Name: Thomas P. Botts
Title: Executive vice president and chief customer officer
Company, city: Denihan Hospitality Group; headquartered in New York, N.Y.
Number of employees: 2,000
Recent project: Refining our revenue platforms from brands to revenue management systems; redesigning and re-engineering all of our websites; launching a new industry-leading mobile app for The James brand, bringing a new level of customization to guests pre-, during and post-stay.
First job: Loading luggage and cargo for Delta Air Lines at Boston Logan Airport. Stacking 200-pound boxes of seafood in the belly of a Boeing 727 keeps you in great shape!
Little-known fact about you: I’ve recently started running, which most people would not expect unless I were wearing loafers and charging through an airport.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: Hire great people, give them the tools and latitude to make innovation happen and reward them appropriately.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Listen to our customers, and equally as important, listen to what newcomers on the inside of the business say — the old ways are often good ways but not the best ways.
Yardstick of success: Customer loyalty and data prove all.
Thomas P. Botts as a Traveler
What is the most important item you take when traveling? My iPhone, pictures of my family and fun socks
How do you spend your time on board? Online
What is your favorite restaurant in the world? Per Se in New York City
What is your favorite destination in the world? Madagascar
About Denihan Hospitality Group
What can travelers expect from Denihan Hospitality? Denihan owns and operates 14 boutique hotels in New York City; Chicago; Miami; and Washington, D.C. Whether staying at one of our boutique hotels operating under The James brand or within the Affinia Collection — or at one of our luxury independents such as The Surrey or The Benjamin in New York City — there is a centralized focus on authentic guest service. Meticulous attention to detail and a deep respect for our associates are hallmarks of Denihan built over our 50-plus years in the hospitality business.
What makes your brands unique? Denihan is a family of hotels from a hotel family. Our approach is not built around design trends, cookie-cutter approaches or service gimmicks but around the authentic values that are the foundation of a great guest experience.
What is the most challenging aspect of expanding the brand in North America? Access to capital. We have great brands and great people — the hard part is finding the right deal. As a recent example, we’d been looking for the right project and the right partners for some time to launch our expansion to the West Coast, and our diligence and patience paid off. We recently announced The James Los Angeles, the first new-build hotel in West Hollywood in 30 years, opening in 2016. It will be in one of the city’s most iconic locations — at the intersection of Sunset and La Cienega boulevards. Projects like this don’t happen overnight; our growth strategy entails finding the right projects in locations where our customers want to be, not growing for the sake of growing.
Read This Next
Lotte Hotel Seoul
2014 / February 2014
Jun 1, 2016All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Jul 26, 2024Accor Unveils Its First Handwritten Collection Brand in the United States
San Francisco, a city renowned for its commercial hubs and cultural sites, will become the first destination in the United States for one of Accor's newest brands, Handwritten Collection. The city’s Hotel Stratford San Francisco, Handwritten Collection is a European-style boutique property located near Union Square on the famous Powell Street cable car line. The area will now have the Handwritten Collection name behind it. The property becomes Accor's third hotel in San Francisco, joining the Fairmont properties atop Nob Hill and at Ghirardelli Square.
Sponsored Content
Explore Gyeonggi Province in South Korea
Gyeonggi Province, encircling Seoul, offers seamless travel with access to two major airports and a well-connected transportation system. It boasts top-notch MICE facilities, like KINTEX and Suwon Convention Center, along with a wide array of international-branded and resort-style hotels spread across its 31 cities and counties. Visitors can explore rich historical sites, including UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites like the DMZ and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress.
Global City Guidebook 2024
Jul 26, 2024Bask in Nature’s Tranquility at The Spa at Four Seasons Tamarindo
When the two of us entered The Spa at Four Seasons Tamarindo, past the backlit boutique items and local artisan-painted wood carvings, the place wrapped us in a feeling of tranquility. Its stone walls, earth tones, woven wall hangings and furniture made of natural materials reminded us we are part of nature’s spectrum, the abundant windows showing native plants and trees outside.
Daily
Jul 26, 20244 Boutique Hotels with Exclusive Wedding Buyout Offerings
Couples looking for an over-the-top wedding, consider one of these properties around the world, offering total property buyouts to say your “I do’s.”
Sponsored Content
Reconnecting the World: GBTA Convention 2023 Spotlights the Vital Role of Business Travel and In-Person Connection
In an increasingly digital and interconnected world, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention remains an indispensable platform for business travel industry professionals seeking to make the most of the power of face-to-face connections. Taking place August 13–15 in Dallas, the 2023 GBTA Convention provides the unique opportunity for professionals and companies to join visionaries, thought leaders and industry experts for meaningful networking, cutting-edge insights and inspiring innovation.
Airlines
Jul 26, 2024BermudAir Maximizes Choices for Travelers with New Options
BermudAir announced an expanded fare structure, allowing customers to choose from five fare types across economy and business class, up from the previous three options. Travelers can now select fares based on their preferences for lounge access, checked baggage, change fees, refunds and priority boarding.
Discover Hvar, Croatia’s, Best-Kept Secrets
Daily
Jul 25, 2024Daily
Jul 24, 2024SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites Introduces Custom Wine Itineraries
SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites offers guests personalized journeys to Mendoza’s finest wineries from Susana Balbo’s family. Immerse yourself in bespoke wine itineraries recommended by Balbo, Argentina’s first female winemaker; her son and third-generation winemaker, José Lovaglio Balbo; and her daughter, hotelier and wine tourism marketer, Ana Lovaglio Balbo.
Sponsored Content
Share Miles with Family and Friends with United Airlines
As you look ahead to winter travel, United Airlines and its MileagePlus loyalty program introduced MileagePlus miles pooling, which allows members to contribute and combine miles into a joint account. Groups of up to five members can now share and redeem miles in one linked account. As the first and only major U.S. airline to offer this feature, United also allows any MileagePlus member, whether relatives or close friends, to be in a pool with other members.
eFlyer Reviews
Jul 24, 2024Althoff Grand Hotel Schloss Bensberg Review
After a long drive from our previous destination, it was a relief to see Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg in our view. When we pulled into the hotel court, I felt like we were pulling up to a royal palace. Considering the hotel was originally built as a castle for Prince Elector Johann Wilhelm II of Duesseldorf and his wife, Maria-Luisa of the Medici family, my thought wasn’t that far off.
ShareThis