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11 June, 2024

TFE Hotels announces several key hotel general manager appointments across Adina, Vibe and Travelodge in ANZ

Edited by Travel Weekly

TFE Hotels has announced several key Hotel General Manager appointments across their Adina, Vibe and Travelodge network in Australia and New Zealand.

Senior Director of Operations ANZ, Tish Nyar, said he was pleased to see such a strong line-up of talent across the ANZ network.

Shaarn Letele is the new general manager of soon-to-be-refurbished Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour.

During his 15-year career with TFE Hotels, he successfully reopened Travelodge Wellington before returning to Australia to manage Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Central. He has also been part of the pre-opening team at Adina Sydney Airport and St Mark Road Co. Café – the first of the brand- and, most recently, led the team at Vibe Hotel North Sydney.

Regional General Manager for NSW/ACT Emma Soutter said with Shaarn’s exceptional attention to detail and passionate service she was excited to have him on board managing the planned refurbishment and repositioning of the property.

Swapping iconic eastern beach views for the high-rise landscape of North Sydney and views to the harbour, Frances Ryall joins TFE Hotels fresh from a stint with IHG, where she was operations manager of the 209-key Crowne Plaza Coogee and, most recently, a secondment at Melbourne’s InterContinental the Rialto.

Passionate about service and with a strong rooms and conferencing background, Ryall brings a strong focus on guest service and expertise experience from working across various IHG, Accor and the Hyatt Regency brands, to the new role. Ryall joined the team in May 2024.

TFE stalwart and proven performer, Arthur Rojas, has been appointed as Cluster General Manager of Travelodge Melbourne Docklands and Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne Southbank. Rojas started his career with TFE in 2011 and during his tenure has worked across the Adina, Travelodge, and Medina (now defunct) brands.

Rojas is well known for building strong culture and capability within his teams and looks forward to utilising these skills in the cluster role.

A cluster of new of Kiwi roles

Across the ditch, TFE Hotels’ Regional General Manager for QLD/NZ/WA and NT, Warwick Kahl, has announced two key appointments in Auckland which he says will solidify TFE’s leadership base and support future growth in market.

“We’re extremely pleased to announce the appointments of Suzanne Pentecost and Annabell Javinez, who will join Travelodge Wellington’s Matthew Fairley as our senior operations leads in New Zealand,” he said. “Both GMs have strong hospitality backgrounds and are a welcome addition to the TFE Hotels’ team.”

Suzanne Pentecost.

Suzanne Pentecost has been appointed general manager of the 164-key Adina Apartment Hotel Auckland Britomart. Pentecost brings a wealth of hospitality experience to Adina, having previously worked in a cluster general manager role for Swiss Bel International overseeing Swiss Belresort Coronet Peak and Swiss Belsuites Pounamu Apartments; as a GM with Ramada Hotels; and as a lecturer at Pacific International Hotel Management School.

“Suzanne is very experienced with strata properties and full-serviced hotels, and brings strong stakeholder management skills to the role,” Kahl said.

“We’re looking forward to seeing these skills in action at the hotel.”

Outside of New Zealand, Pentecost has worked for The Dorchester Hotel in London, at the six-star Qualia resort on Hamilton Island, and One Hyde Park: The Residences at Mandarin Oriental Resort in London. Suzanne will start with TFE Hotels on 1 July.

Rounding out the New Zealand leadership appointments, Annabell Javinez has relocated from Perth to Auckland to take on the general manager role of the Travelodge Hotel Auckland Wynyard Quarter.

Annabell Javinez.

Javinez brings 15 years’ experience in hospitality and accommodation to the role, including a lengthy tenure with Quest Hotels including a cluster GM role at Quest Midland and Quest Kings Park and general manager roles at Quest Perth Ascot and Quest South Perth Foreshore. Annabell will start with TFE Hotels on 8 July.

“Annabell has strong rooms and rate management skills,” Kahl said. “These coupled with a passion for the guest experience made her the perfect choice for the role.”

Feature image: Frances Ryall (left) is the new general manager at Vibe Hotel North Sydney and Shaarn Letele is the new GM of Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour.

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A cluster of new of Kiwi roles

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au