Editors’ Note

Reggie Dominique serves as the Managing Director of Loews Atlanta Hotel. His journey began in customer service at The Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California, where he then grew with the brand for 25 years in varying roles across sales and marketing and operations at properties in Pasadena, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Palm Beach, Florida; San Francisco, California and back to his hometown of Los Angeles, California. Prior to joining Loews as Managing Director in Hollywood, California in July 2020, he was Hotel Manager for the JW Marriott in Los Angeles and General Manager at The Renaissance LAX. Proficient in both English and French, Dominique was born and raised in Southern California and attended college on a football scholarship at Santa Clara University where he graduated with a degree in political science.

Property Brief

Located in Atlanta’s most walkable neighborhood, Loews Atlanta Hotel (loewshotels.com/atlanta-hotel) blends Southern hospitality with modern elegance in the heart of Midtown’s vibrant arts district. Soaring 26 stories, the sleek glass tower features 414 spacious rooms – including 44 suites – all with floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests can discover the next evolution of Loews Atlanta’s culinary journey at new signature restaurant, Ashland, where classic American steakhouse fare meets the precision of Japanese sushi, unwind with cocktails at Ashland Bar, and grab coffee and bites at Market Eleven. An award-winning exhale Spa and fitness center allows Loews Atlanta guests to enjoy exclusive perks. Just steps from Piedmont Park, The BeltLine, Fox Theatre, and the Woodruff Arts Center, the AAA Four-Diamond hotel is perfectly placed for exploration. Loews Atlanta Hotel recently debuted a redesigned lobby and new signature restaurant after a multi-million-dollar refresh designed for the modern traveler and rooted in Midtown’s vibrant energy.

Will you discuss your career journey?

My career in the hotel industry is something I actually fell into in 1994. I graduated from college in December 1993 and my football career was officially over. Fresh out of college and having moved back to home after graduation, my father approached me one day and informed me “if I see you sitting on the couch watching TV tomorrow, you will need to find a new place to live.” With that in mind, I decided to prepare for and attend law school. At the same time, I knew that I would need to find a job. I began what would be a 25-year career working for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. I started at the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey in February 1994 as a Star Service Agent (PBX back then). After seven months, I got promoted/recruited to the sales team. I’ll never forget my first “sales call” or my first sales trip to Seattle. I was then asked to work as Director of Business Travel Sales at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, California. Three years later, I was promoted to Director of Sales & Marketing for the St. Louis hotel, a position I held for three years. That role took me to Palm Beach, Florida, then back to the west coast as Director of Sales & Marketing for the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. In 2013, I was designated to become a General Manager and was asked to move back to Los Angeles and be the Hotel Manager at the Ritz-Carlton LA Live and later the JW Marriott Los Angeles Live. I found Loews Hollywood Hotel during COVID in July 2020 and had the pleasure of re-opening the property after 11 months of suspended operations. After two years, the opportunity to join the Loews Atlanta team was presented and I decided to make the move in January 2023.

Will you provide an overview of Loews Atlanta Hotel, and what do you feel have been the keys to the strength and leadership of the property?

Loews Atlanta Hotel, in my opinion, is the finest hotel in the city for multiple reasons. Our location in Midtown is the best, hands down. There is no more walkable area in Metro Atlanta than Midtown, and our proximity to cultural attractions – Botanical Gardens, Piedmont Park, the High Museum, Woodruff Performing Arts Center, Fox Theater – is a strong differentiator. Through a meetings and events lens, there is no other hotel in the city that lends itself to specialize in mid-size group business, with all of our meeting space – 48,000 square feet – located on one level. Our spaces are second to none with floor to ceiling windows showcasing views of Atlanta on the hotel’s 14th floor, incredible banquet cuisine – recognized as one of the best at Loews Hotels & Co, and a tenured, talented banquet staff.

How valuable is it to have such a strong suite product?

Our suites make up about 11 percent of our overall room inventory. The various suite categories we have provide a multitude of options for our meeting planners to designate the perfect suite for their tiers in leadership. Additionally, the flexibility of having a robust suite inventory for our leisure guests during concert and game weekends has proven to be invaluable.

How has Loews Atlanta Hotel approached its restaurant/food and beverage offering?

With our new signature restaurant Ashland, which debuted as part of our recent lobby redesign, we carefully crafted not only a venue that is convenient for in-house guests, but also a compelling option for local residents to experience. Adding a sushi bar element, we effectively created a destination for guests who enjoy high end steaks, as well as fresh sushi. We feel confident there is a strong pull to not only have a drink at Ashland, but also a reason to stay longer with the lighting, music element, and diverse menu options.

Will you elaborate on Loews Atlanta Hotel’s meetings and events capabilities?

Meetings and events remain at the core of our business, driving about 70 percent of our overall business between guest rooms and banquets. Loews Atlanta was built with the meeting planner in mind – this includes our meeting space layout, space to guest room ratio, proximity to Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, our suite inventory and 414 guest rooms. The hotel remains a pillar in Atlanta for premier meetings and events, and is highly sought after by Fortune 500 companies. With our new signature restaurant and bar, Ashland, more than doubling in size from the previous dining concept, meeting attendees have the ability to network and refresh after a long day of meetings at what many consider to be the “front porch” of the hotel.

What does luxury mean to you in today’s hospitality landscape?

People are more inclined in today’s luxury mindset to value experiences over goods. They are less interested in having a great bottle of wine and are more inclined to want to tell you how they obtained this rare bottle of wine. So, in the hospitality business, we are constantly being pushed to create these out-of-the-box experiences for our guests who are more discerning than ever. If a couple can leave our hotel and two months later recall their time at Ashland, where the bartender created a special cocktail (not on the menu) and showed them how to make it, then we have effectively “enriched” their lives somehow which is very exciting.

What has made the hospitality industry so special for you?

The ability to meet so many people of diverse backgrounds from around the world – team members and guests alike – is incredibly fulfilling. The hotel business for me has made the world a smaller place, understanding that we all want the same things. Travel is very inspirational and as hoteliers, we have the ability to bridge continents with service, food, and overall experiences. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in building a career in the industry?

Get into the business for the right reasons. If you enjoy travel and creating a platform for service excellence that can leave indelible memories in the lives of people, you can do great things. Maintain a positive attitude and always seek to learn.