As co-founder of Thompson Hotels, along with Larry, Michael, and Jason Pomeranc, Stephen Brandman has developed a boutique hotel group that is known for dishing up contemporary chic luxury in urban settings. Brandman began his shiny career at InterContinental Hotels and Resorts where he was general manager of InterContinental Central Park South, New York. in the end he spent 16 years with the group and as well as spearheading over $300 million in renovation projects he also ensured the quality and standards for all of the 150 InterContinental Hotels worldwide.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Thompson Hotels' first foray into the luxury boutique hotel market (Sixty Thompson in 2001). Today the group operates nine hotels in the United States in New York, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. In 2010 the group started going global opening its first international hotel, Thompson Toronto. New international Thompson hotels in London and Seoul will open in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Here he tells The Luxury Travel Bible the philosophy behind Thompson Hotels and why technology is so important for the hotel industry.

What is your own personal litmus test for whether a hotel is worthy of the 'luxury' tag?
Luxury is such a strange term as it is very personal...but a great bed and great linens...well to me that's luxury for a hotel.

Posted 18/1/11