Vinoy GM Vanessa Williams works to enhance her hotel, St. Pete as a global destination
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: May 19, 2023

Vanessa Williams, general manager of The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection, has spent her career in the luxury hotel industry and believes St. Petersburg is on the cusp of becoming a national — if not an international — destination.

Williams has led the Vinoy through a major rebrand following an extensive renovation of the historic hotel. She has more than 30 years of experience in luxury hotel sales and operations management and has worked globally.

She recently launched the flagship Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills as its GM and previously has worked with the Waldorf Astoria Beijing and Conrad Seoul, the Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills and the Sukhothai Bangkok.

The Vinoy has been a foundational asset in St. Petersburg for nearly 100 years, and its recent renovations — which began after an investment group led by Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-owner Bryan Glazer purchased the hotel in 2018 — highlight the shift toward greater positioning of the Vinoy as a luxury hotel.

You served on the board of the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau. Now you serve on the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce board. How important do you believe community outreach is in your role and what do you hope to be a part of here? In Beverly Hills, my immersion into the community was very important. My role with the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau was collaborating with retailers and other hoteliers to help put Beverly Hills on the world map. I don’t feel any differently about St. Pete, but I think we’ve got some heavy lifting to do.

The reality is we have a business environment here that supports the effort of what’s going on in this city. I see my position as one that will not only support the Vinoy but will also benefit St. Pete as well.

You’ve worked in some of the most renowned cities in the world. What are the next steps St. Pete needs to take to become a “destination city”? We talk a lot about welcoming guests from around the world and the country, but the reality is every day we welcome someone that wanders in from their home down the street. That is just as important as somebody that flies across the world and checks in.

The passion the community has for St. Pete helps to tell its story. There’s been tremendous progress and tremendous growth.

We as a community need to think broader than Florida. We need to think nationally and internationally. This is a destination. You can be in the south of France and have this environment. You don’t find this very often. Despite the growth, it is still a secret for much of the world, and we cannot afford to keep it secret anymore.

With the growth, we’re bringing in a whole different set of people. People are moving into our condominium towers that may not be here all year, but they still bring a whole different element of what St. Pete is with them. We have a blend. Our original ’Burgers who have grown up here and our young folks that are here to go to school and work has created an eclectic, unique, authentic city. We need to tell that story.

How did you get into the hospitality industry? I grew up in South Africa and though I traveled a bit as I got older I never expected I would leave South Africa and spread my wings. But the politics of South Africa became very real. The more I traveled, the more I realized how isolated we were as a country.

At 27, I was offered an opportunity to take a position in Frankfurt, Germany. I said someone needs to establish roots outside of our home. I didn’t know what the future held for my family, but if one of us had this opportunity, I knew we had to take it. While in Frankfurt, I connected with a Japanese businessman building a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills. He wanted me to join his team and I told him I loved luxury hotels but didn’t know anything about running a hotel. My background was in marketing, so I knew my skill set was transferable. I took the risk and the rest is pretty much history. I quickly fell in love with hospitality.

When you look back, what lessons stand out to you? What do you hope to leave as your legacy? Eric shares my love for the adventure of life. I’ve been fortunate to have a husband who willingly allows me to drag him around the world. Without him, I’m unsure if my career would have been as global as it is.

Unlike most general managers, I moved into the role from the sales and marketing side of the industry. I’ve never been able to shake that mindset. The commercial piece of our business is so important to the success of our business. As for my legacy, I think it is to inspire people to love what they do. Be in this for the right reason and be purposeful in how you do your job.

Why St. Pete? Why the Vinoy? After six years at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, I wanted a new challenge, another opportunity to feel meaningful again. When the opportunity came up with the Vinoy, I did a little research and flew out here. It’s an inspiring place to work, not just because the people are inspiring, but the ownership is inspiring and the community is inspiring.

The Vinoy, it almost feels like coming home. Someone asked the other day how long I’ll be saying. I said I don’t have an end date. I think the end date will be when it’s the right time.