Mark Edstrom, president of Hudson Resorts, is set to attend Hotec Operations, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 11-14 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up-to-date on emerging trends. Ahead of the event, Edstrom talked about the growth of boutique hotels within the luxury segment and the value of staying small in a growing field.
Hudson Resorts is an offshoot of design and development company Hudson International. The company, Edstrom explained, has been consulting and supporting other companies for a number of years. “However, we were building our own platform and lifestyle membership club.”
The first property in the Hudson Resorts portfolio is set to open in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., near the end of the summer.
Edstrom attended Hotec Operations in Arizona last year and was able to connect with other industry insiders including a consultant who now is helping the company with its wellness efforts. He also met with procurement companies that helped the company build relationships with other suppliers. “As we're kind of new and growing, and as we're launching all these new brands, it's a great way to stay connected with the industry,” he shared. Events that focus on networking, he added, are “a great opportunity for partnerships.”
Edstrom noted a growth in demand for “boutique luxury” in recent years. “Looking at some of the bigger hotel chains, even they're starting to move towards that lifestyle market,” he said. Especially since the worst of the pandemic, travelers want a combination of space and privacy, he said, rather than being crammed into small, generic accommodations. “It's one of the most profitable parts of the industry.”
Similarly, the lifestyle segment is also seeing more demand from travelers and more attention from developers. “You're going to see [fewer] big hotels, more small hotels [and] more lifestyle-type programs, including experiences, dining and more amenities.”
As such, Edstrom expects Hudson will avoid growing too big, with key counts under 200. “We want to stay really true to our roots and our guest experience,” he said. “The only way to do that is in, I think, a smaller key amount.” The first hotels will have between 20 and 100 rooms, and future properties will likely have more, he added.
At Hotec Operations in June, Edstrom hopes to build more relationships with other industry professionals—and perhaps build the Hudson team. “We're looking for great people to come onto our team, or maybe partner with us.” He also hopes to learn about new brands that could be helpful to the Hudson International vertical.
Hotec Operations will take place June 11-14 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Applications are open for buyers and suppliers.