OUR TEAM

Carlos C. Lopes, Principal

Carlos Lopes has been a managing director with Unique Hotels since 2009. The company, which is based in Newport Beach, CA, manages luxury hotels and provides asset management services to investors, hotel owners and lenders.
He directed the renovation and Hotel operations for Cap Juluca resort during ownership transition that included a 15.0 million upgrade to Villas, Guest Rooms, Restaurants and Spa Facilities. Accomplishments included:

Reorganized the leadership structure by appointing managers with professional skills to manage 240 main associates.
Re-directed marketing and sales development activities by appointing an energetic sales and public relations team with fresh ideas on
merchandizing to increase revenue.
Designed a plan to intensify staff training and customer focus.
Reduced operating costs by 1.6 million and improved N.O.I. by 2.6 million.
Cap Juluca was ranked No-1 Beach Resort in the World by Andrew Harpers Hideaway report.

From 2002 until 2008 Lopes was the Managing Director of Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. He was appointed by Kava Holdings to improve the hotels financial performance, re-organize the marketing functions and create value through re- development of the property. Accomplishments included:

Implemented semi-annual performance reviews and recruited professional managers to support the enterprise and its long-term objectives.
Prepared for ownership approval; annual budgets, profit and loss statements, weekly sales reports to monitor progress and results.
Re-directed marketing initiatives to focus on building weekday occupancy.
Completed in 2003 a $14.0 million dollar renovation that included 70 guestrooms/suites, public areas and a re-design of a new restaurant and board room. The relaunch of the Bel Air restaurant was an immediate success.
Negotiated labor contract terms with Local 11 that resulted in significant payroll savings over a four-year period.
Reduced Workman’s Compensation claims through accident prevention programs while aggressively pursuing a strategy with insurance carriers to investigate all claims that eventually resulted in savings of $300.0 thousand.
Developed monitoring systems to manage revenues, sales pace and cost controls to optimize profitability.
Created a master plan to develop a 12,000 square foot spa, 20 new villa suites, and a new ballroom approved in 2008 by the city of Los Angeles Planning Department.
In 2006, Hotel Bel-Air was rated Number One Hotel in the United States by a reader’s survey conducted by Institutional Investor, Conde and Nast Traveler.
In 2006 and 2007 Zagat rated the restaurant “number one” for service and interior design.
In 2008, the property achieved an occupancy of 79% at an ADR of $780.00 which resulted in an NOI of 4.8 million.

From 1998 to 2001 Lopes served as Executive Vice President/COO for Rock Resorts, based out of Scottsdale, AZ. He was responsible for directing hotel operations, marketing and branding strategies for Rock Resorts and Unique Hotels. The portfolio consisted of 6 wholly owned hotels, and 8 managed hotels. Major accomplishments included:

Re-developed two major resorts in Florida and Vermont by adding suites, new spa facilities and a condominium component to each project.
Developed “recovery plans” to maximize revenues through operating efficiencies in markets affected by the downturn in the economy.
Directed project development, restoration, and facilities re-design for new acquisitions.
Improved operating margins in rooms, food and beverage and spa operations through productivity, cost controls, and marketing initiatives.
Recreated the image of Rock Resorts through branding, image marketing and public relations while converting 6 hotels to the Rock Resorts brand.
Developed service standards and training programs for line employees and managers that resulted in improved service scores, employee morale and retention.
Established a centralized marketing organization to support owned and managed hotels.

From 1987 until 1998 Lopes was the Managing Director/COO of Bel-Air Hotel Group. This Hotel Management Company merged with Sazale Group of Tokyo after Sazales acquisition of Hotel Bel-Air. The company entered into management and license agreements with six other hotels generating additional N.O.I. in excess of $5.0 million dollars.
Other Bel Air properties included:

Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, France
Hotel Careyes, Mexico
Hotel Tamarido, Mexico
L’Auberge Del Mar, California
K Club, Barbuda, B.W.I.
Biras Creek, Virgin Gorda, B.W.I.
Hotel Careyes, Mexico

Hired by Credit Suisse First Boston to manage the acquisition of six boutique hotels located in New York and Beverly Hills. Managed properties following acquisition, improving N.O.I. by $4.0 million dollars in the first year.

Provided asset management services for Grand Wailea Hotel, Maui. Increased NOI from $26 to $32 million during the first year of operation.

Rosewood Hotels and Resorts appointed Lopes as Senior Vice President from 1983 until 1987 where he directed four operating hotels, centralized marketing initiatives to improve efficiencies and directed monthly business plan reviews to optimize the performance of each hotel.

Successfully repositioned Hotel Bel Air following its renovation resulting in an 88% occupancy and A.D.R. of $480 dollars during it’s first year of operation. During that same period, also directed hotel operations and the grand opening that effectively launched Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas, Texas.

In the early growth stages of FOUR SEASONS HOTELS Carlos Lopes was appointed Senior Vice President of Marketing directly reporting to Isadore Sharp. The role focused on creating a Marketing Organization to support the positioning of 16 hotels in the US ,Canada and the United Kingdom which included the creation of a company sponsored distribution system , the recruiting of qualified talent in sales and communications , hiring leading Branding and Public relations firms while directing the marketing initiatives to support each of the 10 hotel openings.Lopes is a graduate of Sir George Williams University, Montreal as well as the Hilton International Career Development Institute-Management Trainee and the University of Toronto with a degree in marketing and communications. He resides in Manhattan Beach, CA with his family.