Hotel Indigo Newark Downtown in New Jersey Welcomes Two to the Management Team

Rany Baroudi as GM & Marilyn Cruz as DOSM

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. September 08, 2014

NEWARK, NJ - September 8, 2014 - The Hotel Indigo® Newark Downtown hotel has welcomed Rany Baroudi as General Manager and Marilyn Cruz as Director of Sales & Marketing. The 108-room boutique hotel is expected to open fall 2014 and will tell the story of modern innovation over time, including a young Thomas Edison's work to invent the stock ticker. The hotel, located at 810 Broad Street is in the historic National State Bank Building - designed by Cass Gilbert, the architect also responsible for other prominent structures such as the MetLife building, the US Supreme Court building and several state capitol buildings. The location is in the midst of downtown Newark's revived business, retail and culture center and amid a vibrant, cosmopolitan environment.

"I look forward to being part of a brand that focuses on telling great neighborhood stories," said Baroudi. "Downtown Newark is a resurging community with historic places, cultural destinations and an influx of new businesses, and we look forward to helping our guests discover something new about the neighborhood each time they visit."

With more than fifteen years of experience in the hospitality industry, Rany most recently served as the director of operations at the Hilton Checkers hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. He started his hospitality career as a phone agent in Denver, Colo., moving into increasing roles of responsibility in the hotel and restaurant industries. The Hotel Indigo general manager position marks his return to New Jersey, where he spent five years in management positions at an upscale hotel. Originally from Lebanon, Rany came to the U.S. in 1996 and is fluent in English, French and Arabic, a perfect complement to the urban diversity of downtown Newark.

Marilyn Cruz most recently served on a sales task force for the Crestline Hotels and Resorts group in Fairfax, Va. A native of New Jersey, she hails from Harrison, just five minutes from the Hotel Indigo Newark location, and started her career in hospitality as a conference services and sales manager. She has more than a decade of sales experience, working in five-diamond properties, with more than five years of experience in the downtown Newark market.

As a local, one of Marilyn's favorite places is the Ironbound District, once known as a haven for immigrants working in the growing industries of 1830's America and now a destination for authentic international cuisine and boutique shopping.

"There is so much history in downtown Newark, and I love that it's not only preserved throughout the neighborhood, but that we're also bringing it to guests within our hotel," said Cruz. "Having the Hotel Indigo brand in this location feels like the last piece of the puzzle has fallen into place."

The downtown Newark neighborhood story will be woven throughout the guest experience, from the locally sourced food and drinks served in the restaurant and bar, to the art, photography and architecture incorporated into the hotel's design, with a mosaic tile mural of Edison's ticker tape writer displayed in the lobby. The mural is created by local artists from GlassRoots a local community organization dedicated to promoting youth development through the arts, and guests can enjoy glass-blowing classes. Additionally, the historic nature of the building is preserved through the exposed brick visible in guestrooms and public areas, with the furniture and upholstery embodying a vintage feel. In the restaurant, the original bank vault has been converted to a pizza oven.

The Hotel Indigo Newark Downtown hotel is owned by Hanini Group and will be operated by Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc., and is franchised by an affiliate of IHG. The Hotel Indigo Newark Downtown hotel will participate in IHG's guest loyalty program, IHG® Rewards Club. The industry's first and largest rewards program with over 80 million members is free and guests can enroll at IHGRewardsClub.com, by downloading the IHG® app, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG's more than 4,700 hotels worldwide. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests' needs whatever the occasion.

About Hotel Indigo®

The Hotel Indigo® brand is a global boutique hotel brand that delivers a refreshing and inviting guest experience that is truly reflective of the local community. From the locally-inspired murals to the renewal program where the music, scent, and menu items change throughout the year, each Hotel Indigo hotel delivers a vibrant, engaging and genuine boutique experience that gives guests the confidence to step out and explore the local neighborhood. Each Hotel Indigo property is unique and designed to reflect the local culture, character and geography of the surrounding area while brand hallmarks ensure consistent and reliable service from location to location. No two hotels are the same. There are 57 Hotel Indigo hotels open around the globe. With a quality global pipeline of 52 hotels, the Hotel Indigo estate is set to double in size to 100 properties within the next three to five years. For more information or to make a reservation, visit http://www.hotelindigo.com. Find us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/hotelindigo or Facebook www.Facebook.com/hotelindigo.