Located at the intersection of The Embarcadero and Mission Street in San Francisco, Hotel Vitale represents not only a new frontier for the highly successful boutique hotel company, but an entirely ground-breaking concept in the arena of luxury hospitality. 

"We conceived Hotel Vitale as the first 'post-hip' boutique hotel, providing 'fast peace for a fast-paced world' -- modern, urbane, nurturing surroundings, four-star services and amenities, and the opportunity to regain the rhythm that is usually thrown off by traveling," said Conley.  "It's a concept that we sum up in two words:  luxury, naturally."

Designed by Clark Manus of San Francisco-based Heller Manus Architects, Hotel Vitale is characterized by stunning waterfront views and an elegant design that reflects the natural beauty that surrounds the property.  The hotel, rising eight stories at its highest level, comprises eight suites, six studios and 185 guestrooms.  Hotel Vitale is a much anticipated addition to the city's Embarcadero redevelopment, an ambitious waterfront revival that has seen the highly successful transformation of San Francisco's Ferry Building into the city's newest landmark, a thriving bizarre of artisan food shops, restaurants, and thrice-weekly Farmers Market. 
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The Hotel Vitale is the result of an historic joint venture between the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Emerald Fund and Joie de Vivre Hospitality, and has been over six years in the making. The stunning eight-floor property was designed by San Francisco-based Heller-Manus Architects, with an interior design by Colum McCartan of San Francisco-based MCCARTAN. The Hotel Vitale site near the Embarcadero in San Francisco, a former Muni bus layover yard, was selected in the Municipal Railway Assets Development Study as a site for new commercial development. A combination transit museum and retail shop will be operated by the Market Street Railway, a non-profit group that is dedicated to the acquisition, restoration, and operation of historic transit vehicles in San Francisco.

As managing director, Curell will be responsible for daily operations of the hotel along with overseeing the entire guest services staff.  Gaudenzi will handle the areas of marketing, planning and budgeting, as well as business development programs, prospect generation, and local partnership marketing affiliations.  Additionally, she will supervise a team of senior sales associates and support personnel.

"David brings a proven track record of delivering the highest levels of luxury services and amenities," said Conley.  "His ability to create a four-star experience for each guest together with Christine's comprehensive knowledge of the San Francisco marketplace represent two extremely important elements in the success of the hotel."

Curell hails from Vancouver, Canada, where he served as general manager of Opus Hotel, opening and operating the 96-room luxury hotel that became a favorite of entertainers, celebrities and studio executives.  He is a graduate of the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Gaudenzi, who began her career with the Kimpton Group, has an extensive background in the San Francisco hospitality industry, having served as director of sales and marketing at both the Omni Hotel and Mandarin Oriental.  Twelve years on the frontlines of hospitality marketing in San Francisco -- during some of the industry's most challenging circumstances -- have provided her with a diverse understanding and appreciation of luxury and service. 

About Joie de Vivre:
Based in San Francisco, Joie de Vivre Hospitality (www.jdvhospitality.com) is a creative collection of lifestyle businesses.  As the Bay Area's most prolific hotel operator (2005 projected sales are $75 million), the Joie de Vivre portfolio encompasses 33 hospitality businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area, including 26 boutique hotels.  These properties represent a total of over 2,000 rooms and include five distinctive restaurants and bars.  The company also owns and operates San Francisco's largest day spa, the Kabuki Springs & Spa, which includes America's largest Japanese-style communal bath facility.  Each property celebrates the San Francisco Bay Area through a unique visual style, uncompromising design principles, one-of-a-kind amenities and personalized service.  "Our goal," notes Joie de Vivre founder and CEO Chip Conley, "is to create landmark destinations full of soul and personality."