Brian Wismar, regional VP of third-party hotel management company New Castle Hotels & Resorts, named Julie Martin Barfield GM of the 180-room, dual-brand Courtyard by Marriott/Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square.
A career hotelier, Barfield most recently was the director of operations for the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center. Previously, she was the hotel’s director of finance. Earlier in her career, Barfield was GM for the Courtyard by Marriott in East Syracuse.
“Julie brings an exceptional set of skills to this job. She is a seasoned hotel executive with direct brand experience and she is a lifelong Syracuse resident who is passionate about sharing her hometown with visitors,” Wismar said in a statement. “She understands the intersection of solid business fundamentals and the people skills that make a hotel come to life. She is going to be a terrific leader for these hotels.”
“The Armory Square area is blossoming, and that’s in no small part to these hotels, which are a cornerstone of this neighborhood,” Barfield said. “We play a vital role in rolling out the welcome mat for visitors, and I see it as my personal mission to make sure that everyone knows about all that upstate New York has to offer. We have a terrific team in place and I’m looking forward to learning from them and sharing my expertise to ensure that the success of these hotels continues.”
Armory Square is a six-block planned city center boasting office and residential buildings and a thriving commercial/entertainment scene with more than two dozen bars and restaurants, the Museum of Science and Technology, the historic Landmark Theater and 20-plus stores, salons and boutiques
The Courtyard by Marriott/Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square offers valet parking, complimentary WiFi throughout the hotel and features a shared lobby, pool and 1,400 square feet of meeting space. The Bistro, a casual dining concept featuring flexible seating, quick, freshly prepared breakfast, light bites and cocktails, is a signature feature of the Courtyard by Marriott brand, along with the popular Go Board, a 55-inch touch screen offering local news, weather, flight information and more.