Human Resources

🏨 Jeremy Pardey, with 38 years in leisure and hospitality, becomes General Manager at Solent Hotel and Spa, Fareham. He oversees 171 rooms, a business center, FYR Grill, and a spa. Pardey led a £100m investment at Butlin’s. Solent Hotel recently renovated its pool hall after a six-figure investment. Thwaites plans a £1.2m bedroom upgrade at the hotel.

🌍 Airbnb led a $58 million Series C funding round for WeRoad on Wednesday, acquiring a 10% stake and a board seat. Andrea D'Amico, previously WeRoad CEO since 2022 and a former Booking.com executive, joined Airbnb as VP of hotels. WeRoad operates multiday tours and aims to enhance Airbnb’s experiences business. This investment supports Airbnb’s goal to attract quality tour guides to their platform.

🏨 May 27, 2026, Airbnb appoints Andrea D’Amico as VP of Hotels, replacing Jesse Stein. D’Amico, from WeRoad and formerly at Booking.com, brings almost 20 years of hotel experience. This aligns with Airbnb's push to expand its hotel supply and compete in the hotel market, focusing on boutique and independent hotels. Jesse Stein will shift to real estate, and executive Ron Sandel will depart. Airbnb emphasizes unique design and experiences as core to its strategy.

🏨 Airbnb has appointed Andrea D'Amico, formerly the CEO of WeRoad and an 18-year veteran of Booking.com, as its new VP of Hotels. D'Amico will replace Jesse Stein, who took the role in January and will now focus solely on his position as Airbnb's global head of Real Estate. D'Amico will remain on the board of WeRoad.

📈 Stephane Mercier will become the General Manager of Pendry Tampa, opening in 2027. With over 35 years in hospitality across Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean, he previously managed The National Hotel Miami Beach and the Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead. Pendry Tampa will offer 220 rooms, 200 residences, and 11,000 square feet of meeting space in downtown Tampa's Riverwalk.

💻 HotelREZ appoints Gary Torres as vice president of platform strategy to manage its global partner ecosystem. Torres, with 20+ years of experience, will oversee REZswitch development, a two-way API for property and reservation systems. His hire marks the fourth leadership addition since December, joining John Seaton, Hadley O’Dwyer, and Frank Fuentes. Sharon Rubin highlights Torres' expertise to strengthen the platform's global expansion, focusing on connectivity, consistency, and security.

💻 Rajesh Yadav has been appointed Chief Operating Officer at IDS Next, enhancing global operations and strategic growth. With his extensive hospitality tech expertise, Rajesh will focus on scaling operations into Europe and the USA. Previously Chief Revenue Officer, his leadership will drive innovation in cloud-native, AI-ready solutions. CEO Binu Mathews highlights Rajesh’s role in delivering customer value amid a digital transformation era. IDS Next continues to lead in comprehensive hospitality ERP solutions.

🏨 Dreamscape Hospitality has taken over management of the Homewood Suites Hartford South-Glastonbury. Situated southeast of Hartford, Connecticut, this all-suite hotel is strategically located near downtown Hartford. It caters to both short- and long-term guests with amenities such as fully equipped kitchens, a seasonal outdoor pool, and a sports court. This move aligns with Dreamscape's strategy to expand its portfolio of Hilton-branded properties nationwide.