Hotel Crescent Court, the French Renaissance-style hotel within Uptown’s iconic Crescent complex that got a $30 million renovation just two years ago, has hired Maher Jallad to be the property’s new general manager.
Like most other hotels throughout the country—and the globe—Hotel Crescent Court has not been immune to COVID-19 fallout. The storied venue closed its doors due to the pandemic on April 7 and resumed operations on June 1. Now, with a new general manager at the helm, the estate begins a new evolution and has driven room availability up to 80 percent.
A native of Jordan, Jallad grew up mesmerized by the 1980s television show Hotel; and in those moments he knew he wanted to get into the hospitality business someday. He attended hotel management and marketing school in Paris, where he earned an internship at the famous Hôtel Plaza Athénée, and his career blossomed.
Jallad has previously held posts locally at The Westin Dallas Park Central and The Stoneleigh. Now, he will strive to bring a fresh perspective as he assumes a leadership post for the 1985-era luxurious hotel developed by industry icon Caroline Rose Hunt.
“At the Hotel Crescent Court, we always strive to deliver on the hotel’s celebrated history, bringing rich heritage and sophisticated Texas charm,” Jallad told D CEO. “Now, in addition to that, we also focus on new measures of safety, cleanliness, and sanitation to gain the confidence of our guests. The benchmark, now and moving forward, is the safety of our guests and associates. It’s our first priority.”
All guests are required to wear masks while moving about the property, and personal sanitation bags are available upon their arrival. The hotel is using electrostatic sprayers in public areas and guest rooms, and has placed NanoSeptic skins, a continuously self-cleaning surface, on all buttons and doors throughout the property. Enhanced cleaning measures have been implemented in guest rooms, restaurants, the fitness center, bars, the spa, and meeting facilities.
“We went through an extensive renovation of all guest rooms, meeting rooms, spa room, the Crescent Club, public areas, and more,” Jallad said. “We see the added costs in terms of new cleaning and sanitation procedures in the COVID-19 era as a continuation of the investments to position the hotel in the market and gain the confidence of our guests.”
Despite being less than a month into his new post, Jallad says he been immediately impressed by the company’s culture.
“Our staff is at the heart of what we do,” he said. “There is a real sense of community and partnership, being we’re hospitality providers. You really see and feel that community and hear it in the feedback we receive from our guests.”
In the near future, Jallad plans on setting some new initiatives into motion to tempt local residents to enjoy luxurious and relaxing getaways from quarantine. In the long term, and no matter the circumstances, Jallad plans to create the cleanest environment in the hospitality industry for guests to enjoy.
“It’s very important to strike a balance between service and luxury,” Jallad told D CEO. “However, safety is paramount. We have to take our time to educate and explain to our guests why we do what we do. It’s a very delicate balance, but we believe safety is always first.”
