Hospitality veteran Bill Petrella joined the Hotel Emma, a 146-room boutique luxury hotel located in San Antonio, as the property's GM.
“I am thrilled to join the Hotel Emma team,” Petrella said in a statement. “I have been in the hotel management industry for most of my career, and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to such an incredible property. I am excited to be on board, and will continue elevating Hotel Emma as a leading luxury hotel while also increasing its involvement and presence in the community.”
Petrella joins Hotel Emma with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and a successful background in leading hotels to higher levels of service and guest satisfaction. Petrella held a 19-year tenure with Starwood Hotels & Resorts where he managed six properties, starting with The Tremont & Raphael in Chicago. He later led other properties around the country, including The Westin Georgetown in Washington, D.C., The Westin Stamford, The Westin Stonebriar Resort in Frisco, Texas, The Westin La Paloma Resort, and most recently served at the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to his success at Starwood, Petrella progressed through various executive-level positions in the rooms division and in 1994 assumed the first of what now have been nine GM positions at the Negril Gardens Hotel in Jamaica, West Indies.
Petrella is a graduate of Mercyhurst University where he received a degree in hotel and restaurant management. He serves on the boards of the San Antonio Tourism Council and The University of Houston Aviary Board, and is the current chairmen of the board of the San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association.