The Manner, the Soho luxury hotel that became part of Hyatt’s lifestyle division following its acquisition of Standard International assets, has appointed Vanessa Williams as managing director.
The 97-room property, which opened in September 2024, recently marked its first anniversary amid growing visibility in New York’s competitive luxury and lifestyle hotel market.
Williams brings nearly 30 years of international luxury hotel experience to the role. Her career includes leadership positions at brands such as Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills and Beijing, Conrad Seoul, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Sandy Lane in Barbados, Sukhothai Bangkok, Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills and, most recently, The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Hyatt’s lifestyle division — which includes The Standard, Thompson and Dream Hotels — has been one of the company’s fastest-moving growth engines as major hotel groups deepen investment in experiences and design-led hospitality. Industry watchers have viewed The Manner as a key test case for how Hyatt evolves its footprint in urban luxury niches that favor intimacy over scale.
Williams, now based in New York, said she plans to focus on strengthening the hotel’s community ties and sharpening the guest experience that helped the property earn early design and service accolades. Her appointment signals The Manner’s next phase of development as Hyatt looks to build on the hotel’s momentum and position it more prominently within the brand’s expanding luxury-lifestyle ecosystem.
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