The Boutique Lifestyle is clearly an opportunity to participate in some of the most ingenious projects post-Covid, globally
June 9, 2021, Los Angeles – The Boutique Hotel Investment Conference 2021, powered by BLLA, was deemed an astounding success by not only attendees, judging by the dozens of testimonials coming in, but also the association’s leadership as well as their program planning committee. The nearly 100 speakers lead participants through the twists and turns of buying, investing, and operating today’s most popular and promising boutique hospitality sector. The opportunities presented through presentations, discussions, debates, case studies, mentorship circles, and fireside chats, were proof that the segment is booming more than ever before.
Speakers hit high notes on everything from why to invest all the way to how to invest, including educational sessions directed at seasoned and first-time independent hotel owners/developers as well as the more than 100 hospitality students from a university in Switzerland attending the conference. We had an update from Keynote Speaker, Ian Schrager, as his focus is clearly on his beloved PUBLIC Hotel brand. The newly refreshed property in Manhattan is re-opening on June 15th and it will be a new design, a reincarnation, a new beginning for the brand. “The whole restaurant, the whole ground floor has been taken to a new level, a completely different cuisine. Just everything completely different including design. And we have a real surprise downstairs in the multimedia entertainment space. It will blow everyone away stated Ian Schrager.”
BLLA is one of the first conferences to offer owners and developers an opportunity to PRESENT THEIR HOTEL PROJECTS during the conference. The projects included a one-of-a-kind project in Patagonia, Argentina, an Opportunity Zone high-end boutique hotel project in Hudson, New York, and a boutique hotel in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico catering to the LGBT community. This concept of Presenting is being repeated in the fall with a full, focused agenda.
At the heart of these sessions were shared understandings that the future of hospitality is clearly boutique. Keynote speaker, Gilda Perez-Alvarado (Global CEO, JLL Hotels & Hospitality), stated that “The boutique hotel space is so strongly positioned to do incredibly well and to recover much quicker than the rest of the industry.” As she further explained, it is “that human element — that local element” that attracts customers and motivates them to keep coming back. A human connection forms the basis for boutique hospitality, and in today’s landscape, this need for an authentic and intimate sector is becoming exceedingly prominent.
All attendees were given access to an exclusive platform to engage and connect with like-minded professionals. Through virtual speed dating sessions, participants were encouraged to grow their network and connect with potential clients, investors, and collaborators. This opportunity for growth expanded upon the concept of community – a key theme throughout the conference.
“I am personally so proud of our team and their valiant efforts to pull off a seamless digital event. It is not easy these days to keep the attention of people. BLLA had a similar success factor last September, so with practice comes perfection; basically no different than live events,” stated Frances Kiradjian, founder and CEO, BLLA. “Our sponsors, speakers, members, and guests really stepped up to fully participate in the day and a half of activities. We carry on — being the leader of the boutique lifestyle and for that, we take our jobs very seriously.”
“The topics covered were vital for the growth of boutique hotels in the U.S. and across the world. Experts banded together to share ideas, strategies and support each other with an open mind. It was beautiful to see the community come together to create a vibrant and productive space focused on investment. Creating boutique hotels is an art that takes a special skill to execute properly — this is something that BLLA focuses on when creating the conference agenda,” stated Ariela Kiradjian, COO of BLLA and Co-founder StayBoutique. “We were also excited to present Jonathan Falik of JF Capital Advisors with the first-ever BLLA Legends Award for his unwavering commitment to the association.”
Post-event conference access to all video content and resources can be ordered here at the event site.
