Growing Boutique Hotel Collection Staffs Up for Pipeline of Expansion
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MAY 3, 2021 – Kirkwood Collection has hired Kenan Jones as Vice President of Operations to shepherd the collection through upcoming acquisitions and expansion of the brand. Jones has over 17 years of experience in operational and senior leadership roles with some of the most iconic brands in the boutique and lifestyle hotel space.
Kenan joins Kirkwood after his latest role as the opening General Manager of The Hoxton hotel in Downtown LA. There, under his leadership the property achieved #1 ranking on TripAdvisor, outperforming 400+ hotels in Los Angeles. Previously, Kenan held GM positions at Ace Hotel & Theater in downtown Los Angeles and The Standard Hotel in New York City’s East Village.
Jones will oversee Kirkwood’s regional operational strategy and work closely with onsite management to meet the brand’s objectives. With his vast operational experience, Jones will further the brand’s goal of blending the best of boutique hotels, B&B’s and vacation rentals with an institutional-grade operations philosophy.
“I’m delighted to be joining the Kirkwood Collection and its team of vibrant and creative individuals. The character of each property located within California’s quintessential vacation destinations make for a truly one-of-a-kind experience. As we move back to normalcy in a post-COVID travel industry, the future is bright at Kirkwood and I’m honored to be a part of this next chapter,” says Jones.
Kirkwood Collection Founder and CEO Alex Kirkwood adds, “Kenan will play a leading role as Vice President of Operations managing our growing team across the state of California. We are excited to bring his ideas to life across the portfolio and into the next chapter as we onboard new hotels in our pipeline.”
Jones has led three hotel opening teams including The W Hotel & Residences in Hollywood and The Standard Highline in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District working with new construction as well as conversion of historic sites.
Jones has been responsible for assets generating annual revenues in excess of $30 million and teams of over 150 employees. He was selected to attend Starwood’s (now Marriott) intensive hotel management program and continued his education by completing certification in Hotel Real Estate & Asset Management through Cornell University.
