M&R Hotel Management has announced the appointment of Lawrence Hou as general manager of the Best Western JFK Airport Hotel in Jamaica, New York, one of four hotels it operates near John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Hou, an 11-year hospitality industry veteran who has served in hotel management roles throughout Manhattan, will oversee all aspects of the 88-room hotel’s operations, including sales, marketing, security, maintenance, housekeeping and accounting.
He previously was area general manager of The Gem Hotel Hudson Yards, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member, and Quality Inn Convention Center hotel in Manhattan. From 2011 to 2012, he was hotel manager of the Comfort Inn Manhattan Bridge and, from 2009 to 2011, director of operations at the Best Western Bowery Hanbee Hotel, both in Manhattan. Earlier, Hou worked at Iroquois New York, Wingate by Wyndham Manhattan Midtown and Dream Midtown NYC.
“Lawrence’s breadth of experience at branded and independent hotels in the New York market, makes him highly qualified to serve as general manager at our Best Western JFK,” said Brian M. McSherry, M&R Hotel Management chief operating officer.
Hou studied liberal arts at the City University of New York. He is certified in food safety protection and is a certified director of fire safety.
In addition to the Best Western, M&R Hotel Management’s portfolio at Kennedy Airport includes the 201-room Holiday Inn New York JFK Airport Area, the 129-room Holiday Inn Express New York JFK Airport Area and the 75-room Days Inn Jamaica – JFK Airport.
M&R Hotel Management also operates two other hotels in Queens, three in Manhattan and three in Staten Island. Rounding out the portfolio is a hotel in the Boston suburb of Braintree and a hotel on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten. A fourth Manhattan hotel, the 271-room Holiday Inn New York – Times Square South, is scheduled to open later this year.
