Dani Elhachem Appointed VP Operations for Denihan Hospitality Group

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. April 03, 2012

April 2, 2012 - Denihan Hospitality Group, a full-service hotel management and development company that owns and operates boutique hotels in major urban markets in the U.S., today announced that Dani Elhachem has been promoted to vice president, operations, effective immediately.

In his new role, Elhachem will oversee the company's corporate operations functions relating to the portfolio's performance and strategic management. In addition, Elhachem will preside over the company's transitions, conversions and new builds as Denihan continues to acquire more assets and win new management contracts in key strategic markets across the country. Elhachem will also lead the operations team in fostering strong investor relationships with various ownership groups. He reports to Danette Opaczewski, executive vice president, operations.

Elhachem is stepping into his new role at Denihan with 20 years of experience comprised of key positions, including general manager and other senior roles, throughout his career in hospitality. At Denihan, he most recently served as regional managing director, Southeast, where he was responsible for the oversight and performance of a number of hotels within the region.

A seasoned hotelier, Elhachem spent the majority of his career with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, at both the property and corporate level. At Starwood, he gained much of his experience in mastering the formula for hotel openings, repositioning and operational excellence.

Elhachem accepted his first general manager assignment when he was in his mid-twenties at the Vancouver, British Columbia-based CHIP Hospitality/CHIP REIT, at its Marriott flagged property in downtown Vancouver.

Immediately prior to joining Denihan, Elhachem served as director of resort operations at The Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler, twice-named the No. 1 ski resort hotel in North America by Conde Nast Traveler.

Elhachem joined Denihan in 2007 as the opening general manager for the company's first hotel in Washington, D.C. Elhachem led the development and the launch of The Liaison Capitol Hill, an Affinia Hotel, as a top boutique property in the D.C. market, where it quickly became one of the owner's best performing assets. Additionally, Elhachem formed a chef-partnership with renowned Chef Art Smith to open Art and Soul, creating one of D.C.'s and the country's most talked-about restaurants.

"Dani is a dynamic hotelier who brings a wealth of leadership and operational experience to Denihan as we enter a significant growth period," said Opaczewski. "He will play an important role in aligning the company's overall business strategies, property performance and our partners' individual investment strategies and objectives. His keen interest in and grasp of the hospitality industry -- with a thorough understanding of the nuances of finance, marketing, branding, design, and the destination-restaurants concepts -- makes Dani the ultimate expert in operating boutique hotels."

Denihan Hospitality Group is a privately-held, full-service hotel management and development company that owns and operates 13 boutique hotels in major urban markets in the U.S. Over the past 50 years, the Denihan family has built a world-class lodging investment platform within the boutique hotel space, creating value by acquiring, repositioning and managing independent hotels.

The Denihan portfolio includes properties operating under The James and Affinia Hotels brands, as well as Manhattan luxury independents, The Surrey and The Benjamin, and affiliates including the Royal Palm in Miami. Denihan's hotels include an impressive list of chef-driven restaurants and bars, including Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's The National Bar and Dining Rooms at The Benjamin; David Burke Kitchen at The James New York; Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud at The Surrey; David Burke's Primehouse at The James Chicago; Art Smith's Art and Soul at the Liaison Capitol Hill, an Affinia hotel in Washington, D.C.; and Marcus Samuelsson's C-House at Affinia Chicago.