Interview: SIXTY Hotels CEO Jason Pomeranc on the New Boutique Stay
Skift Take
Competition has pushed independent hoteliers like Pomeranc to think about what "boutique" means for a generation of travelers that will shortly grow up with Marriott's and Hilton's version of that guest experience. Technology not doubt has a role, but so does simply superior service.
Editor’s Note: This interview is part of Skift’s CEO interview series. This particular series is with hospitality CEOs talking about the Future of the Guest Experience and the evolving expectations and demands of hotel guests. Check out all the interviews as they come out here. Also, enjoy the previous series on the Future of Travel Booking, with online travel CEOs.
Jason Pomeranc was bred to be a hotelier. He attended university in New York City before joining his father’s real estate firm, which later opened the 60 Thompson hotel in 2001. Pomeranc led what was then one of first trail-blazing boutique hotel groups for the next decade before merging the 12-property brand with the Joie de Vivre chain to create Commune Hotels & Resorts.
Read Skift's interview with Commune CEO Niki Leondakis here.
In 2013, Pomeranc announced he was leaving the company to launch SIXTY Hotels. The original 60 Thompson and several other locations have since been transformed into SIXTY properties, which currently include three properties in New York City, one in Beverly Hills, and fifth set to open imminently in South Beach.
Pomeranc continues to iterate on the idea of boutique brand with a focus on personalized service, aspirational locations, and sophisticated food and drink options.
We recently spoke to Pomeranc about the guest experience at SIXTY Hotels, how technology has changed how the hotel interacts with guests and the evolution that led to the mass market appeal of boutique stays today.
Skift: What are the biggest challenges that you face today in improving the guest experience at the hotel?
Jason Pomeranc: We’re always trying to improve the guest experience. I think that the industry and all the factors relating
