Latest news with #MichelinKeys
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lark Appoints Amber Asher to Board of Directors
Former Standard International CEO Brings Brand-Building Expertise and Strategic Leadership to Award-Winning Hospitality Company NEW YORK, June 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lark, the premium development and management company encompassing multiple boutique hospitality brands, announces the appointment of boundary-pushing hospitality leader, Amber Asher, to its board of directors. A recognized force in lifestyle hospitality, Asher brings decades of experience scaling bold, design-driven hotel brands and leading transformative growth strategies. Asher joins Lark's Founder and Chairman, Rob Blood; CEO, Peter Twachtman; and Creative Director, Megan Kennedy; as well as Mike Scott, Managing Partner at Thayer Investment Partners, on the board. Asher served as CEO of Standard International, where she oversaw the global expansion of The Standard, Bunkhouse, The StandardX, and Peri hotel brands, growing the company from four U.S. hotels to a portfolio of 24 properties worldwide with over 30 hotels and 7 branded residences in development. Under her leadership, the company achieved 400% topline revenue growth from 2019 to 2024, resulting in a landmark sale to Hyatt Hotels Corporation for up to $335 million. Recognized among the 50 Most Important Women in Travel (Wonderlust), 100 Most Influential in Global Hospitality (IHI), and Skift's Women Shaping the Future of Travel, Amber received the 2022 Independent Lodging Congress "Start Something Award." She has been featured in publications including Forbes, Elle, Skift, Business Insider, HOTELS, and Condé Nast Traveler. "I have long admired Amber Asher as a visionary in our field," said Lark Founder and Chairman, Rob Blood. "It's an honor to join forces with her, especially at this pivotal moment in our company's lifespan. After nearly doubling our portfolio in the last 12 months, we're eager now more than ever to pull knowledge and inspiration from one of the hospitality industry's most innovative thinkers." Founded in 2012, Lark's branded hotel collections include its signature Lark Hotels, Bluebird by Lark, Blind Tiger Guest House, AWOL, and Life House. The group also manages independent hotels throughout the country and across a diverse range of markets. Lark combines a tech-forward ethos, hands-on development expertise, and people-first culture to maximize profitability for small to mid-sized hotels. "I've been extremely impressed with Lark's ability to blend thoughtful design, operational excellence, and local storytelling at scale," said Asher. "I'm excited to support their next chapter of growth." In 2024, seven Lark properties were awarded prestigious Michelin Keys from Michelin Guide, a coveted honor that recognizes the country's most outstanding hotels. Lark's most recent openings were The Bow Hotel, a reimagined hotel tucked within a historic warehouse in Portsmouth, and AWOL Stowe, the third location of its emerging AWOL brand in the heart of Stowe, Vermont, complete with an outdoor Nordic spa deck and free-standing A-frame cabins. Most recently, the brand's growth accelerated rapidly in late 2024 upon forming a joint venture with contextual hotel brand and operator, Life House. About Lark: Lark is a leading operator of boutique hotels under 150 keys in North America. Lark combines a tech-forward ethos, hands-on development expertise, and people-first culture to maximize profitability for small to mid-sized hotels. Their portfolio of approximately 75 independent spirited properties delivers compelling guest experiences through distinctive branding, local storytelling, and thoughtful, place-based design. Lark's branded hotel collections include its signature Lark Hotels, Bluebird by Lark, Blind Tiger Guest Houses, AWOL, and Life House. The group also manages independent hotels across a diverse range of markets. For additional information about Lark, visit View source version on Contacts Mary DiLeoAll Heart PRmary@ 978.998.0240
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Lark Appoints Amber Asher to Board of Directors
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lark, the premium development and management company encompassing multiple boutique hospitality brands, announces the appointment of boundary-pushing hospitality leader, Amber Asher, to its board of directors. A recognized force in lifestyle hospitality, Asher brings decades of experience scaling bold, design-driven hotel brands and leading transformative growth strategies. Asher joins Lark's Founder and Chairman, Rob Blood; CEO, Peter Twachtman; and Creative Director, Megan Kennedy; as well as Mike Scott, Managing Partner at Thayer Investment Partners, on the board. A recognized force in lifestyle hospitality, Asher brings decades of experience scaling bold, design-driven hotel brands and leading transformative growth strategies. Share Asher served as CEO of Standard International, where she oversaw the global expansion of The Standard, Bunkhouse, The StandardX, and Peri hotel brands, growing the company from four U.S. hotels to a portfolio of 24 properties worldwide with over 30 hotels and 7 branded residences in development. Under her leadership, the company achieved 400% topline revenue growth from 2019 to 2024, resulting in a landmark sale to Hyatt Hotels Corporation for up to $335 million. Recognized among the 50 Most Important Women in Travel (Wonderlust), 100 Most Influential in Global Hospitality (IHI), and Skift's Women Shaping the Future of Travel, Amber received the 2022 Independent Lodging Congress 'Start Something Award.' She has been featured in publications including Forbes, Elle, Skift, Business Insider, HOTELS, and Condé Nast Traveler. 'I have long admired Amber Asher as a visionary in our field,' said Lark Founder and Chairman, Rob Blood. 'It's an honor to join forces with her, especially at this pivotal moment in our company's lifespan. After nearly doubling our portfolio in the last 12 months, we're eager now more than ever to pull knowledge and inspiration from one of the hospitality industry's most innovative thinkers.' Founded in 2012, Lark's branded hotel collections include its signature Lark Hotels, Bluebird by Lark, Blind Tiger Guest House, AWOL, and Life House. The group also manages independent hotels throughout the country and across a diverse range of markets. Lark combines a tech-forward ethos, hands-on development expertise, and people-first culture to maximize profitability for small to mid-sized hotels. 'I've been extremely impressed with Lark's ability to blend thoughtful design, operational excellence, and local storytelling at scale,' said Asher. 'I'm excited to support their next chapter of growth.' In 2024, seven Lark properties were awarded prestigious Michelin Keys from Michelin Guide, a coveted honor that recognizes the country's most outstanding hotels. Lark's most recent openings were The Bow Hotel, a reimagined hotel tucked within a historic warehouse in Portsmouth, and AWOL Stowe, the third location of its emerging AWOL brand in the heart of Stowe, Vermont, complete with an outdoor Nordic spa deck and free-standing A-frame cabins. Most recently, the brand's growth accelerated rapidly in late 2024 upon forming a joint venture with contextual hotel brand and operator, Life House. About Lark: Lark is a leading operator of boutique hotels under 150 keys in North America. Lark combines a tech-forward ethos, hands-on development expertise, and people-first culture to maximize profitability for small to mid-sized hotels. Their portfolio of approximately 75 independent spirited properties delivers compelling guest experiences through distinctive branding, local storytelling, and thoughtful, place-based design. Lark's branded hotel collections include its signature Lark Hotels, Bluebird by Lark, Blind Tiger Guest Houses, AWOL, and Life House. The group also manages independent hotels across a diverse range of markets. For additional information about Lark, visit
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Forbes
Inside Portugal's New Michelin Key Hotels: 55 Excellent Places To Stay
Penha Longa Resort Matthew Shaw Portugal's growing number of high-luxury hotels got a new shimmer of recognition with the arrival last week of the first Michelin Keys to be awarded in the country. Although the relatively new keys don't have the same cachet as the long-established stars, they're still a pretty big deal. The keys work the same way the tire-brand-turned-lifestyle-arbiter's stars do. Michelin Guide inspectors check in anonymously, evaluate hotels' unique concepts and personalities, and suss out the quality of their hospitality. They give one key to any hotel that merits a stay, two keys to one that's worth a detour, and three keys to a hotel that deserves a trip in its own right—one in which it's the hotel itself that's the destination. In Portugal, they recognized 55 hotels—from the far north of the country to its southern beaches, as well as in Madeira and the Azores—with at least one key. (A total of 160 hotels are recommended in the guide.) While the country's restaurateurs are still waiting for a third star, two hotels received the highest distinction right from the start. Both are long-established resorts with exceptional dining, spas and activities. They're complete worlds unto themselves, or as Michelin's marketing team writes, 'Everything is wonder and indulgence, the ultimate in comfort and service, style and elegance.' Just a stone's throw from Lisbon, the elegant Penha Longa Resort, which is part of the Ritz-Carlton collection, sits amid the quiet forest of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. As is often the case around Sintra, the estate was once a residence of the Portuguese royal family, and it includes an old monastery and a 14th-century chapel that remains intact as a testament to that history. The 204 rooms and public spaces have beautiful views, as does its award-winning golf course. Two of its seven restaurants hold Michelin stars: Lab by Sergi Arola and Midori, which combines Japanese cuisine with Portuguese flavors (miso soup meets caldo verde). The resort's wine cellar contains more than 500 references, but guests can also just drink in the tranquility along the walking trails that lace the property's 540 acres. Vila Vita Parc Courtesy of the hotel Ever since it opened in 1992 on a clifftop above the Atlantic, Vila Vita Parc has been one of the resorts that put the Algarve on the map as a luxury destination. Over the years, it's grown to include new blocks of rooms (203 in total) in Moorish-inspired architecture, lush subtropical gardens, a sumptuous Sisley spa, a golf course, a beach club, six bars, an impressive wine cellar and ten excellent restaurants. The standout is Hans Neuner's two-star Ocean, which reinvents Portuguese fine dining every year with a new menu inspired by the chef's travels and Portugal's history of exploration. Thirteen of the country's hotels, ranging from outposts of international brands to intimate family-owned retreats, were recognized as being worth a detour. Whether renovated palaces or newly built architectural marvels, they share a commitment to aesthetics, a genuine sense of place and an evident pride in the way things are run. A grand 19th-century building houses the main spaces of the beguiling Bela Vista Hotel, and its historical details—especially in the bar—add considerably to its appeal. So do its panoramic views of Praia da Rocha and the Atlantic Ocean, and its one-star restaurant, Vista. The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Richard Waite Since its opening in 1959, the Ritz, designed by important modernist architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, has been one of Lisbon's most prestigious addresses. The oversize floral arrangements and large-scale works by midcentury Portuguese artist Almada Negreiros in the lobby make it clear that this is not a place of understatement. But Four Seasons' brand of discreet service works well in this unabashedly glamorous environment. A hotel within the hotel, Les Suites is a collection of 23 modern and elegant accommodations distributed across century-old houses and a modern wing, surrounded by gardens with ocean and greenery views. Guests have use of all of the larger hotel's amenities, including its infinity pool, spa, direct sea access and two one-star restaurants. The new Lince Santa Clara occupies a 14th-century monastery not too far from Porto. The restoration and hotel conversion neatly combined the past and present, including ancient stone foundations and Art Deco details. The rooms look out over the Ave River and the Atlantic, and there are indoor and outdoor pools, plus a Sisley spa, for relaxation. Quinta do Paral Courtesy of the hotel Portuguese wine-country hotels don't get more lavish than Quinta do Paral, where the 22 rooms were designed by one of Portugal's splashiest architects, some of them have enormous travertine bathtubs, the estate-produced olive oil is served in glass vessels that resemble the bottles for Chanel No. 5 perfume, and guests have access to the only private jet that's affiliated with a hotel in Portugal. A reference since 1891, the pink Reid's Palace is a charming throwback to the days when sun-seeking aristocrats came to breathe the healing air, and when Winston Churchill made the hotel his island home. Its fine dining restaurant, William, also holds a star, while afternoon tea on the terrace is one of the island's must-do's. Another hotel within the hotel, the Reserve occupies the top floors of the Savoy Palace, the grand resort that towers over Funchal's city center and has the best views in town. Guests have access to snap-to-it personal assistants, a private all-day restaurant and club, and their own rooftop infinity pool and solarium. The first Six Senses in Europe, the Douro Valley outpost is located in a carefully restored 19th-century mansion that was redone by noted spa designer Clodagh. Since terraced vineyards surround it, there's a lot of wine on offer, but also a lot of wellness, including a serious spa, forest bathing, food from an onsite organic garden and rooms designed to foster a good night's sleep. Torre de Palma Wine Hotel Courtesy of the hotel The tower in the name dates from 1338, and Torre de Palma thoughtfully combines history and modernity. Its 19 rooms and suites have views of the peaceful surrounding countryside and vineyards galore. There's abundant wine tourism programming, such as tastings of vintages produced on site, special wine dinners and participatory harvest experiences. Even the spa goes in for vinotherapy, using local grape seeds in some treatments. In the quietly posh enclave of Melides (just a short hop from the more famous Comporta), Vermelho made headlines when it opened for its maximalist aesthetic and designer pedigree. Its 13 individually conceived rooms are the work of shoe designer and longtime Comporta aficionado Christian Louboutin, who handpicked rare artworks and paired them with local artisan crafts like handmade Alentejo tiles. Almost on Portugal's northern border with Spain, Vigado Palace is a grand throwback to the palace hotels of the early 20th century. (Its slightly awkward opening timeline coincided with the end of the Portuguese monarchy, but ever since 1910, it has been unafraid of grandeur.) A major renovation in 2010 updated many aspects but preserved others as a proud homage to the past. A petite collection of magnificent houses, Vila Joya is geographically near Albufeira but psychologically worlds away from that party hub. Instead, it sits on an almost wild beach and is surrounded by gardens, and its two-star restaurant is a destination in its own right. Across the river from Porto, on what some marketers are calling the left bank of the Douro, Vinha Boutique Hotel occupies a 16th-century manor house and a new modern design wing. Here, each room has a fully realized fashion theme, with pieces purchased from Hermès, Etro, Missoni or the like. Forty hotels received this honor, which indicates a 'very special stay' in a 'true jewel, with its own character and personality.' The Michelin highlighted trends among the 40 hotels it selected here, including a return to nature through wine tourism, a commitment to the national historical heritage, dedication to promoting respect for the environment, and a commitment to exclusivity in tiny hotels that have just a handful of rooms.
Hospitality Net
14-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Pascal Billard has been appointed General Manager at Le Meurice in Paris
Dorchester Collection announces the appointment of Pascal Billard as general manager of Paris's Le Meurice, effective from August 1, 2025. It will be a welcomed return to Dorchester Collection for Billard, who served as resident manager at Le Meurice's sister Parisian hotel, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, from 2009 to 2013. With more than 35 years' experience in the hospitality industry, Billard joins Le Meurice having held the position of general manager at Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona for the past 12 years. Born and educated in France, Billard has held food and beverage and management positions across an exceptional portfolio of luxury hotels in the Americas and Europe. He originally studied at the Jean Drouant Hospitality School of Paris, and his illustrious career has included roles for Novecento, China Grill Management and Morgans Hotel Group. His most recent position with the Majestic Hotel Group saw him reposition the brand's flagship Barcelona hotel on the Passeig de Gràcia. Open since 1835, Le Meurice was the first hotel awarded the official "Palace" distinction in France, and last year was awarded three Michelin Keys. The hotel is home to two Michelin-starred Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse, and a patisserie by world leading pastry chef, Cedric Grolet. Billard will be taking this position following the retirement of Franka Holtmann, who departed in February having served as general manager for more than 18 years.
