A Year at the Helm of The Manner
Vanessa Williams took over the management of The Manner in November 2025, approximately one year after the adults-only luxury property opened to guests. She is leaving her position in November 2026, after 13 months in the role.
During her tenure, she focused on creating an environment that employees, guests and owners could take pride in. She fostered a team culture built on engagement and mutual support, guided by the belief that employee satisfaction directly influences the guest experience.
The Manner, a Distinctive Concept within Standard International
The Manner opened in October 2024 in a 12-storey building on Thompson Street in SoHo. The property introduced a new concept for Standard International, designed around the intimate atmosphere of a private members’ club rather than the traditional model of The Standard hotels.
The concept was one of the creations of Amar Lalvani, founder of Standard International, who joined Hyatt following its acquisition of the group in 2024 and was recently appointed Hyatt’s Chief Creative Officer.
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Alureum Hospitality, a Consultancy Focused on Asset Value
Vanessa Williams announced the launch of her consultancy on LinkedIn.
“After decades of leading some of the world’s most iconic luxury hotels and resorts across three continents, I am delighted to bring my experience, passion and perspective to this new chapter,” she explains.
Based in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, Alureum Hospitality is an independent advisory firm. Its services encompass strategic positioning, brand transformation, operational excellence and long-term asset value creation.
The consultancy advocates an owner-aligned approach, seeking to balance commercial performance, a property’s heritage and the guest experience.
“Alureum Hospitality was born from the belief that exceptional hospitality goes beyond beautiful spaces and impeccable service. It is about honouring a property’s legacy, inspiring its people, creating meaningful experiences and generating lasting value,” its founder explains.
The firm has adopted the tagline “Where Legacy Meets Luxury”.
The Vinoy: A €130 Million Renovation
From July 2022 to October 2025, Vanessa Williams served as General Manager of The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Opened in 1925, the historic 354-room waterfront resort extends across approximately 13,800 sq m, including nearly 6,500 sq m of event space. Its facilities also include a 74-berth marina, an 18-hole golf course and 12 tennis courts.
She oversaw a renovation costing approximately €130 million ($150 million), alongside the property’s repositioning from the premium segment into the luxury market.
Over a one-year period, the resort recorded a 63.5% increase in average daily rate (ADR), a 32.1% rise in RevPAR and 41.1% growth in revenue, with its margin improving by 13.2%.
During the renovation, more than half of the existing workforce was retained and trained. Williams also launched the fine-dining restaurant Elliott Aster and led the property’s recovery and reopening following two major hurricanes.
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills: From Pre-Opening to General Manager
In 2016, Vanessa Williams joined the pre-opening team at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Hilton’s first purpose-built Waldorf Astoria property worldwide.
She was responsible for developing and implementing the commercial and marketing strategy for the 170-key hotel.
After serving as Director of Sales and Marketing until 2019, she became General Manager, a position she held until June 2022.
The hotel achieved its Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating within seven months of opening and also obtained LEED Gold certification.
From Beijing to Seoul: A Career Spanning Three Continents
Earlier in her career, Williams was part of the opening team at Waldorf Astoria Beijing, a 176-room-and-suite property in the Wangfujing district. Its leadership team was the first entirely female management team within the group.
From April 2015 to October 2016, she served as Director of Business Development at Conrad Seoul, a 434-room hotel located within the International Finance Center.
She managed a team of 48 employees and navigated the challenges of the 2015 MERS outbreak.
Educated at Benoni Commercial College in South Africa, Vanessa Williams began her hospitality career in 1990.
Her previous positions include Executive Assistant Manager at The Sukhothai in Bangkok and Sandy Lane in Barbados, Director of Sales and Marketing at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Hotel Manager at Raffles L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills and Director of Sales at Hotel Nikko at Beverly Hills.
Her track record includes five luxury hotel openings across Asia and the United States, as well as the management of multicultural teams numbering more than 500 employees.
Her achievements have been recognised through inclusion in Boutique Hotelier’s Industry Titans Power List 2026, the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Businesswoman of the Year 2025 award and HSMAI’s Top 25 list in 2023.
At a Glance
Executive: Vanessa Williams, former Managing Director of The Manner, New York.
New venture: Alureum Hospitality, an independent luxury hospitality consultancy based in the Tampa Bay area, Florida.
Advisory focus: Strategic positioning, brand transformation, operational excellence and long-term hotel asset value creation.
Previous leadership roles: The Manner, The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.
Track record: Five luxury hotel openings across Asia and the United States, major asset repositioning and leadership of teams exceeding 500 employees.
Positioning: “Where Legacy Meets Luxury”.
Analysis – Vanessa Williams’ career combines hotel openings, major capital renovations and brand repositioning, supported by measurable commercial results. Her experience as an operator directly involved in enhancing hotel asset value forms the central proposition of Alureum Hospitality for owners and investors.
