Bentley Legacy Holdings | May 30, 2024

Deep expertise and passion for hospitality drive opportunity and value for growing family-run real estate business

PLANO, Texas (May 30, 2024)—Bentley Legacy Holdings (“BLH”) is targeting strategic growth with the official launch of its hotel operating division, Bentley Legacy Group, the acquisition of new properties and the hiring of industry-leading talent to further cement its position within the hospitality industry. The intentional investments in dynamic properties throughout the country and the hiring of two experienced industry leaders Matt Berge and Ginger Van Nest allow BLH to be a premier hospitality partner and operator.

Helmed by Les Bentley with his three daughters in key roles, BLH is set to continue on the remarkable growth of the past year, which included the creation of Pendant Capital, a funding and investing arm led by David Capps. The formation of Bentley Legacy Group as the management arm of BLH allows the company to prioritize top notch guest experiences and financial performance for its portfolio, including the recently announced acquisition of The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection, in Kansas City, Missouri.

“As we have been making significant investments in properties across the country and bringing them into our portfolio, we always knew we wanted to return to our roots and be hands-on as the management team behind the guest experience at those hotels,” Bentley said. “Hotel operations have always been part of our family history, and it’s a legacy I am proud to continue, following in the footsteps of my father and passing the torch to my daughters as the third-generation visionary partners for hotel ownership, investments and management.”

In addition to the Raphael Hotel, BLH has an ownership stake in La Fonda on the Plaza and the soon-to-be reimagined Old Santa Fe Inn, both in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Senza Hotel in Napa, California; Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona, Arizona; Canopy by Hilton Dallas Uptown; and the Hampton Inn & Suites Boerne in Boerne, Texas. BLH is continuing to expand this portfolio with an investment in the future Hotel Bozeman and Residences, the first Autograph Collection branded hotel in Montana, which is set to open in 2026.

“With our portfolio continuing steady growth, we wanted to further optimize our investments by assuming management of these assets,” said Lisa Holman, Chief Financial Officer of Bentley Legacy Holdings. “We can realize the true value and potential of each property because we’re able to be more nimble and efficient as we streamline our management to better align with other aspects of the company. Being in the owner-operator seat gives us a new level of control and allows us to deliver the kind of guest interactions we want people to associate with Bentley.”

With this focus on operations comes new talent, as the hiring of Berge and Van Nest add significant hospitality operations expertise to an already-deep bench of talent.

Berge joins BLH as President and Chief Operating Officer, bringing 37 years of operational experience with both brands and third party operations. Most recently SVP of Operations at Aimbridge Hospitality, where he saw a diverse portfolio, Berge also spent more than 20 years with Starwood. Van Nest serves BLH as the Senior Vice President of Commercial Services, overseeing sales, e-commerce and revenue management. Her 15 years of industry experience include sales and commercial strategy roles at Aimbridge Hospitality, as well as 8-plus years as a brand champion for Hyatt.

 

“This is an exciting time to be joining Bentley Legacy Holdings, as we have an incredible opportunity to be part of a family-run operation and contribute to building something that ultimately creates a greater return on our investments,” Berge said. “Our perspective comes from being both an owner and an operator, and we are intimately involved with every single deal in our portfolio, which gives us unique insights into the daily operations and builds more trust with our investors and other partners.”

BLH was born from a passion for hospitality and hotel operations, founded by industry legend Les Bentley in 2013 following an illustrious career that includes roles as the original founder of Aimbridge Hospitality, President of Wyndham International and operating leader at Marriott.

Learn more about BLH at bentleylegacy.com.