Press
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection Marks Five Years of Empowering Independent Hotels
Nov 13, 2025
BETHESDA, MARYLAND (November 13, 2025) – As the U.S. hotel industry operates through an uncertain environment, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection (“Curator”), marks its fifth anniversary by reaffirming its mission to empower independent hotels with the resources, partnerships, and collective strength they need to thrive—while preserving the unique character that sets each of them apart.
At this year’s Lodging Conference, analysts painted a “tale of two industries,” where large brands weather volatility through scale while independent hotels feel the impact more directly. With U.S. RevPAR flat, booking windows shrinking, and international travel still subdued, independent hotels face pressure to drive efficiency without sacrificing authenticity. Curator remains focused on highlighting what makes independents unique while delivering solutions that address revenue and cost challenges head-on.
Since its founding in 2020, Curator has served as a strategic ally for independent properties, providing the resources, technology partnerships, and collective buying power needed to sustain performance even as market conditions fluctuate. What began as a collection of thirty-one properties has grown into a network of more than one hundred hotels, resorts, and experiences nationwide, united by a shared commitment to individuality and operational excellence.
“Independent hotels are the soul of travel; they bring authenticity, innovation, and personality to every destination,” said Jennifer Barnwell, President of Curator Hotel & Resort Collection. “As we celebrate Curator’s fifth anniversary, we are proud of the community we’ve built and the impact we’ve had in helping independent hotels thrive.”
Curator’s platform delivers cost efficiencies across key operational categories such as technology, procurement, and guest engagement—areas where independent owners and operators often face rising costs. Over the past five years, Curator’s negotiated service agreements and partner programs have helped member hotels collectively save almost $15 Million dollars in annualized savings while unlocking new revenue opportunities through data-driven marketing, experiences, and distribution strategies.
This approach allows independent hoteliers to focus on what they do best—crafting authentic guest experiences—while remaining competitive against larger brand portfolios. Curator’s commitment to operational excellence and creative independence continues to translate into national recognition, with many member hotels consistently featured among MICHELIN Key selections, Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.
The collection’s newest additions—Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in Colorado Springs, The National Exchange Hotel in Nevada City, and The Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley—underscore Curator’s growing influence in championing locally inspired, design-forward hospitality.
Curator helps its members navigate the challenges of today’s market through five key strategies:
1. Standing Out in a Crowded Market: With major chains and OTAs commanding huge marketing budgets, visibility is an uphill battle for independents. Curator amplifies the reach of its members through a consumer-facing discovery website, curated campaigns, and collective storytelling, helping travelers find properties that embody authenticity, local connection, and memorable experiences.
2. Tackling Rising Operating Costs: Operating lean while maintaining excellence is a constant challenge. Curator delivers real savings with more than one hundred preferred vendor agreements across technology, F&B, and operations. Members gain access to cost-saving solutions—from PMS and CRS to linens and supplies—without being bound to rigid brand standards.
3. Navigating the Technology Maze: The sheer volume of hospitality technology options can overwhelm new hoteliers and smaller teams. Curator evaluates, negotiates, and streamlines technology partnerships so hotels can confidently build systems that enhance guest satisfaction and efficiency—without unnecessary mandates or complexity.
4. Driving Innovation: Balancing operations, staffing, and guest service leaves little time or resources to research, test, and implement new solutions—making innovation challenging even when it is essential for staying competitive. Curator empowers its members by piloting and evaluating innovative hospitality solutions and emerging technologies like AI and robotics, giving them early access to tools that have already by proven to enhance operations, reduce costs, elevate guest experiences, and drive competitive advantage across independent hotels.
5. Fostering Community and Collaboration: For many members, the most valuable benefit of joining Curator is the sense of belonging. Curator represents a community of independent hoteliers who share insights, test ideas, and support one another. Together, members amplify their collective voice and strengthen the independent hotel movement. In addition, Curator has helped properties within the collection create and promote bookable experiences, allowing travelers to engage more deeply in local culture, discover unique activities, and immerse themselves in authentic, experiential travel.
About Curator Hotel & Resort Collection
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection is a distinct collection of small brands and independent lifestyle hotels and resorts. Curator provides lifestyle hotels and resorts access to a wide breadth of program offerings to enhance the guest experience, improve employee engagement, provide additional marketing support, and drive incremental revenue, all resulting in value creation while allowing them to retain what makes them unique. Curator offers the benefits of associating with other unique lifestyle hotels, resorts, and small brands while participating in best-in-class operating agreements, services, reporting, and technology. Visit www.curatorhotelsandresorts.com and follow us @CuratorHotelsResorts.
Media Inquiries:
Melanie Neff 305-677-3904 X 23 (curatorpr@ciicpr.com)
For independent lifestyle owners and operators interested in joining Curator:
Jennifer Barnwell 240-507-1338 (jbarnwell@curatorhotelsandresorts.com)
Jenn Parks 240-660-9483 (jparks@curatorhotelsandresorts.com)
For companies and service providers interested in partnering with Curator:
Brent Hayhurst 240-660-9485 (bhayhurst@curatorhotelsandresorts.com)
View source on businesswire.com