Meyer Jabara Hotels (MJH)’s Cambria® Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach is now open. Owned by Jai and Jessica Motwani, president and CEO of real-estate development group Hotel Motel Inc., the 97-room hotel is located at 2231 N. Ocean Blvd. This is the 55th Cambria in the Choice Hotels International portfolio and the fourth Cambria Hotel managed by Meyer Jabara Hotels.
“It’s peak season in Florida and we are thrilled that this property is open and welcoming guests to Fort Lauderdale Beach,” says Meyer Jabara Hotels President Justin Jabara. “The South Florida hospitality market is seeing signs of hope. People want to get away. They want to go to the beach. And they are finding the Cambria to be exactly what they have been missing in Fort Lauderdale. It has only been open for two weeks, but occupancy at this hotel is already surpassing projections. As vaccinations continue to roll out and confidence in traveling returns, we are confident that this hotel will perform well in the market.”
The fully custom Cambria Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach is elegant and polished. It is a fantastic addition to the Meyer Jabara Hotels portfolio. The property features an open concept lobby, flexible meeting space, expanded state-of-the-art fitness center, spa-style swimming pool, retail space and more. The hotel’s food and beverage operation will open mid-February with a lobby bar, Italian-influenced American cuisine restaurant and catering service to support group functions. A rooftop lounge will be unveiled in the Spring when the hotel celebrates its official Grand Opening.
“Despite the immense challenges of a pandemic, Meyer Jabara Hotels has not rested on our laurels. We continue to build upon our management services platform, and we could not be happier to open this property,” Jabara says. “Ownership and management really broke the mold when conceptualizing this hotel. It’s an amazing property, and as such, we have an amazing team led by General Manager Kara Lundgren who has extensive experience in both the South Florida and boutique hotel markets. We are confident that with our management platform and Kara’s guidance, this property will emerge quickly as a market leader. We are delighted to continue our growing relationship with Choice Hotels International and look forward to introducing this stylish property to travelers.”
Passionate and Performance Driven GM
Kara Lundgren is a highly motivated and driven hospitality veteran, successful at implementing strategic approaches to drive profitability and sales. She is recognized for performance excellence in operations, customer care, branding and team development and is highly successful at motivating, training and developing team members to drive profitability in highly competitive environments. Her strong ability to drive profits, control costs and exceed customer expectations made Lundgren the ideal candidate to lead the new Cambria Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach.
“For the last eight years I’ve been opening independent boutique hotels in South Florida. I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be introducing the Cambria Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach to the community alongside Jai and Jessica Motwani,” Lundgren says. “There is nothing more exciting to me than developing the strategy and positioning that goes into opening a new hotel. Although this is my first experience operating a brand, Meyer Jabara Hotels has a long-standing relationship with Choice Hotels and both companies have been exceptional to onboard with. It will really be fun bringing the independent mindset to a global brand.”
The Cambria Fort Lauderdale Beach is located across the street from the Auberge Beach Residences & Spa, considered to be Fort Lauderdale’s most extraordinary beachfront location, and is minutes away from some of the area’s best attractions, including world-class dining and shopping at the Galleria Shops and Las Olas Boulevard, museums, and theaters. The Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades also are close by.