Spotlight On: Justine Bragg, Director of Operations, Hotel Flor Tampa

Key points:

• • Hotel Flor Tampa is repositioning itself as a gathering place for both business travelers and downtown locals.
• • The renovated property is seeing rising foot traffic as it rebuilds visibility and community connections.
• • Justine Bragg wants Hotel Flor to become a go-to destination for business meetings and events in downtown Tampa.

May 2026 — Invest: spoke with Justine Bragg, director of operations at Hotel Flor Tampa, about the property’s renovation-driven turnaround, improving guest satisfaction, and a strategy centered on downtown’s business community. “It’s not only for the transient and business traveler, but it’s our local neighbors,” Bragg said.

Join us at caa’s upcoming leadership summits! These premier events bring together hundreds of public and private sector leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities for businesses and investors. Find the next summit in a city near you!

From design to service to technology and value, which hospitality trends are most influencing your strategy right now?

Our big strategy is focusing on the future and on making sure the market understands we are part of downtown Tampa. We want to focus not only on the business community, but also the local community. There are many apartment and condo complexes nearby, and we are within walking distance, so we are building the hotel as a place where locals can also spend time, not just travelers passing through. It’s not only for the transient and business traveler, but it’s our local neighbors.

This includes thoughtfully creating opportunities to gather within the renowned atmosphere of our restaurant space, The Dan, our speakeasy-style experience, and then extending that into business gatherings, neighborhood meet-and-greets, and small group events. The goal is to create a sense of belonging, where the hotel feels connected to the rhythm of downtown.

How are you engaging with the local Tampa community, and what partnerships are helping you build that presence?

We host neighborhood happy hours and gatherings where we invite local residents in, offer a beverage and small bites, and give them a chance to meet our team and see the renovated spaces. We go to local condo associations, share information, and invite them in on a specific day of the week. We are building that into a monthly touchpoint so it becomes something the community can look forward to.

We are also working with Evolve & Co. on an influencer program to help capture what we have to offer and share that story more broadly. It is one thing to say a renovation is complete, but it is another to show people what the experience feels like now. That visibility supports both local engagement and the larger reintroduction of the property.

How are you attracting and retaining talent in today’s competitive labor market?

We are actively continuing to build our team, and we are working with local hiring partners to help facilitate the recruiting process and vet the right candidates. Internally, we also have a system that goes beyond the application process and includes a personality assessment so we can better understand work style, collaboration, and motivation.

That matters because this is a journey we are building, and we want the right team players to be part of it. We are being intentional about alignment, because culture and service standards are what ultimately shape the guest experience and how the hotel is perceived in the market.

What is your biggest operational challenge today, and where do you see opportunity?

One operational challenge is hiring for a few key positions, particularly within support roles, where we have seen shifts in the hospitality labor market. It requires us to be thoughtful about how we market roles, how we communicate the benefits of working here, and how we build a pipeline so we do not face shortages as we continue growing.

Another challenge has been perception during the renovation period. Even though we were open, at one point we had scaffolding outside of the building, and the visual from the street looked like the hotel was closed. That impacted visitation and staffing interest, because people did not always understand where we were in the renovation timeline.

The opportunity now is that the visual has changed, and we are already seeing a huge uptick in foot traffic, along with growth in guests and visitors over the past couple of months. It is a chance to tell the story clearly, prove the momentum, and keep building the team and the experience with that renewed energy.

What is your outlook for Tampa’s tourism and hospitality sector, and how do you see the hotel contributing to the downtown economy?

We have been actively spending time with key players across Tampa Bay to form partnerships and invite people into the property. We are bringing in organizations to host business meetings and luncheons, offering tours, and opening the door for questions and relationship-building. That includes groups like the Tampa Bay Chamber and other local organizations, because the more people experience the property firsthand, the more they understand how it fits into downtown’s business ecosystem.

We also want to support the flow of visitors coming into the region, including opportunities connected to the cruise port, where guests may stay with us before they sail. Overall, we are focused on being a place for Tampa Bay’s leaders and partners to gather, host, and bring others into the market.

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

First and foremost, our priority is showing that we are open, ready, and providing an exceptional experience, whether someone is hosting an event, dining with us, or staying overnight. We want to be a top destination for Tampa Bay business leaders and a reliable option for groups and meetings.

We want to provide a unique independent hotel experience while still delivering the Hilton brand standard that people know and trust. As we continue to add layers of amenities and programming, our goal is to keep growing into the number one place to be for business gatherings and community connection in downtown Tampa.

Want more? Read the Invest: Tampa Bay report.