Batuhan Pektas, Complex General Manager, The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort – The Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

May 2026 — In an interview with Invest:, Batuhan Pektas, complex general manager of The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and The Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort , discussed hospitality trends, Fort Lauderdale’s growing appeal, and the importance of service culture in a competitive resort market. “Sometimes you can have the most beautiful building, pool, and amenities, but if you do not give the required amount of attention to the human soul, it does not mean anything,” Pektas said.

How would you describe the tourism and hospitality environment for beachfront resorts in Fort Lauderdale?

I am always very grateful to manage and be part of an oceanfront resort in Fort Lauderdale. Sunshine, the ocean itself, being in Florida, and being right by the ocean make a lot of things easier for us. The transient business from across the nation and around the world would love to visit Florida. Florida is a major spot for tourists because of the weather and all the attractions that we have here.

But having beautiful weather, a beautiful ocean, and a building right by the ocean does not mean everything is done. We still have challenges. One of the challenges that every hotelier is going through is the economy. Sometimes, we cannot foresee the outcome of other factors the world is experiencing. It can affect ADR, occupancy, budgets, and seasonality.

Another challenge is that we are a conference resort. We have 432 rooms, a beautiful property right by the ocean, and a large meeting space that we have to fill. With many beautiful hotels around us and new hotels opening, more rooms are coming into the inventory. That makes every hotel’s life cycle a little more challenging. Guests are choosing different hotels, some are canceling events due to the economy, and others are looking at options outside Florida. That makes it more difficult to keep what we have and bring in new business.

Where are you seeing the strongest demand?

We are seeing the strongest demand in transient business. For my hotel, I would like to see 70% group and 30% transient, but because groups are reconsidering visits to different geographic regions, we are seeing good transient business coming in.

The question is how we bring that transient business in at a healthy rate and how do we keep guests coming back to us. We do that by providing extra amenities, anticipatory services, a great staff, a good culture, and smiling faces.

How are guest patterns and behaviors evolving?

I always love to spend time in the lobby during checkout and talk to my guests. Guests from the Midwest often have a little sour face when they are leaving because they are going back to winter, storms, or colder weather. What I always hear is that they are going to come back for the hotel, the region, the sand, and the drinks they enjoyed in the middle of January or February, when everyone else is cold.

That is something we really like to see. We want repeat transient guests to come back and enjoy a summer, autumn or spring vacation with us.

How is Fort Lauderdale’s growing appeal shaping your strategy?

Miami is a famous market. Traditionally, when Miami was full, we would get the overflow. That is shifting now. In South Florida, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale are areas people are choosing because they want something a little quieter, fun, and a little less expensive than Miami.

If you had asked me this question 10 years ago, I would have said we were concerned because if Miami was not full, we would not be able to achieve that occupancy and rate. It is totally different now. We are seeing a big jump in transient business and group business choosing Fort Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale is called the Venice of America. It is strategically located among waterways that connect to the ocean, and it has strong food and beverage, entertainment and concerts. That makes consumers come back here and even choose it over Miami.

Where are you focusing investment within the property?

Rooms, renovation, entertainment, the food and beverage component, and restaurants are all priorities. If you have a terrace, that is a big one. 

We are a highly motivated ownership and management group, and we take care of our building and assets very well. I love landscaping, greenery, and flowers. We invest a lot of money in our landscaping. That connects with the scent when you come into the lobby and the overall aesthetic of the building.

It is also about the culture inside the asset. Sometimes you can have the most beautiful building, pool, and amenities, but if you do not give the required amount of attention to the human soul, it does not mean anything. We invest so much in our people, our character, and our DNA.

My service culture is about greeting guests. Imagine you are going into another resort with your family or whoever you are traveling with. However you want to be treated, we have to treat people in the same manner.

What is the talent landscape like in South Florida, and how are you approaching hiring and retention?

We believe in successful operations, successful culture, and heart-to-heart interactions with the people we work with. Are we having difficulties with the labor talent pool in the market? Yes, but everybody can be trained to become a good professional. Even with a server, you can take a person, train that person, and give enough compassion to make them understand that this can be for them. They can grow with this, or they can choose another route.

We love to train and retain people, and I think we do a good job of that. We have extensive human resources approaches. We do town halls and birthdays, and we go around giving candy to staff members. We also love to promote from within. Promotions are a huge motivation for the hotel’s dynamics because they show everyone that they can grow from within.

Hiring, training, and retaining talent will always be part of this industry. Hotels are about human-to-human interaction all the time, and employees have to be happy about that. We spend a lot of time with our staff to help them become successful.

How is technology supporting your operations?

If you use technology the right way, it will help you the most. I am a very tech-savvy person, and I love new tools that can be implemented in hotels. It is not about having another tool. It is about connecting with the people who give you the business, which is the guest.

The guest interaction and guest experience are what matter. The technologies we have through Marriott are excellent. They provide the tools and information needed to manage day-to-day operations and bring that technology to the guest.

All hoteliers, especially general managers, should be open to new technology ideas, AI services, and AI-related companies. Listening to a company with a new idea may take an hour or two, but that technology could save time, reduce stress for staff members, and positively affect the guest by helping provide good service.

What are your top priorities for the next two to three years?

Guests, guests, guests. It’s all about the guest. We are the ones who provide that experience, and I am all about good service, genuine service, and hospitality from the heart.

We want to compete with our comp set and position ourselves better every year by gaining more business, achieving a healthier ADR and improving profit margins. Maintaining margins or improving margins is a key factor this year and over the next three years. You might not meet your budget, but if you keep your margins on the profit side, that will be a tremendous success for hotels.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight about the property?

Our property is well situated in Fort Lauderdale. It provides great service and great potential for people who want to come in, have a great time, enjoy the food and beverage offerings, enjoy the weather, enjoy the beach, and take great memories back home.