Before World War I, women working in the hospitality industry were rare. Some assisted their husbands running small guesthouses or managed the occasional pensione, but it wasn’t until men went off to war that hotels began to rely on women for staffing. That shift opened the door for women to enter the field in larger numbers.
“Historically, women employees in hospitality were mostly in entry-level positions such as room attendants, servers and assistants,” says Vanja Bogicevic, clinical assistant professor at the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, NYU School of Professional Studies. “Only in the ’80s did women enter hospitality leadership positions in larger numbers, and this progress has continued exponentially, though there is still much room for improvement.”
According to the Castell Project’s annual benchmark report, “Women in Hospitality Industry Leadership 2019,” women now represent about 11 percent of senior leadership roles—positions such as directors, senior managers, executives, or partners—and an increasing number are being promoted to president roles or becoming owners. That trend is likely to accelerate, as women are now the majority of students at many top hospitality schools worldwide.
A woman-led hotel is, at its core, a hotel. While women were long underrepresented in the industry, many of the women now rising to the top do so alongside male colleagues by delivering exceptional service and fresh approaches to guest experience. From a five-diamond resort near Pittsburgh to a mother-and-daughter-run safari lodge in Kenya, below are notable hotels led by women who bring distinctive visions to hospitality.
NAMED AFTER THE SWAHILI WORD meaning “suspended in midair,” Angama Mara perches above the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya on land where scenes from the film Out of Africa were shot. Since opening in 2015, the property raised the bar for luxury and experiential travel among Kenya’s safari lodges. The resort features 30 luxury tented suites and is run by owner Nicky Fitzgerald alongside her daughter Kate. Fitzgerald, with more than 38 years in the hotel industry, has operated more than 60 luxury lodges across Africa and India. After her husband’s passing, she assumed full leadership of the company and continues to navigate cultural and operational challenges in Maasailand with determination and respect for local traditions.
WHEN LIZ LAMBERT RETURNED to Texas in 1994 to work in the Attorney General’s office, owning a hotel was only a daydream. A chance encounter with a local hotel owner led Lambert to purchase a rundown motor court on South Congress Avenue. She raised funds to renovate the property, and in 2000 the Hotel San José opened, sparking a neighborhood transformation with its upscale, bohemian vibe. Lambert’s success with that renovation led her to found Bunkhouse Group, a hospitality company focused on design, music, and community-driven experiences. Her portfolio includes El Cosmico, the Austin Motel, Hotel Saint Cecilia, Hotel Havana, Hotel San Cristóbal Baja, The Phoenix Hotel, Hotel Magdalena, and the popular Austin coffee shops Jo’s Coffee.
PHOTO: © SAN IGNACIO RESORT HOTEL
IN 1994, THE SAN IGNACIO RESORT HOTEL in Belize both hosted a visit from Queen Elizabeth II and transitioned ownership to four sisters: Mariam Bedran Roberson, Terry Bedran Carter, Nazle Bedran Kuylen, and Paulita Bedran Figueroa. Their father had quietly groomed them for the role, teaching them every aspect of the business before they assumed leadership. Under their stewardship, the family preserved the hotel’s culture while repositioning it toward a higher-end market. The property is now the only luxury resort within walking distance of the town of San Ignacio. The sisters updated rooms and meeting facilities, launched the Green Iguana Project to protect a threatened species, and opened the Running W Restaurant, which emphasizes locally farmed meat.
TIRAWAN PANGSRIVONGSE TAECHAUBOL, recently honored with the Outstanding ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Award for 2019, serves as group project development manager of Cape & Kantary Hotels and is a driving force behind several notable properties. She led development of Cape Kudu Hotel on Koh Yao Noi and Cape Fahn Hotel on the private island of Koh Fahn, Koh Samui, both members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Tirawan’s refined aesthetic shapes the 55 luxury suites at boho-chic Cape Kudu and the 22 independent villas at Cape Fahn. “I feel very fortunate to have been born in Thailand, which is one of the least sexist countries in the world,” she says. “That means I have had the opportunity to exercise what I might call ‘the woman’s touch’ without fear of criticism.”
JOSEPH A. HARDY III intended to buy a small parcel of fishing land for his daughter Maggie when he attended a 1987 land auction, but instead purchased 550 acres that later became Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania. The resort expanded significantly under Hardy’s guidance, but it flourished after his daughter, Maggie Hardy Knox, became president and owner in 2002. Under her leadership, Nemacolin grew to 2,000 acres and added a celebrated spa and wellness center, a PGA Tour–quality golf course, a private airfield, a wildlife academy, an Olympic-caliber gym, and five distinct lodging experiences, including the Falling Rock boutique hotel inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.
BEATRICE TOLLMAN entered hospitality after training to be a nursery school teacher and marrying Stanley Tollman, a second-generation hotelier. The couple leased their first property, The Nugget Hotel in Johannesburg, furnishing it with wedding-gift money. Beatrice taught herself to cook and managed kitchen operations while Stanley handled the front of house. Their dedication to exceptional food and service grew into The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, which now includes 20 properties and renowned destinations like Ashford Castle in Ireland. Mrs. Tollman continues to select antiques, artworks, and furnishings for each property. “Thankfully, I do think the industry has progressed enormously in opportunities for women since my early days in hospitality,” she says. Women now thrive as chefs and in countless other roles across the sector.