in love with its open roads and far-flung destinations. The marketing slogan was Torrance's idea of Texas shorthand: "Remember the Alamo Plaza." By the latter part of the twentieth century, travelers associated motels with roaches, drugs, and/or verboten trysts. (Torrance reportedly at one point would not permit couples with local drivers' licenses to stay in his motels— an attempt to curb said trysts.) But travel industry entrepreneurs who understand the power of a rebrand have been dusting off old Texas motels— and the reputations that go with them—and refurbishing them for tourists in search of "authentic" local color. Motels and motor courts have made a comeback in recent years, and as the pandemic has led travelers to rediscover the great American road trip, younger generations of travelers are driving up and checking in. In Texas, the motel comeback comes in two flavors: refurbished updates of the old 1930s motor courts and new builds that riff on the humble vibes of mid-century lodgings. Many new and redesigned motels have opened in the past decade, with options across the state: Salado's Stagecoach Inn (2018), the East Austin Hotel (2019), Stonewall Motor Lodge in Stonewall (2019), and four new builds from Valencia Hotel Group from 2013 to 2020: Lone Star Court in Austin, Cavalry Court in College Station, Texican Court in Irving, and Cotton Court in Lubbock. You're Reading Your First Free Article I Already a SUBSCRIBE subscriber? Log in I https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 2/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly A guest room at Texican Court in Irving. Courtesy of Valencia Hotel Group An outdoor gathering space at Texican Court in Irving. Courtesy of Valencia Hotel Group You're Reading Your First Free Article I Already a SUBSCRIBE subscriber? Log in I https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 3/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly With clean lines, unfussy furnishings, and retro nudges, these properties intentionally recall a time before cookie -cutter hotel chains and credit card travel -rewards points were the norm. As motel owners and designers tell me, today's travelers want to feel like locals in their chosen destination. That means packing the itinerary with independently owned restaurants and activities fueled by local recommendations. They want places to stay that match their customized and Instagrammable agendas. Motels fit the bill. In Texas, Valencia Hotel Group has pushed the hardest for the motel resurgence, launching four newly built motor courts in eight years. The group's properties across Texas were a gamble that founder, president, and CEO Doyle Graham Jr. made based on his family vacations of the sixties and seventies. "The places you would stay, oftentimes roadside motor courts ... when you pulled in, the kids all piled out of the car, and we got in the pool, and our parents fixed a cocktail and sat outdoors and relaxed," he says. "The room was not the entertainment. We were outdoors." Graham's vision, birthed from a different generation, seems to resonate with travelers born in a different time. On a recent Friday at the Cotton Court in Lubbock, the bustling on-site restaurant Midnight Shift featured a local musician, while outdoor fire pits burned through the night. Many middle-aged and younger guests, some with laptops out, lingered over glasses of wine and games of Jenga. Rocking chairs in the exterior hallways are a signature of the brand, meant to draw visitors out of their rooms. Inside, the high -thread -count linens, Instagram-ready wall art (a framed cross-stitched Buddy Holly lyric: "You're so square, Baby I don't care"), and retro -style Smeg refrigerators stocked with locally sourced drinks and snacks are noted upgrades from the typical fare at classic motels. LATEST FROM WHERE TO STAY NOW SEE MORE ing Your First Free Artic Log in 0/1111�1, https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 4/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly Whether or not the name includes the word "motel," these Texas properties share design characteristics like squat, one- to three-story footprints, open- air corridors and entryways, and an emphasis on community spaces like outdoor fire pits and bars. Some even have designated coworking areas for both travelers and locals, lending some street cred to the shiny new digs. That laidback community experience is a big part of the draw. The pool at the Thunderbird Hotel in Marfa. Kate Berry/Thunderbird Hotel Part of the goal of an updated motel "is to make it feel like it belongs to that place," says Bob Harris, partner of Lake Flato Architects, who worked on Austin's Hotel San Jose and the Austin Motel with hotelier Liz Lambert, as well as other motor court projects like the Thunderbird Hotel in Marfa. "If I'm going to travel to a new city, I don't really want to feel like I'm experiencing the corporate chain version of that city," he says. "Really what we're doing is creating a social experience more so than just simply a place to Slee ceibeadin Hour First Free Article I Already a SUBSCRIBE Login �'111� https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 5/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly That was certainly the intention that began with the first wave of Texas motel revivals in the late nineties and early aughts. Austin's South Congress Avenue was the center of the trend then, with the revitalization of the run- down Hotel San Jose. Lambert's redo of the San Jose helped spark the modern development of South Congress, now an iconic Austin destination. Lambert acknowledges the renovation's role in kicking off gentrification of the neighborhood in her 2021 documentary, Through the Plexi -Glass: The Last Days of the San Jose. "The San Jose was one of the earliest examples you're going to see of that kind of boutique hotel reestablishment of a dilapidated motor court," says Harris. "I think it was extremely influential. That was our first hotel, but we do work all over the country now, and I can't tell you how many times people refer to the San Jose as a pivotal project." Harris says his team drew design inspiration from properties such as the still -operating historic Tarpon Inn in Port Aransas, a motor court that includes rocking chairs outside its doors, arranged on an elevated balcony to invite conviviality among guests. Larger hotel chains are grabbing at these "personal touch" hallmarks too, with events like complimentary wine social hour in the evenings or locally produced artwork in public spaces—but they often miss that crucial slow- down -and -chill vibe that Texas motels offer to travelers. "There is without a doubt a trend in hospitality where people want unique experiences—you can see this in the fact that every major hotel chain is trying to hide the fact that they are part of a major chain," says Jeff Trigger, president of Austin -based LaCorsha Hospitality Group, which owns East Austin Hotel and Salado's Stagecoach Inn, among other Texas properties. You're Reading Your First Free Article I Already a SUBSCRIBE subscriber? Log in I https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 6/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly Sixth and Waller at East Austin Hotel. Ryann Ford/La Corsha Hospitality Group At their inception, motels were not catering to budget travelers or hardscrabble locals. They were a clean, comfortable mid-range option with a high level of customer service. "We built nice motels—not extra nice—but nice," William Farner, a Torrance partner, reflected in a 1986 Houston Chronicle interview. "We catered to the customer. If someone needed to know where a grocery or a dry goods store was—we helped. If we could do the customer a favor, we did." Today's new motels are often branded as "boutiques" and charge four-star rates to match that kind of exclusive service and local experience. The historic Stagecoach Inn, which reopened in 2018, generally charges around $200 per night, while rates for Valencia Group's court hotels range from $150 to $200. As a result, owners are more likely to see their real competition as Airbnb, not the behemoth hotel brands. In Fort Worth, Hotel Dryce, slated to open this summer with 21 rooms, is a new build within the bones of an old dry -ice factory in the city's Cultural D'i�s4�'I'H��i�'i{l�gis'��vi� cd%�isaand centng subscriber? Log in� erm space, but owner j onathan Morris prefers the congratulatory"""""""""I'""""""""""""" "craft https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 7/12 EYPUINI til The Great Roadside Motel Comeback — Texas Monthly hotel." A popular local entrepreneur (he owns Fort Worth Barber Shop and stars in a new show on the Magnolia Network, SelfEmployed), Morris is the type of person who says a hotel lobby is his "love language." He hopes the small boutique space brings locals and travelers together organically—an aspiration that's on trend for these new lodgings. Among other touches, Morris will offer annual grants to showcase local artists, particularly artists of color, in his hotel, and rooms will be tricked out with smart pads to let guests order extra towels or get a restaurant recommendation. It's the old Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts' customer service reimagined for the twenty-first century. As Americans break out of our pandemic year and begin to travel again, with a reinvigorated interest in road trips, expect to see friends posing in those rocking chairs in your Instagram grid. A recent survey found that 88 percent of Americans have travel plans within the next six months, the highest level in more than a year. Motel owners say leisure business has remained steady. "It's an interesting trend to hit right now, because Americans are probably going to be exploring their own country more avidly than they have in years," says Pauline Frommer, editorial director for Frommers.com and Frommer's guidebooks. "I think we're in the golden age of the road trip, and these motels were built for road trips." ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... LEAVE A COMMENT ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... You're ReadingYour First Free Article Alread a TRENDING Y SUBSCRIBE subscriber. Login ��' https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/the-great-roadside-motel-comeback/ 8/12 7/15/2021 Hotel room prices: Hotels hit record average daily rate over July 4 4 USA 11111 TO DAY Yes, room prices are higher. Hotel rates hit record high the week of July 4. USA TODAY U.S. hotel room rates hit an all-time high this month, driven by pent-up demand among leisure travelers. The average daily room rate, or ADR, the week of July 4 was $139.84 — 5.4% higher than the comparable week in 2019. Analysts from hotel analytics company STR, which published the findings Thursday, said pent-up demand and higher spending travelers have allowed hotels to boost their room rates. Hotels in some regions could also be hiking rates to offset rising operational costs and staffing shortages. STR's senior director of consulting, Ali Hoyt, said a lack of group business travel could also be a factor. "Most of the demand we're seeing right now is with leisure demand, so without that group business ... we don't have those typically lower discounted group rates," Hoyt told USA Hotel deals: Looking for a good hotel deal this summer? Try these big cities Hotel sta is Where are the housekeepers? COVID-19 guidelines, labor shortage affect hotel housekeeping service Most of the hotels struggling to catch up to pre -pandemic ADR can be found in major metropolitan markets like New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., while warm destinations like cities in Florida and Arizona have been able to hike prices to keep up with high demand. Average daily room rates in Miami saw the biggest jump compared with 2019 prices, up 44.7% to $225.14 the week of July 4. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2021 /07/15/hotel-room-prices-rates-average-record-daily/7984385002/ 1/2 Hotel room prices: Hotels hit record average daily rate over July 4 "We're certainly very encouraged to see room rates climbing to this record levels during the holiday week and the summer," Hoyt said. "It's been a challenging year and a half in the hospitality industry in the U.S.... It's an encouraging sign for operators who are trying to make up what they lost over the last year and a half." Some, like Marriott International Inc., are already appreciating the tailwinds from summer travel demand. CEO Tony Capuano told CNBC in a Wednesday interview that the company had a "smashing Fourth of July weekend," with average daily room rates up 20% over 2019 and luxury hotel rates up nearly 35%. STR expects average daily room rates to grow 6.3% this year. Rates will need to continue to grow to make up for lost ground after dropping 21% in 2020. "It'll be interesting to see how the summer shakes out and then come this fall, how does corporate travel ... and less leisure (travel) play into performance," Hoyt said. "We're still looking at a multiyear recovery for ADR." Vacation rental costs are surging: `You better book something now' https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2021 /07/15/hotel-room-prices-rates-average-record-daily/7984385002/ 2/2