Schmitt is it: Alden steals Hotel Derek GM

The Alden-Houston Hotel has announced their new General Manager and Managing Partner— Hans Schmitt, an industry vet who had been the GM at Houston's Hotel Derek since 2007. Schmitt is part of the team brought in by the new owners of the Alden, Northwood Investors, who completed their purchase of the eight-year-old boutique hotel on Monday.

Schmitt told CultureMap that he has known David McCaslin, an advisor for Northwood, since working together in 1986, and was ready to join forces with the investor group even before the deal was struck for the Alden. 

"Northwood has a $1.25 billion fund for investments and great principles, so we just felt the time was right to make a move," said Schmitt.

As for changes planned to the Alden? "The hotel has really good bones. I'd like to rearrange the lobby, because as it is now it's not really condusive to sitting and socializing. We have some ideas for *17, but nothing concrete yet. As for the bar, we'd like to maybe rename it the Sam Houston Bar [a reference to the original name of the hotel, the Sam Houston], really tie back into the Texas history," Schmitt said.

Schmitt also has big plans to increase marketing of the Veranda, Alden's second-floor party space and patio.

As for leaving his post at the Derek, Schmitt says, "If you care about a business, it's always emotional when you leave because you are leaving behind the people and the connections. But I see a bright future with the Alden, and you have to take risks in life, and we just felt that now is a good time to make a move."