DENVER, CO – November 22, 2021 – Thompson Denver, the first Denver property in the Thompson Hotels portfolio set to open January 2022, announces the appointment of its seasoned executive team. The highly anticipated hotel will be led by Amanda Parsons as area vice president and general manager, Matt Ojinaga as director of sales and marketing, and internationally acclaimed chef Ludo Lefebvre as the culinary visionary behind Chez Maggy, the hotel’s signature restaurant. With decades of combined hospitality and culinary experience spanning the country and internationally, the veteran team will be instrumental in ushering the new hotel and dining destination in Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo) district. The new-build hotel, owned by the leading hospitality real estate firm T2 Hospitality, will feature Chez Maggy, a sophisticated 90-seat restaurant; Reynard Social, a sixth-floor sunroom bar and lounge; a 1,032-square-foot signature Thompson Suite; and ample meetings and events spaces.
“I am thrilled to continue my work with the Thompson Hotels brand and spearhead the brand’s expansion into the Denver market,” said Amanda Parsons, area vice president and general manager of Thompson Denver. “Ludo, Matt and I are honored to bring our collective experience and personal connections together to craft a unique offering which celebrates the Mile High City’s storied history and personality.”
A longtime fixture in the hospitality industry, Amanda Parsons brings over 20 years of hospitality experience as area vice president and general manager at Thompson Denver. She has been instrumental in the upcoming debut of Thompson Hotels’ first property in the Mile High City, where she oversees hotel operations and sales and marketing efforts. Parsons began her career in Seattle at The Edgewater Hotel before joining Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ Alexis Hotel and Hotel Monaco. Parsons then relocated to Chicago to open Hotel Palomar, followed by a move to Minneapolis where she served as general manager of Grand Hotel Minneapolis, a role that landed her spot on the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal list of “25 Women to Watch.” Parsons later returned to Seattle to oversee Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants properties Hotel Vintage, Hotel Monaco, and Alexis Hotel, before joining the Thompson Hotels brand in 2015 as the general manager of Thompson Seattle. She played a pivotal role in the Seattle property’s opening, leading the hotel to various national awards and accolades such as inclusion in Conde Nast Traveler’s “Hot List,” annual recognition in the publication’s “Readers’ Choice Awards,” and recipient of Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards.”
With nearly 20 years of hotel sales experience—including an impressive 17 years with Hyatt—Matt Ojinaga brings a seasoned approach to Thompson Denver as its new director of sales and marketing. In this role, Ojinaga will oversee the sales team, drive revenue, and manage all strategic marketing initiatives. Ojinaga began his career in hospitality at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi and Inn & Spa at Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico before kicking off his tenure with Hyatt at Hyatt Regency Albuquerque. Ojinaga then joined Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa & Marina in San Diego as group sales manager, followed by sales leaderships roles at Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Illinois and at both Grand Hyatt Denver and Hyatt Regency Denver. Ojinaga later returned to California as the director of sales, events & marketing at Andaz West Hollywood in Los Angeles. A true stalwart of the Hyatt brand, Ojinaga has earned various awards and accolades for his contributions over the years, including “Associate of the Year,” “Sales Elite Performer,” and “Events Team of the Year.”
James Beard Award finalist and Michelin-starred chef Ludo Lefebvre joins Thompson Denver as the culinary visionary behind Chez Maggy—the hotel’s signature restaurant, where he will bring classic French fare and playful Colorado-inspired plates to the boutique hotel’s 90-seat restaurant and comforting, home-cooked inspired meals to in-room dining across the 216-room property. Hailing from Burgundy, Lefebvre began his 12-year culinary education training alongside many of the great masters of French cooking before moving to the United States to begin his career in Los Angeles. After his tenure at the iconic L’Orangerie and Bastide, Lefebvre launched LudoBites, a multi-city restaurant tour credited for igniting the pop-up restaurant phenomenon and leading to its Staples Center location, Ludo Bird. Lefebvre’s later concepts, Trois Mec and Petit Trois, received top nods with a coveted Michelin star for Trois Mec and Petit Trois as a finalist for the James Beard Awards’ “Best New Restaurant” category and recipient of a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. He holds the title of one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Chefs” by Relais & Chateaux and was a James Beard Award finalist for “Rising Star Chef,” “Best Chef West,” and “Best Culinary Program” for his hosting role on PBS’s TV series “Mind of Chef”.
Together, Parsons, Ojinaga and Lefebvre will serve as the backbone for Denver’s newest hospitality experience, leading up to its debut and following its opening on January 20, 2022. To book a reservation, please visit thompsondenverhotel.com.
For the latest, follow Thompson Denver on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The hotel is located at 1616 Market St., Denver, CO 80202.
