Vanessa Williams Appointed Managing Director of The Manner in New York
A veteran luxury hotelier steps in as the SoHo property enters its second year.
Photo: Courtesy of The Manner
The Manner, the boutique SoHo hotel that opened in September 2024 under Hyatt’s Unbound Collection, has named Vanessa Williams as its new managing director. She assumes the role following a three-decade international career that includes leadership positions at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and Beijing, Conrad Seoul, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Sandy Lane Barbados, Sukhothai Bangkok, Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, and, most recently, The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg.
Williams’ appointment comes as The Manner marks its first full year of operations. The 2024 opening introduced a small-scale luxury property grounded in a residential-style experience, which Williams referenced in her announcement on LinkedIn: “Announcing my role as Managing Director at The Manner, Luxury Boutique Hotel in SoHo NYC, championing our signature hospitality ethos, discreet, generous, and deeply personal. A New Manner of Hospitality: one that feels like staying at the home of a dear friend.”
Her background spans pre-opening leadership, repositioning of historic hotels, and operational restructuring across markets in Asia, the Caribbean, and the U.S. At The Vinoy, she oversaw a $150 million renovation and multi-year transition into the luxury category.
In New York, Williams will guide The Manner’s next phase as the hotel continues to refine its service model and develop standards for future expansion within the brand.
