Andaz San Diego appointed Shane Nicolopoulos as GM of the hotel. With 17 years of Hyatt experience, he will oversee the hotel’s staff and introduction of the property, which recently updated its guestrooms and meeting spaces. He will also help implement an art-exchange program with other Andaz properties.
No stranger to San Diego, Nicolopoulos spent two years at the Manchester Grand Hyatt as assistant executive of housekeeping and assistant front office manager. Originally from Massachusetts, Nicolopoulos earned a degree in culinary arts and hotel restaurant management from Johnson & Wales University before launching his hospitality career. In 2000, he joined Hyatt as corporate management trainee at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress resort in Orlando. Before his return to San Diego, he served as director of rooms at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale.
“Shane’s creativity and leadership are two of the many qualities that make him the talented general manager he is,” Marc Ellin, SVP of operations, said in a statement. “In addition to his strong business acumen, Shane knows how to inspire and drive a sense of community internally among the colleagues he works with and is able to parlay that magnetism in the local community as well. I look forward to watching Shane lead the property in delivering experiences for guests that speak to the sophisticated and vibrant explorer and the local artistic culture found at Andaz San Diego.”
Andaz San Diego offers 142 newly renovated guestrooms, 13 junior suites and four lifestyle suites, as well as 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The rooftop bar provides views of downtown San Diego and the historic Gaslamp Quarter, and the pool offers private luxury cabanas. The Rooftop by STK was recently reimagined by the creative team at the ONE Group. By night, it turns into a rooftop destination with live DJs, signature cocktails and VIP bottle service. STK, a steakhouse experience and full-service restaurant on the first floor of the property, will open late spring.
“I am excited and honored to be working alongside such a professional and energetic team,” Nicolopoulos said in a statement. “The hotel is unlike anything else in the city because of its staff—they make the property. I will work with them to help Andaz San Diego continue to culturally enrich our guests and the community.”
With sights set to capitalize on the hotel’s commitment to the arts, Nicolopoulos identified several initiatives he plans to implement at the hotel, including creating an art-exchange program with other Andaz hotels. He also plans to refresh the hotel’s ongoing Salon program, which connects local culture and communities through music, art, food and more.