Hilton’s newest South Florida hotel announces general manager and director of sales & marketing
AVENTURA, FL – December 2020: Kai Fischer has been appointed general manager and Reynaldo Ramirez has been named director of sales and marketing of Hilton Aventura Miami, set to open in the first quarter of 2021. Together they will oversee daily operations and sales efforts of South Florida’s newest Hilton hotel. Fischer and Ramirez will drive corporate, leisure and group business, and establish the 208-room property as a leading luxury hotel in the heart of Aventura with an exceptional culinary program, upscale accommodations, and premier access to nearby shopping, beaches, golf courses and casinos.
A seasoned hospitality executive, Fischer opened the Marriott Castle Harbour Bermuda early in his career as the food and beverage complex manager. From there he took on a variety of roles at Marriott’s headquarters in Bethesda, MD, and then worked his way up through numerous operational, sales and general manager positions including the Marriott Dallas/Fort Worth Westlake and Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center. Fischer left Dallas and moved on to New York to become the multi-property director of sales and marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he played an instrumental role in the $180 million renovation of Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. For the past seven years Fischer has served as the general manager of Hilton Westchester in New York, known for their spacious event venues and farm-to-table culinary approach. Now taking the helm of the new Hilton Aventura Miami, Fischer will oversee all operations, be responsible for staff development, financial planning, sales and revenue management, and ensuring overall guest satisfaction.
“Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate enough to work with first-class individuals, who have taught me the resilience of the hotel industry and the desire of our guests to travel. Continuing on that path, I couldn’t be more excited to assemble a best-in-class team to bring the hotel’s curated luxury experiences to life, raising the bar for luxury in South Florida,” said Fischer. “The hotel has a prime location right across from the Aventura Mall, convenient to Hard Rock Stadium and both international airports. The property will be home to an elevated pool deck with food and beverage service, host to an exceptional culinary program and, of course, our team will provide the world-class hospitality that is synonymous with the Hilton name. This hotel will be far from ordinary, and I look forward to leading the effort.”
A Florida native, Ramirez brings 24 years of well-rounded, South Florida sales industry knowledge to Hilton Aventura Miami, having held various management positions at a variety of high-profile hotel brands, including Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, InterContinental Hotel Group and more. Throughout his career he has worked with Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts, Victor Hotels, and a variety of resorts managed by Interval International, where he was responsible for developing sales, marketing and revenue strategies to reach specific revenue goals year over year. Most recently, Ramirez served as complex director of sales and marketing at AC Marriott Aventura and Aloft Miami Aventura. As part of the opening team for Aloft Aventura, Ramirez has first-hand experience with spearheading hotel openings in the Aventura market. At Hilton Aventura Miami, Ramirez will be responsible for overseeing sales and marketing, developing strategies for revenue growth, managing a team of sales associates, and working with marketing teams to ensure consistent media messaging and social communication strategy.
“I know and love the Miami market, and am thrilled to now be working with the latest and greatest up-and-coming project in Aventura,” said Ramirez. “With its mix of 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and lifestyle amenities, paired with an energetic atmosphere, the hotel will provide a perfect blend to appeal to a variety of corporate, leisure travelers, locals and group business. I look forward to applying my skill set of opening hotels and managing sales teams to drive revenue not only to the hotel, but to the greater Miami community that I call home.”
