Ben Pundole
| Ben Pundole | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Editor-in-chief for A Hotel Life |
Ben Pundole is an entrepreneur, hotel manager, and editor-in-chief for the online travel magazine AHotelLife.com.[1][2][3] Pundole has been involved in the startup and development of many hotels and hotel chains, including Edition Hotels, Morgans Hotel Group, Ruschmeyers, Surf Lodge, and King & Grove.[1][4][5] He is known for his work in the food and beverage, marketing, nightlife and events of boutique and lifestyle hotels, and has been featured in The New York Times.[1][2][6]
Career
The son of a caterer and a hotelier, Pundole began his career working at the Groucho Club at age 19.[1][5][7] After working at the Groucho Club, he decided to forgo a formal college education and pursue a career in hospitality and hotel management.[1] At the age of 22, he became the general manager of the Met Bar at the Metropolitan Hotel in London.[7] While working at the Met Bar, he created a pop-up bar for Sak's Fifth Avenue during New York Fashion Week.[7] He met Amy Sacco, the owner of Lot 61, at the pop-up bar.[7] Sacco offered Pundole the position of general manager of Lot 61, and he moved to New York City at age 24 to manage the bar.[7][8]
Pundole later worked closely with Ian Schrager before Schrager sold the majority of his hotels to the Morgans Hotel Group.[7][9] He continued with the Morgans Hotel Group, where he served as the vice president of entertainment and oversaw the group's nightlife operations worldwide.[7][9] In 2010, he, Rob McKinley and Ed Scheetz co-founded King & Grove Hotels, a boutique hotel brand with properties including Hotel Williamsburg and Hotel Chelsea.[10] While working at King & Grove, Ben opened Ruschmeyer’s in Montauk, New York, a boutique hotel that became a successful venue.[10][11]
In 2012, Pundole left King & Grove to work with Ian Schrager and Edition Hotels, where he is the vice president of brand experience.[12][13] In February 2013, Pundole founded the travel website AHotelLife.com, of which he serves as the editor-in-chief.[1][13] The website reports on interesting hotels that provide a new perspective on hotel living.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 KRISTIN TICE STUDEMAN. "Rewriting His Own Meal Ticket". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- 1 2 "Ben Pundole Of "A Hotel Life" Introduces A New Way To Experience Travel". Guest of a Guest. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ↑ "A Hotel Life". Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ↑ "Pundole quits Chetrit's King & Grove hotel brand". The Real Deal. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- 1 2 Jenn Godbout. "Ben Pundole: on Hospitality, Curation & Rolling with the Punches". AdWeek. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ↑ "More Than a Few Good Reasons To Follow Edition Hotels on Social Media". Hotel Chatter. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DEREK BLASBERG. "BEN PUNDOLE, FALL 2008". The Last Magazine. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ↑ "Crisis Point: Is it last call for Amy Sacco?". New York Post. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- 1 2 Jenn Godbout. "Ben Pundole: On Hospitality, Curation & Rolling with the Punches". 99U. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- 1 2 Georgia BobleyJun. "Ben Pundole, The Man Behind Ruschmeyer's, Splits From King & Grove". Guest of a Guest. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ↑ "Ben Pundole on S'Mores, Tepees, & the Secret to Ruschmeyer's Success". BlackBook. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ↑ "Ian Schrager Finally Confirms Not One, But Two PUBLIC Hotels for NYC". Hotel Chatter. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- 1 2 Cator Sparks. "WORN OUT WEDNESDAYS – BEN PUNDOLE". The Manual. Retrieved 5 March 2014.