LOS ANGELES, CA (December 14, 2012)—Norbert Mede, of the Hotel Griffon, was named the Luxe Worldwide Hotels 2012 General Manager of the Year at the 2012 Luxury Travel Expo in Las Vegas.

The prestigious Manager of the Year title is awarded annually to one General Manager from among 200 Luxe Worldwide Hotels and is based on exemplary leadership, guest feedback, exceptional service, and outstanding community and staff relations.

Originally from San Francisco, Mede joined Hotel Griffon as General Manager in 2008, with over 18 years of experience in the industry. Mede graduated from the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management program at Golden Gate University in San Francisco in 1991. Prior to joining Hotel Griffon, he held management positions at the Cliffside Inn, Red Lion Hotels, Doubletree Hotels, the Jamestown Hotel and the Stanyan Park Hotel.

Mede is committed to the health and welfare of his employees and he is passionate about implementing environmental initiatives at the hotel. He has established “green teams” at the property to promote environmental awareness and policies and has instituted health and fitness programs to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of hotel staff.

Voted “Best Boutique Hotel” and "Best 24 Hour Getaway" by San Francisco Magazine, Hotel Griffon is luxury boutique, certified green hotel located in San Francisco’s Financial District, situated along the stylish Embarcadero waterfront. Hotel Griffon boasts 62 European-inspired guest rooms and suites and features stunning views of the San Francisco Bay.

Said Mede, “I’m humbled by this honor—it’s always nice to be recognized for something you love doing anyway. I have deep appreciation for San Francisco and the hospitality industry and I owe a great deal of gratitude to our wonderful staff, travelers from near and far and Luxe Worldwide Hotels for their continued support.”

“Norbert is a shining example of the caliber of leadership we have at the Luxe Worldwide Hotels member properties,” said Luxe Hotels Founder and Chairman Efrem Harkham. “Norbert’s commitment to his staff, his forward thinking environmental initiatives at the hotel and glowing guest feedback make him the perfect choice for this year’s award.”

About Luxe Worldwide Hotels
Luxe Worldwide Hotels (LWH) offers its member properties an extensive variety of exceptional reservations, sales and marketing resources. With 12 sales offices around the globe, LWH is renowned in the hospitality industry for its exceptional customer service and representation services. Nearly 200 independently owned properties compose the LWH collection, spanning 31 countries across four continents. Every member hotel offers originality in décor, reflecting local cultural sensibilities or compelling design and architectural elements.  Of particular note is the fact that LWH is not led by a large corporation, rather by a visionary veteran hotelier, Efrem Harkham. The LWH mission, derived from Harkham’s more than 25 years of experience, is to support each independent property’s efforts to increase their visibility, volume and viability —ultimately increasing revenue.  For more information, please visit, http://www.luxehotels.com.