Hotel Clark Soft Opens in Downtown Los Angeles, Names Executive Leadership Team

Historic Downtown landmark now welcoming guests; signature restaurant Votana brings Mediterranean-inspired California cuisine to the hotel

Headshots available here (courtesy of Hotel Clark)

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hotel Clark, a design-forward lifestyle hotel bringing new life to one of the city's most storied buildings, has soft opened in Downtown Los Angeles, marking a new chapter for the historic property and the surrounding neighborhood. The hotel is now welcoming guests, with reservations available at hotelclark.com. Set in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, Hotel Clark is a 348-room lifestyle hotel that brings new guest accommodations, dining destinations, gathering spaces, and hospitality experiences to a building long woven into the city's fabric. As part of Hotel Clark's growing food and beverage program, its signature restaurant, Votana, is also in its first look phase, with its official grand opening party on October 15. Led by Executive Chef Gio Koletty, Votana melds California's seasonality with the coastal cuisines of Greece, Italy, Spain, and Southern France complemented by a curated wine selection and an innovative craft cocktail program.

With this highly anticipated opening, the appointment of its executive leadership team by hospitality management firm OTH Hotels Resorts marks an important step in shaping the property's direction. Bringing decades of combined experience across luxury hospitality, hotel openings, sales, finance, food and beverage, culinary, and technology, the team will lead Hotel Clark’s operations and guest experience as the property begins welcoming guests. The leadership team includes:

• Adrienne Craig, General Manager
• Donel Fernandes, Director of Operations
• Samantha James, Director of Sales
• Christian Jacob, Director of Finance
• Alvin Manzano, Director of Food & Beverage
• David Yurkin, Director of IT
  
  

GENERAL MANAGER: ADRIENNE CRAIG
Adrienne Craig brings more than 25 years of experience leading luxury and lifestyle hotels, private membership clubs, and complex hospitality operations across major U.S. markets. As General Manager of Hotel Clark, she oversees the property's day-to-day operations and guest experience, with a focus on operational consistency, team culture, and Hotel Clark's long-term vision in Downtown Los Angeles. Prior to joining Hotel Clark, Craig served as Managing Director of The Aster in Hollywood and held leadership roles at Hotel Per La, Luxe Rodeo Drive, and InterContinental Los Angeles, with experience spanning hotel openings, brand transitions, and repositionings. Known for a hands-on, culture-first leadership approach, Adrienne has built her career around aligning teams, establishing strong operational foundations, and creating environments where employees feel connected to the guest experience. At Hotel Clark, she brings that approach to the property’s opening, focusing on thoughtful service and building a strong foundation for the hotel’s future in Downtown Los Angeles.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: DONEL FERNANDES
Donel Fernandes brings 11 years of hospitality experience across 12 hotels, 10 cities, and six brands. As Director of Operations, he oversees Hotel Clark's daily hotel operations, guest satisfaction, and safety and compliance, while helping create thoughtful, unscripted moments for guests and staff. He joins Hotel Clark from his role as General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore North and previously received a 2023 Manager of the Year award during his time with Spire Hospitality, along with recognition from the Georgia Hospitality Association.

DIRECTOR OF SALES: SAMANTHA JAMES
Samantha James brings a well-rounded hospitality background spanning restaurant operations, hotel food and beverage, and luxury hotel sales. At Hotel Clark, she leads group and corporate sales strategy, building and strengthening key client relationships while driving new and repeat business for the property. Prior to joining Hotel Clark, James served as Senior Group Director at Marina del Rey Hotel and held roles at Santa Monica Proper Hotel and The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, after beginning her career in New York in high-end restaurant and private dining environments.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE: CHRISTIAN JACOB
Christian Jacob brings more than 20 years of hospitality finance leadership across luxury resorts, full-service hotels, and multi-property portfolios. As Director of Finance at Hotel Clark, he oversees financial operations, budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, and strategic planning, supporting both the property's day-to-day operations and long-term performance. His background includes work with La Quinta Resort & Club, task force assignments at properties across the U.S., and service on the executive team that opened the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs in 2017.

DIRECTOR OF FOOD & BEVERAGE: ALVIN MANZANO
Alvin Manzano brings more than 15 years of experience leading food and beverage operations across luxury hotels, restaurants, and hospitality brands. At Hotel Clark, he oversees the strategy, operations, and guest experience across the property's food and beverage outlets, banquet and catering programs, and special events. His career includes leadership positions with Marriott, Hilton Worldwide, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hyatt, ACCOR, and Mr. C Beverly Hills. His experience spans the United States and Australia, along with consulting work for independent restaurant concepts throughout Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

DIRECTOR OF IT: DAVID YURKIN
David Yurkin brings more than five years of professional hospitality IT experience supporting Shore Hotel, Ocean View Hotel, and Santa Monica Hotel. As Director of IT at Hotel Clark, he oversees the property's technology systems and operations, with a focus on infrastructure, systems integration, cybersecurity, and creating a reliable technology environment for both guests and staff. His experience also includes managing complex IT projects and vendor relationships across hotel environments.

EXECUTIVE CHEF: GIO KOLETTY
Gio Koletty brings more than a decade of culinary leadership experience across luxury hotels, international hospitality destinations, and high-volume food and beverage programs. As Executive Chef, Koletty oversees the culinary vision across Hotel Clark's dining destinations, including Votana, developing menus that reflect the individual personalities of each concept while emphasizing seasonality, simplicity, and respect for ingredients. His background includes leadership roles at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Hotel Casa del Mar, Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport, and Sydney Opera House.

ABOUT HOTEL CLARK
Located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, Hotel Clark marks the long-awaited return of a historic property, reimagined as a vibrant new anchor for the city's evolving urban core. Named after Eli P. Clark, a key figure in Los Angeles' early development, the hotel honors its storied past while embracing a bold, design-forward future that brings new life, energy, and purpose to a building that has remained dormant for years. Blending a strong sense of place with a modern, lifestyle-driven approach, Hotel Clark is designed for how today's travelers live, work, and connect. The 348-room property features a dynamic mix of experiences, from thoughtfully designed guest rooms to over 11,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, along with multiple food and beverage destinations including a lively lobby bar, sports bar and lounge, pool deck bar, and elevated dining concepts that serve as social hubs for both guests and locals alike. With a focus on intuitive service, community connection, and effortless style, the hotel offers a seamless, walkable Downtown Los Angeles experience within close proximity to the Los Angeles Convention Center, Crypto.com Arena, and the city's most exciting cultural districts. Guests can expect a stay that feels both personal and energetic, complete with amenities like a second-floor pool deck, on-site parking, and curated touches designed to make every visit feel distinctly Los Angeles. More than just a place to stay, Hotel Clark represents a new chapter for the area, where history meets hospitality and a legacy property is reborn for a new generation of travelers. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit hotelclark.com or follow along on @hotelclark_dtla.

ABOUT OTH HOTELS RESORTS
Founded in 2019 in Williamsburg, VA, OTH Hotels Resorts is a hospitality management firm with a portfolio including an exciting and eclectic collection of independent lifestyle, branded and soft branded hotels, resorts, and condo hotels across the eastern United States. Focusing on delivering a custom service experience tailor-made for each individual property and employing industry-best professionals who excel in operational efficiency and elite performance, OTH is passionate about driving stellar results and rewarding returns for owners. For more information visit the company’s website at www.othhotelsresorts.com and connect on social media on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/company/othhotelsandresorts/.

Media Contact:
Ashley Martinez
ashley@carbonategroup.com