The Watergate Hotel Appoints Manuel Martinez as Managing Director
Rakel and Jacques Cohen, owners of The Watergate Hotel, are pleased to announce the appointment of Manuel Martinez, to the position of Managing Director. An experienced leader within luxury hospitality, Martinez brings over 20 years of experience to the hotel.
Martinez began his career at The Palace Hotel in Madrid, Spain before making the move to the states. Here, he has held leadership positions at some of the most prestigious hotels in the world including The Essex House and Ritz-Carlton Central Park South hotels in New York City. His extensive experience includes roles as Hotel Manager at The St. Regis New York and General Manager at The St. Regis Washington D.C. and The Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City. Martinez was most recently the General Manager of the Five-Star luxury hotel, The Mark, in New York City.
"We are thrilled to welcome Manuel to The Watergate team," said Jaques Cohen, co-owner of the property. "His leadership roles and extensive experience in the luxury market will help to further elevate The Watergate's five-star service and amenities and continue to compete against the best properties in the world."
Reopened in June of 2016, this American icon is situated on the banks of the Potomac River, offering a luxurious urban resort experience for the world's most discerning leisure and business travelers. Originally designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti in 1961 to look like a sail on the Potomac, the hotel made waves with its groundbreaking contemporary style and came to epitomize the fabulous lifestyle and sophistication of its time when it opened in March 1967. The Watergate Hotel now features 336 stylist guestrooms; signature restaurant Kingbird; The Next Whisky Bar; Top of the Gate rooftop bar; Argentta Spa; a state-of-the-art fitness center and 27,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.
Martinez is a graduate of Cornell University, where he received a Masters Certificate in Hospitality Management. Additionally, he holds degrees from New York University and Harvard University's Managing Mentor School. A native of Madrid, Spain, Martinez is fluent in both English and Spanish
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