William Cordova, General Manager, The Durham Hotel

William Cordova, general manager of The Durham Hotel, spoke with Invest: about hospitality demand, local partnerships, and the hotel’s role in downtown Durham. “The priority is to deepen our role as a downtown anchor while keeping the guest experience consistent as the market becomes more competitive,” Cordova said.

What changes have had the biggest impact on the downtown hospitality market?

I am still new to this downtown location, so learning the trends and the region itself has been eye-opening. What stands out is that this region is different from most markets. Durham has a rich history and is connected to major demand drivers, including universities, healthcare, technology, research, sports, and the arts.

The Raleigh-Durham area and the broader Triangle benefit from those assets, and they create a strong foundation for hospitality. There is also a continued focus on the experience for guests, visitors, and locals. That brings community programming into play, which is important for hotels that want to be part of the fabric of downtown rather than just another place to stay.

How has guest demand evolved in terms of what travelers are looking for when they visit Durham today?

It has been challenging to maintain consistent demand in hospitality, especially when you look at event-related demand or visitor demand. Those patterns can bring labor pressure, shifting booking behaviors, and sensitivity around cost. However, the opportunity remains strong because of the universities, healthcare, technology, sports, and arts in the region.

For us, the key is continuing to compete through identity and experience. We stay disciplined about demand generation and operational execution, but what has helped The Durham Hotel is the boutique strength of the brand and its connection to the community.

The hotel celebrated its 10-year mark in 2025. The property was formerly a bank built in the 1960s before it was renovated into a hotel. That history, along with the design and local partnerships, gives us a different position in the market. We are able to convert that boutique identity into more consistent demand, stronger group and event business, and continued involvement in the local community.

That is what helps us stand apart from more generic properties. We differentiate ourselves through our design, our local partnerships, and the way we continue to grow with the community.

How are business travel and corporate events impacting Durham’s hospitality industry?

Business travel and corporate event demand are driven in large part by relationship-building. Our sales team works to build rapport with the universities, healthcare entities, local businesses, and organizations that bring people into Durham. We want to attract business guests, event attendees, and visitors who want a real Durham experience.

Our rooftop is a major part of that. It was one of the first rooftop lounges created in Durham, and it has continued to grow and expand. It is one of the features that gives the property a strong identity.

Most of what we offer is curated locally. Ownership has sourced from local vendors and partners, and much of what we provide to guests comes from the local community. That includes the food. Our chefs work within the local market and source greens, meats, and other ingredients from local partners.

That makes the experience stronger than a standard hotel stay. From the moment guests arrive to the moment they go to sleep, they are experiencing local ingredients and local connections throughout the property.

How do hotels, and The Durham Hotel in particular, contribute to the broader economic and cultural identity of the city?

Hotels contribute by creating demand across the week, weekends, and major event periods. Those moments create compression, and over the long term, the goal is to build stronger demand across the entire property. That includes corporate groups, university-related travel, local business meetings, social events, and community programming.

For us, we do not lead by discounting. We protect our rates with discipline, but the better strategy is to add value through experience, packaging, targeted offers, and food and beverage. We want guests to connect with the hotel in multiple ways.

Our coffee bar functions as a community living room. People from the city come in for work, meetings, or just to spend time there. Then we have the rooftop, which adds another layer to the experience. We connect rooms, food and beverage, and events rather than operating them as separate pieces. It is a full, inclusive experience.

That also brings visibility through social partnerships and marketing. Our marketing is strong, and we continue to work with local partners and Downtown Durham organizations to build stronger connections and a better experience.

What talent challenges are hospitality employers facing today, and how are you navigating them?

Workforce has been a challenge for the hospitality industry, especially post-COVID. Before the pandemic, the market for a great workforce was growing. Since then, there have been people who have been hesitant to return to the workforce or who have changed what they are looking for in a job.

Durham also has a strong hybrid work environment and many shared working spaces, which is different from what I have experienced in other markets. That has given people more flexibility and has broadened the idea of work-life balance. That balance was needed, especially in a work culture that had often been go-go-go.

However, wages and salaries have not always kept pace with the cost of living outside of the workplace. That creates stress and affects where people live, work, and seek opportunities. Even years after COVID, hospitality is still feeling those effects.

One challenge we see is finding skilled workers. We receive resumes from people with strong experience and from people who may be trying to change paths. Both are valuable, but sometimes even a strong candidate does not come through the door for the interview. They may simply not show up. That is difficult when you believe you have found someone solid.

What competitive advantages does Durham offer, and what challenges must the city navigate as tourism continues to grow?

The opportunity in Raleigh-Durham is clear. The region benefits from a strong economy supported by universities, healthcare, technology, sports, the arts, and steady population growth. It has been a growing city, and some areas that had not seen as much development are now experiencing quick growth.

The challenge is demand. Some travelers may adjust where they go based on cost, and businesses need to remain flexible while staying disciplined around experience and revenue. In hospitality, there are areas that can fluctuate, so the question is how to keep moving forward with a disciplined approach.

Operationally, the focus is on protecting high-demand periods and protecting rate. Building stronger base business during softer periods is extremely important. To do that, hotels need to connect with downtown initiatives and visitors bureaus to understand how public funds are being used to attract visitors and how the market is being promoted.

It is also important to keep locals involved. Hotels cannot overlook the local community. When visitors, local organizations, and residents work together, it supports the entire location.

What are your top priorities for The Durham Hotel over the next few years?

Over the next three to five years, Raleigh-Durham will continue to grow as a visitor and investment market. The hotels that perform best will be those that protect their brands, understand their demand patterns, manage labor carefully, and create real experiences rather than relying only on location.

For The Durham Hotel, the priority is to deepen our role as a downtown anchor while keeping the guest experience consistent as the market becomes more competitive.

We also want to improve occupancy during softer demand periods while continuing to perform well during stronger event periods. Protecting our average daily rate is important, and so is growing total property revenue. However, that has to happen while maintaining a consistent guest experience. That is what will allow us to stay competitive and continue building the hotel’s role in downtown Durham.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

What I would add is that Durham has been great to me since I arrived. The city has felt welcoming, and the local community partnerships have made a real difference.

When the community invests in the property, it is not only by coming in and enjoying the hotel. It is also by keeping us connected to what is happening around us and including us in the broader conversation. That alignment creates something stronger than the experience alone can present.