NAPLES, Fla. - Hunter H. Hansen is Managing Director of Naples Grande Beach Resort and The Edgewater Beach Hotel in Naples, Florida. Appointed to this position in 2005, Hansen has overall responsibility for guest experiences, associate training and financial results for Naples Grande, a 474-room resort on 23 waterfront acres complete with three miles of sugar sand beach, signature pools, a Waldorf Astoria Spa, and championship golf and tennis, and its boutique sister property, the all-suite Edgewater Beach Hotel on seven miles of beach on the Gulf of Mexico.
During his tenure, both properties have undergone extensive renovations to add a new level of contemporary beach-chic style in public spaces and guestrooms; enhanced food and beverage services, and are now affiliated with Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, offering guests the opportunity to earn and redeem Hilton HHonors benefits.
Hansen brings significant hospitality experience to his role with Naples Grande and the Edgewater, continuing to demonstrate his passionate belief that genuine caring expressed to colleagues and guests adds a tangible heartfelt element that increases success. At the Naples properties, his approach is perhaps best summed up by the genuinely friendly staff that embodies the highly hospitable philosophy of “Yes is the answer; what’s the question?”
Previously, Hansen spent 33 years with Marriott Hotels in various capacities in the U.S. and the U.K., seeing the company grow from just 11 hotels to more than 2,500 worldwide. He held titles that included Resident Manager and General Manager, and was also an executive in corporate Human Resources overseeing career planning for all corporate managers until returning to the field as a practicing hotelier where he could resume his preferred responsibilities of mentoring associates and surprising and delighting guests. His many positions included postings in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Jersey, New York as Resident Manager of the Essex House, and as General Manager of the London Marriott at Grosvenor Square, where he was at the helm during the Millennium celebration, 9/11 and the London terrorist attacks.
Hansen developed his interest in hotels and restaurants during high school at a suburb outside of Chicago, inspired by a family business. He subsequently attended the University of Denver, graduating with a B.S./B.A. degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management, and was recruited to join Marriott.
Hansen, who belongs to the Collier County Economic Development Council, Wanderlust Advisory Board, Naples Town Hall Advisory Board, Collier County Hotel Association Advisory Board and Pelican Bay Service Committee Board of Directors, has been married for 25 years. He and his wife are avid travelers and enjoy bike touring and wine tasting throughout the U.S., France and Italy.
About Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
WALDORF ASTORIA is Hilton Worldwide’s luxury brand of landmark hotels, with each one as singular and timeless as the brand’s namesake, The Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York. From classic elegance to modern grandeur, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts each represent worldly sophistication and unparalleled guest service. From sumptuous spas and culinary excellence to world-class golf, each hotel & resort offers the exquisite accommodations and signature accoutrements that define refinement and sophistication. Discover Waldorf Astoria by visiting www.waldorfastoria.com. Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands.
