Set to open in this summer, the Hôtel Swexan in Dallas has named key members of its leadership team. The GM is Julian Payne; the VP of operations is Ben Yoo; and the executive chef is Raymond Bocanegra.
The hotel is a family-owned, 134-room boutique concept owned and operated by Dallas-based real estate firm, Harwood International.
“We are very fortunate to have Julian, Ben and Raymond join the Hôtel Swexan family,” Harwood Hospitality Group COO Matthew Minichino said in a statement. “We have full confidence that their combined expertise, collaborative leadership style and dedication to excellence will inspire the entire team and elevate the Hôtel Swexan experience to new heights.”
Payne has more than 30 years of managing boutique and luxury hotels including The Ritz London, Le Crillon Paris and Mandarin Oriental Hotels in both London and Hong Kong. In London, he worked at the Threadneedles Hotel and Blakes Hotel before he came to the U.S. in 2015 and opened the Wave Resort in New Jersey, Timber Cove Resort in California and, most recently, The Rockaway Hotel in New York City.
Yoo joins Hôtel Swexan as vice president of operations with more than 16 years of experience in luxury hotel operations. Before his time with Hôtel Swexan, Yoo began his career with a variety of senior leadership roles at Wynn and Encore Las Vegas and has since held leadership roles at the Hotel Bel-Air, Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas and WinStar World Casino and Resort.
As the executive chef for Hôtel Swexan, Bocanegra will spearhead and cultivate the menus for the property's five onsite culinary concepts—Isabelle’s, Babou’s, Stillwell’s, Leonie and Pomelo. With more than 15 years of culinary experience, Bocanegra has worked at Colorado’s Broadmoor Resort and The Ritz Carlton Denver. Most recently, he was the resort chef at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, Calif. Bocanegra is a Texas native and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, Texas.