HOUSTON (July 19, 2019) – Jon Craven has been named General Manager of AC Hotel by Marriott Houston Downtown, the first AC in Houston and only second in Texas, opening in late July. In his role, Craven will oversee the entire hotel operation and will be responsible for ensuring Marriott and AC brand standards are maintained to meet and exceed guests’ expectations.
“I am thrilled to join the AC Houston team as we near the opening of this unique, historic property,” said Craven. “I aspire to provide warm but effective leadership to our hotel staff, so that in turn our team will provide exceptional service to all guests and visitors at AC Hotel Houston Downtown.”
Craven has more than two decades of hospitality experience, with the past 11 years in the Houston area. He was most recently the Houston Area General Manager for Holiday Inn, overseeing multiple properties, and before that, was Opening General Manager at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Houston Westchase. Prior Houston GM positions include Residence Inn – Houston Westchase; Courtyard by Marriott – Houston I-10 West; and Homewood Suites Houston NW Cy-Fair.
A native of England, Craven has earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in Hotel and Catering Operations Management from the University of Huddersfield in Huddersfield, England.
Dallas-based NewcrestImage is the owner and operator of AC Hotel Houston Downtown, scheduled to open in late July and located at the corner of Rusk and Main Streets in downtown Houston. The hotel is an adaptive reuse of the ten-story, 105-year-old building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes an historic midcentury modern renovation, and the restoration of an original 1914 silent movie theater, now called the Zoe Ballroom, which will host luxury events for corporate and social groups. Originally commissioned by famed Houston entrepreneur, Jessie Jones, and designed by Alfred Finn as the headquarters of Gulf Oil, the building has been home to the National Bank of Commerce and most recently served as The Houston Bar Center.
