ABOUT LANDMARK
We believe
shared knowledge and experience are the keys to success.
Landmark Hotels, Inc. is a centralized organization providing operations management, information systems, technical services, revenue management, distribution and reservations, sales and marketing, risk and loss management systems, quality control audit, human resource management and training, purchasing, and financial management & controls.
Landmark operated hotels have consistently outperformed their competitive set, actual and aspirational, in occupancy, average rate and Revpar, and achieved success when measured by other barometers such as profitability, reputation management and repeat business. Our hotels and resorts have consistently ranked in Trip Advisor’s top 10 for their destination, and have been featured in Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure Magazines’ top resort and hotel lists.
THE LANDMARK STORY
Landmark was founded by Chairman Chuck Sweeney in the early 80s to develop the first urban all-suite brands in the hotel industry including the foundation of Crown Sterling Suites. He was a key developer and franchisee of Embassy Suite products across the continental United States, and later brought the brand to Maui, Hawaii with its first all-suite resort and to Kauai. As Chairman of Trinity Investment Trust, he developed and operated an international version of the Embassy Suites product in Mexico City. KPI goals set by Landmark management for the Embassy Suites franchise were met three years after opening, with a 160 RevPar Index.
INDEPENDENT SUCCESS
Chuck Sweeney also developed the first all-suite luxury resort in the Hawaiian islands under Landmark management, as an independent hotel without major brand support. The Kea Lani Hotel, Suites and Villas recorded the highest RevPar in the islands and was sold to Fairmont Hotels for a record sale price in the early 2000s.
For its formative years, Trinity Investments partnered with the management company arm of Landmark in the operation of a number of its independent hotels, including the charming L'Auberge de Sedona, the legendary Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu and the majestic Makena Beach & Golf Resort on the western coast of Maui.
1983
Landmark is founded by Chuck Sweeney. The Embassy Suites Maui records the highest inaugural year (1989) occupancy and ADR for Maui ever. In 1994, the Embassy Suites Pointe at Poipu opened with the first man-made salt water swimming lagoon.
1992 - 2000
The Kea Lani, the first independent luxury all-suite resort, opens in 1992. By 1994, it is listed on Conde Nast Traveler Magazine's Top 50 Resorts in the World. In 2000, it was sold to Fairmont Hotels with the highest recorded RevPar in the state of Hawaii.
2006-2014
Landmark takes over management of the legendary Kahala from Mandarin Hotels International and successfully converts it to an independent resort, with Leading Hotels of the World and Okura Hotels as marketing partners. It was one of the first hotels to tap the infant direct booking segment with a robust website and booking engine.
2007-2012
The first Embassy Suites opens in Mexico in 2007, with the redevelopment of a government office building into the modern 160-suite hotel on the centrally located Reforma Avenue in the heart of downtown Mexico City. It was ranked ahead of major luxury branded hotels in first three positions of Trip Advisor's Mexico City Hotels page during its entire Landmark management period.
2010-2016
Landmark takes over the distressed Maui Prince Hotel and converts it to the independent Makena Beach & Golf Resort. Until its closure in 2015 for development by Trinity partners, the Makena resort was one of the top 4 Maui hotels on Trip Advisor.
2017
Landmark starts looking at sites for upper upscale and upscale hotel development in Hawaii, Mexico and the continental US. It starts due diligence and development discussions with various brands for sites in key corporate and leisure markets.
2018
Chuck Sweeney retires as Chairman of Trinity Investments LLC, which he co-founded in 2000, to concentrate on Landmark's renewed role in real estate and product development and building, using new construction techniques.
2020-2024
Landmark starts planning and development on a site for an upscale 165 room branded select service hotel in Sonoma Wine Country, Northern California, with a planned opening date in late 2026. The hotel will be located near the Sonoma County Airport.
THE VISION BEHIND LANDMARK
CHUCK SWEENEYFOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN
The premise that the customer knows what he or she wants, and will pay a premium rate for accommodations so long as there is value received, is as valid today as it was when Charles M. Sweeney first entered the hotel business. His time at Harvard University's Graduate School of Business' Advanced Management Program only reinforced his belief that when in doubt, ask the customer. He followed his own advice by seeking his guests' counsel through his career as a hotel and resort developer and operator.
Chuck started his career with the Marriott Corporation. He was soon being recruited by a number of leading hotel companies who were preparing for the dramatic growth period ahead who were looking for managers who were creative and progressive, unafraid to take on new markets and new tools. Not unlike the type of managers he constantly is on the lookout for now. He decided to join a dynamic company with roots in Hawaii real estate and agriculture but was strong in retail, air and ground transportation as well as hotels and resort destination development on the US mainland. He headed Amfac's Hotel Division at a time when such destinations as Kaanapali and Poipu were unheard of and grew the hotel portfolio to 17 hotels with 8,000 rooms.
In 1983, Chuck left Amfac to establish the Landmark Suites of America and became the largest franchisee of what would later be named Embassy Suites. In 1991, he cofounded an all suite brand, Crown Sterling Suites to manage over 24 hotels across 20 major US markets. He accurately anticipated, during its infancy, the then untapped market demand for the all-suite concept. He developed and presided over Crown Sterling Suites until it was sold in early 1996 for approximately US$500 million.
At the same time he was building value for this brand, he was developing resorts in Maui. He still has a special gleam in his eyes when The Kea Lani is mentioned. This resort, with 416 suites and 37 villas, was located in the then relatively unknown destination of Wailea on Maui. It singlehandedly elevated the all-suite product into the luxury category when it opened in December 1992. It was also in Maui that he turned his attention to the education of young hotel talent for mid management positions. Together with professional trainers and senior academics, he founded VITEC, the predecessor of what is now the University of Hawaii Maui Campus Hospitality School.
By the time the Kea Lani opened, Mr. Sweeney was widely regarded as a visionary in the hotel industry, and one of its most successful developers and entrepreneurs. He is known for his ability to build strong management teams, for strategic operations planning and for his branding and marketing skills. During his career, Mr. Sweeney has conceptualized, developed, and operated 54 hotels and resorts throughout the continental U.S. and Hawaii with approximately 16,000 guest rooms/suites, at an estimated aggregate development cost of more than US$1 billion.
In 1997, Chuck Sweeney co-founded Trinity Investment Trust, LLC. He brought together a team whose multi-disciplined background equipped Trinity with the skills and resources necessary to execute its investment plan. Staunch proponents of a lean organization, Trinity's principals had both intensive and extensive experience in all aspects of the global real estate and hotel industries. Their collective expertise covered the entire spectrum of property development, investment, value enhancing asset management and finance, both in commercial property as well as hotels and resorts. They made their mark in Japan with the establishment of the first foreign owned REIT to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Together, Trinity's principals and associates were involved in transactions totaling in excess of US$9 billion. They were recognized for their ability and experience, and respected globally by individual and institutional investors, international hotel and resort owners and developers, major hotel corporations, and the international investment banking and funds communities.
As a full service firm, Chuck Sweeney and his partners created a company which had the in-house capability to perform each of the following functions: sourcing and identifying investment opportunities, market and asset analysis, risk/reward analysis, commitment and contract negotiation, debt sourcing, executing a successful closing, development and construction management, regimented asset management, and implementation of a successful exit strategy.
In 2018, Chuck retired as Chairman of Trinity Investments and now concentrates on Landmark Hotels, Inc. new developments in the upper and upscale segment in California and Hawaii. He also is carving out time for his other passions - producing premium wine and spending quality time with his grandchildren.