Maria Himebaugh, General Manager, Renaissance Nashville Hotel

In an interview with Invest:, Maria Himebaugh, General Manager of the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, discussed downtown growth, competition, sustainability, and the city’s evolving hospitality landscape. “Guests know they’re in Music City the moment they arrive. That identity comes through in everything we do,” Himebaugh said.

What recent changes have most impacted the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, and how are they shaping your priorities?
This hotel opened 38 years ago and was the largest in downtown Nashville at the time. Someone recently showed me a photo from back then, and it’s incredible to see how much the city has grown. Today, we remain the second-largest hotel downtown, just behind the Omni. Back then, this property was a major win for the city. Then-Mayor Richard Fulton was focused on revitalizing downtown, and this hotel, which originally had the Convention Center attached, played a central role in that effort.

Over the last decade, growth has accelerated. It’s clear why investors are drawn to Nashville. Few markets match the occupancy and average daily rates here. Since we opened, about 40 new hotels have gone up downtown, 35 of them in just the past 10 years.

Today, there are around 14,000 hotel rooms downtown across 70 properties, with 14 more either under construction or in final planning. Visitors now have more choices than ever. This supply growth is what first drew me to the market. I come from a sales and revenue background, and hotel management here is constantly evolving. Strategies must adapt quickly, and every day brings a new challenge.

Tourism demand in Nashville has grown steadily over the past six years, but supply is growing faster, putting pressure on rates and occupancy. The Renaissance is well-positioned thanks to our great location and renovated, modern meeting space, which is the largest among downtown hotels. Our meetings and events business has grown year over year and now makes up about 60% of our revenue, with that growth expected to continue through 2026.

Average attendance is up, and corporate bookings now represent about 70% of our group business. Technology companies are especially active in this space.

The transient market, primarily weekend leisure travelers, has become much more competitive. With so many new hotels, attracting those guests takes more effort.

How has being named Cvent’s No. 1 Top Meeting Hotel in North America influenced your strategic direction?

That recognition was a major highlight. The award came out in May and is still generating buzz on LinkedIn. Out of the Top 250 hotels in North America, Nashville held the Top 4 spots, which shows how much meeting planners want to be here. For the Renaissance, our meeting space is a major advantage. But more importantly, we specialize in delivering excellent meetings.

I’ve structured our leadership team to focus strong talent in both planning and operations, and it shows. Year-to-date, our event satisfaction score is above 90%, which ranks us in the Top 35% of all Renaissance hotels in North America. 

What strategies are helping the Renaissance Nashville Hotel stand out in a crowded market?

Two key strategies come to mind. First, our meeting space was fully renovated in 2018 and 2019. It’s modern, well-designed, and true to the Renaissance brand. Guests know they’re in Music City the moment they arrive. That identity comes through in our menus and the experiences we create for planners.

Second, our team is a major differentiator. The leadership here, especially in events, is outstanding. Delivering high-quality meetings takes real skill, and we are fortunate to have top talent. Meeting planners regularly praise our ability to deliver on the brand promise.

How are economic shifts affecting your pricing and value strategies?
It’s a real challenge. We stay competitive with pricing, but we’re careful not to price ourselves out of the market. So far, we’ve worked closely with vendors and adjusted pricing in line with market expectations without overburdening our customers.

We’re just starting our budget process for next year, and I do expect it to be more difficult than this year. Fortunately, our revenue management and food and beverage teams are very skilled at cost control and finding efficiencies.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue managing costs, but the greater opportunity may lie in driving ancillary revenue. That’s where we plan to focus: on adding value and generating income without relying solely on base rate increases.

How is the Renaissance Nashville Hotel integrating sustainability into operations and events?
Sustainability is a key priority for us. One initiative we’re especially excited about is our partnership with Copia, which lets us donate surplus banquet food, and eventually outlet food, to local communities. Copia picks up the food daily and distributes it to those in need.

We’ve also increased our focus on composting and waste reduction. Recently, we began working with Green Key, a global sustainability certification for hotels. They conduct detailed audits and site visits to evaluate environmental practices.

Green Key awards up to five keys based on performance. We recently earned our fourth, and that recognition has become a valuable asset for our sales and events teams. Sustainability is a top priority for meeting planners. Some studies show that as many as 80% to 90% consider it a deciding factor when choosing a venue.

How is technology being leveraged to improve guest experience and operational efficiency?
I feel fortunate to work for a company like Marriott with such a strong IT and marketing infrastructure. Marriott.com is where most guests explore options and book, and we use it to share essential information before they arrive.

Marriott is undergoing a major upgrade of its reservation, property management systems, and loyalty platform. This investment will deliver a seamless shopping experience for customers, enhance how we engage with guests, increase ancillary revenue, and improve the experience from booking through the stay with us, and post-departure.

 
How is the Renaissance Nashville Hotel supporting the local community while maintaining internal team engagement?
Community service is a major focus for us. We’re fortunate to have a strong team, and we use that strength to contribute to something bigger. So far this year, we’ve logged over 1,700 volunteer hours and aim to reach 2,000 by year-end. We support local organizations, including food pantries and rescue missions, and we partner with Marriott’s charity initiative, Children’s Miracle Network. Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital is part of that network, and we support them year-round. I also serve on Marriott’s CMN Hospital Advisory Board, representing all the Marriotts in the Nashville market. 

Internally, engagement is just as important. Labor was a challenge when I first arrived, but applicant flow has since improved. Marriott’s strong reputation helps us attract great people.

We do have turnover, but much of it is positive. Associates often leave for promotions or to gain new experience at other Marriott properties. Hospitality is a unique industry. We operate 24/7, and that demands commitment. We work hard to hire the right people and keep them motivated and energized.

What operational challenges and opportunities do you anticipate as the Nashville market continues to grow?
Operating downtown is exciting and complex. Nashville is growing rapidly, but that brings challenges around infrastructure. Traffic congestion is a key issue, and the city is working to address it.

One initiative, “Choose How You Move,” aims to improve traffic and pedestrian flow downtown. Commerce Street, where our hotel sits, is directly impacted. I stay involved by serving on the Nashville Central Business Investment District Board of Directors and the Nashville Downtown Partnership Board of Directors, and meet regularly with the Nashville Department of Transportation. These changes must tackle the right balance of supporting both growth and the businesses that operate here.

Looking ahead, we’re working on next year’s budget. Occupancy is holding steady, driven by strong meetings and events. Average daily rate has been more difficult, especially on the transient and leisure side.

Group bookings through 2026 remain strong. The Cvent award helps, but our reputation for delivering top-tier meetings is even more valuable. Our location, space, and consistent execution position us well.

Competition is increasing, not only from new hotels but also from properties that opened in the last few years and are now stabilizing. At the same time, costs are rising. Tariffs are already affecting operations, and RevPAR growth is expected to be limited. Protecting margins will be tough, but strong group business and a focus on value will help us stay competitive.