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Growing up in Kent in southeast London, Mark Eacott was always a curious kid—inspired by his artist grandfather, who taught him how to sketch and draw, and his dad, who was a builder with a strong do-it-yourself skillset. Those influences, coupled with Eacott’s creative mind, fostered his passion for design. He majored in architecture at the University of Bath, where he studied abroad as part of the Erasmus exchange program at TU Delft, a specialized architecture school in Holland. That was a life-changing experience for Eacott, ultimately leading to an internship at OMA in Rotterdam where he worked alongside Rem Koolhaas. (Eacott went on to earn his master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London.)
His career took off from there, and he added a list of hospitality giants to his résumé including Soho House, Yoo, HBA, and SBE, before landing at Ennismore (the latter two companies were both acquired by Accor), where he’s been the global vice president of design since 2019. Eacott’s philosophy is centered around service and experience. He’s unafraid to retool brands that need a facelift or to call upon nostalgia for reboots of industry gamechangers, like the refresh of the Delano in Miami. Now based in Dubai, Eacott shares lessons learned along his impressive journey and how a successful brand is rooted in emotion.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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In 1979, as the Iranian Revolution swept through the streets of Tehran, Younes Nazarian and his wife Soraya Sarah made the decision to leave behind a successful construction business and move their family to the U.S., ultimately landing in Los Angeles. His youngest son, Sam, was only 3 years old at the time, but he watched his dad build a new life in America. Younes’ business acumen led him to become an early investor in technology company Qualcomm and eventually chairman of Nazarian Enterprises, which focused on a variety of interests in the private, public, and real estate markets.SB
Like his father, Sam, showcased a formidable drive. A smart, athletic kid, he played baseball and basketball in high school and college before attending NYU’s Stern School of Business. By 23, Sam had become the country’s largest distributor of Nextel, a wireless digital communications provider. A year later, he ventured into hotel real estate, buying the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. By the time he was 26, Sam had invested in 10 hotels and had even dipped his toes into film production on the side.
In 2006, he launched SBE—Sammy Boy Entertainment, a callback to a childhood nickname. After a series of successful nightclub venues, the first SLS hotel in Beverly Hills opened, a testament to his vision of blending F&B and nightlife into a cohesive luxury-meets-lifestyle experience.
As the SBE brand grew, so did Nazarian’s ambitions. In 2020, he sold the company to Accor, and this January, he announced HQ Projects, a strategic partnership with Wyndham that provides hotel owners with the freedom to craft their own hospitality stories.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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New Jersey native David Barry studied law before getting into real estate development alongside his brother, focusing on redeveloping shipyards and truckyards. When the W brand was being developed in Hoboken, New Jersey, Barry entered the hospitality side of the real estate business. Today, he counts Chiltern Firehouse in London, New York's Chelsea Hotel, and Caldera House in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on his client list.
Barry has always been a curious person and interested in exploring new frontiers, which led him to founding Urby in 2012, the hospitality-inspired urban housing concept centered on modern design, high-end amenities, affordable pricing, and programming.
Simplicity is key to the success of Urby, which is currently found in six locations with four more on the boards in Philadelphia; Washington, DC; Wynwood, Florida; and Journal Square, New Jersey.
As he looks ahead, Barry says his greatest lesson learned is to not get caught up in the noise and chatter of the present moment but to think longterm and plan accordingly.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Located in the Great Smoky Mountains in Walland, Tennessee, the 68-room Blackberry Farm is a verdant escape known for its food, wine, and Southern hospitality. The small inn was originally purchased by Samuel E. Beall III (known as Sandy), founder of the Ruby Tuesday chain, and his wife, Kreis, in 1976. After adding land and more buildings, it blossomed into the exclusive property it is today.
In 1998, Sandy's son and Mary Celeste's husband, Sam, took it over, transforming it into a culinary powerhouse and must-visit getaway tucked away in East Tennessee.
After Sam's unexpected passing in 2016, Mary Celeste became proprietor while raising her five children. Mary Celeste, who has a degree in accounting, didn't shy away from the challenge. In fact, she credits the power of believing in herself for ushering the resort into its next—and most exciting—era yet.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Known for her sensual, dynamic designs that integrate with their surroundings, the Iceland-born, West Hollywood, California-based Gulla Jónsdóttir creates unique spatial experiences that exist at the intersection of organic beauty and function.
Since 2009 when she launched her firm Atelier Gulla Jónsdóttir, she has spearheaded projects including China’s Macau Roosevelt hotel and the renovation of Hollywood’s Chinese Theater. With the Sandbourne Santa Monica in California and 1 Hotel Crete in Greece on the boards, Jónsdóttir continues to immerse guests in their surroundings with an approach centered on all five senses.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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A diagnosis of colon cancer led Alejandro Bataller’s father Alfredo Bataller to launch the SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante, Spain 15 years ago. Today, the family-run business has established itself as of one of the leading wellness resorts in the world. A recently opened outpost in Costa Mujeres, Mexico designed by local firms Sordo Madaleno and Alejandro Escudero (a forthcoming property set on a 25-acre island on the coastline between Dubai and Abu Dhabi is on the boards) continues the company's goal to transform people’s health and wellbeing through innovative, cutting-edge practices wrapped in a hospitality-focused luxury experience. Additionally, the company's real estate development arm, AB Living Group, is working with Marriott to develop branded residences and resort projects in Mexico under the SHA Wellness brand. “For us, this is much more than a business, it's a mission,” says Alejandro.
This episode is brought to you by American Leather. For more information, go to americanleather.com.Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Mario Tricoci got the entrepreneurial bug at an early age, watching his parents revolutionize the salon world and invent the day spa concept. He saw what they created and wanted to emulate it, but with his own spin. When he opened the Simeone Deary Design Group-crafted Elysian hotel in Chicago in 2009, it changed the hospitality landscape as a refined luxury hotel that put community first and offered approachable service. The project was short-lived (they sold it in 2011), but Tricoci was just getting started, launching Aparium Hotel Group in 2012. Today, the hotel owner and operator counts 11 properties in its portfolio, with four more slated to open this year. Here, the CEO and founder shares how his philosophy of finding the right partner, place, and product has led to Aparium’s decade-plus of success.
This episode is brought to you by American Leather. For more information, go to americanleather.com.Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Studio Collective partners Leslie Kale, Adam Goldstein, and Christian Schulz founded their firm during the Great Recession. Though they started out to make ends meet, they soon found successful with cocktail lounge the Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt before diving into hotels with the Landsby in Sylvan, California. Today, the trio leads a 20-person team, where they’ve expanded their portfolio with notable projects like the Hotel Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles, Proper Hotels' spinoff brand Hotel June on LA’s Westside, and recently, Ferraro’s Bar & Restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. With more than two decades of experience, the Venice, California-based design firm has learned how to let the client and project dictate where things are headed. “You have to trust that it will still be great,” says Schulz.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Growing up in Brooklyn, New York and then Long Island, Julien Albertini, cofounder of Asthetíque, was influenced by his architect father and his mother, who loved redecorating their home. He studied architecture and then finance, designing small projects around the city until he met his business partner, the Moscow-based designer Alina Pimkina. Their vision and goals aligned, and their design firm, with offices in New York, Miami, and recently Riyadh, has showcased that rich intersection of masculine and feminine in projects for the past seven years, from Café Polet in Moscow to to Kahawa Café in Doha. Albertini shares his journey from architecture and finance student to successful entrepreneur.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Childhood friends Asher Warr and Robin Faulkner, cofounders of Amarla Hotels, launched their first property in Cartagena in 2018. The 17th-century mansion, a former tobacco factory, celebrates the community via authentic experiences—a pillar of the newly founded brand. Next came Amarla Casco Viejo, the eight-room boutique that is reimagining Panama’s hospitality scene. The British entrepreneurs are rethinking hospitality by creating hotels centered around what they call a heartfelt hospitality approach—one that transcends the property and immerses visitors into the location.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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From an early age, the Melbourne-bred, New York-based Ross Mollison had a love for music and live entertainment. This nascent passion led him to launch Spiegelworld in 2005, known for its groundbreaking shows that blend cabaret, the circus, and variety performances.
Under Mollison's leadership, Spiegelworld has become synonymous with cutting-edge, adult-oriented entertainment that pushes the boundaries of traditional theatrical experiences. Indeed, his creativity and vision have played a key role in shaping Spiegelworld's reputation as a trailblazer in the world of live entertainment, spotlighted in the forthcoming DiscoShow and the development of a circus town in Nipton, California, where Mollison and his team dream up their creative, otherworldly endeavors.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Carlos Martínez Flórez, who left Cuba when he was 3 years old, spent his early years in Puerto Rico, where he developed a passion for reading and storytelling. He struggled in school but was always interested in architecture, which he pursued at the Ohio State University. He cut his teeth with Holabird & Root, the Doblin Group, and Perkins&Will before landing at Gensler in 2001. With more than four decades of industry experience, Martínez Flórez now serves as the co-managing director and design principal at the firm's New York office, where he has become integral in fostering the next generation of design professionals.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Louis Thompson began his hospitality career working with Six Senses. While there, he learned about the importance of sustainability, innovation, and regeneration. In 2011, after 10 years with the wellness-focused brand, Thompson founded Nomadic Resorts. It was a natural next step for the entrepreneur, who was experimenting with crafting eco-friendly resorts in remote locales. Take the Wild Coast Tented Lodge near the Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. Thompson, who designed the building to blend into its natural surroundings, also trained 80 people from a neighboring fishermen's village to help with the construction. Today, Thompson is again pushing the envelope as he introduces salutogenic architecture to a new audience, where he hopes to influence mental wellbeing through design. Here, he shares his vision for the future of hospitality, including the development of niche experiences that cultivate community.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Growing up in Scotland, surrounded by Glasgow's vibrant culture and architecture, Iain Watson, CEO of David Collins Studio, found his passion early on. A chance meeting with David Collins changed his life forever. He started working alongside the designer over the summer. Since that pivotal moment, spanning more than three decades, Watson has remained an integral part of the studio's evolution. Together, they carved a niche in the hospitality industry, crafting iconic spaces, including chef Pierre Koffmann's La Tante Claire in Chelsea, Claridge's Bar at the Claridge's Hotel in London, and the Blue Bar in London's Berkeley Hotel. The firm is also one of a handful of designers behind the highly anticipated Fontainebleau Las Vegas, opening this month. After Collins’ death in 2013, Watson took the reins of the company, where he has ushered the studio into a new era while still honoring Collins’ legacy.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Born in Laguna Beach, California, Maryellis Bunn, founder of the Museum of Ice Cream, was influenced by her artist mother, who shaped her creative mindset. Dubbed the Millennial Walt Disney, Bunn launched the original concept for the Museum of Ice Cream as a pop-up in New York in 2016, and has since transformed it into brick-and-mortar experiential spaces that invite people to slide into a pool made of biodegradable sprinkles or enjoy a cocktail at the pretty-in-pink bar. With standalone museums in New York, Chicago, Austin, and Singapore, Bunn continues to evolve the brand’s mission to create spaces that inspire imagination and unite people around something “as simple and beautiful as ice cream,” she says,
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Designer Ken Fulk is a renaissance man, avid traveler, and a design dreamer. He’s known for his artistry and creativity, conjuring cinematic experiences that defy expectations. Take his longtime partnership with nightlife empresario David Grutman. Together, they have created the whimsical Goodtime Hotel and the recently opened, equally eclectic and singular, Casadonna, both in Miami. Fulk is also evolving his office, owning and operating some of the restaurants he designs. “There’s no exit strategy here,” he says. “People ask if I’ll ever slow down, and I hope not. We will continue to evolve, grow, and stay curious.”
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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Tom Parker and Andy Goodwin founded the London- and Los Angeles-based Fettle in 2013 after a decade of working with some of London’s most notable design firms including United Designers and Martin Brudnizki Design Studio. Launching their own firm was the natural next step for the friends-turned-business partners. “At the time, it was very exciting and it felt like we were on the precipice of something great,” says Parker. Today, their portfolio includes the Hoxton, Portland in Oregon, the Draycott in LA, and the just-opened Georgian, their meticulous revitalization of a grande dame in Santa Monica, California.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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British-Nigerian designer Tolù Adẹ̀kọ́, who founded his London-based Adẹ̀kọ́ & Co in 2014, is known for his compelling design narratives that nod to his childhood in Lagos, Nigeria. He moved to London at the age of 6, and it wasn’t long before Adẹ̀kọ́ started sketching furniture and clothing that caught the eye of his teachers and landed him a slot in a summer product design program led by Terence Conran. His resumé includes stints with United Design Partnership and David Collins Studio, where he helped design Waldorf Astoria Lusail, Doha’s outpost of Italian restaurant Scarpetta. Today, along with his eight-person team, he is crafting luxe interiors for a forthcoming fleet of cruise ships and designing a scullery inside a London men’s hostel where residents find community in cooking and eating together.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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When COVID hit, Lola Taverna in New York’s SoHo neighborhood had only been open for a few months. The world had stopped, and Cobi Levy and Will Makris, the duo behind Prince Street Hospitality, had to pivot. They turned Lola Taverna into a communal gathering spot, offering takeout food with chairs to rent (the money went to first responders). Utilizing the park next door, they served up to 250 people a day. It helped them survive those uncertain pandemic days, and when restaurants were finally able to reopen, Lola Taverna was on everyone’s mind, with a waitlist on the weekends that numbered up to 4,000. Today, their portfolio includes seven restaurants in New York and Miami, with Alba on the boards in Los Angeles, the pair’s first foray to the West Coast.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
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As president of luxury at Marriott International, Tina Edmundson oversees all aspects of Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, Luxury Collection, JW Marriott, and W Hotels Worldwide brands. But Edmundson, an industry veteran, first made a significant mark on the company as global brand and marketing officer, leading a portfolio of 30 distinct hotel brands upon the massive merger of Marriott and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Raised in Mumbai, India, where Edmundson’s parents worked for an airline before her entrepreneurial mother opened a string of beauty salons, Edmundson graduated with a finance degree from the University of Bombay, and then ventured to the U.S. to pursue her MBA in hotel and restaurant administration at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton college.
Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.
- Se mer
