indsey Ueberroth is a scion of one of the most prominent families in America. Peter Ueberroth, her uncle and perhaps the most recognizable of the bunch, is a former commissioner of Major League Baseball and had a big hand in bringing the Summer Olympics to Los Angeles in 1984. But it was Lindsey’ s father, John, who caught the travel bug. In 2004, he and his wife co-purchased Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Fourteen years later, Lindsey assumed the role of CEO and has grown the company into a global powerhouse of independent hotels, now numbering more than 650 hotels across the globe.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the non-brand’ s brand. In this Q & A, Ueberroth cites the challenges facing independent hoteliers and how Preferred helps, how independent hotels stand out in a crowded marketplace and why the types of experiences today’ s travelers seek out position independent properties to capture that demand.

HOTELS: Preferred Travel Group recently concluded its 2026 Preferred Hotels & Resorts Global Conference. What was the biggest takeaway? Ueberroth: The biggest takeaway was the power

and importance of coming together as an independent hospitality community at a moment when our industry is evolving so quickly. What was clear is that independent hotels are uniquely positioned for this moment. Travelers are seeking experiences that feel personal, distinctive and deeply connected to place. They want authenticity, not uniformity.

At the same time, independence today requires more than simply having a great product. It requires visibility, commercial sophistication, meaningful storytelling, strong distribution and the ability to connect with the right traveler. Much of the

conversation centered around how we help independent hotels compete and thrive without compromising what makes them special in the first place.

HOTELS: What are the biggest challenges facing independent hoteliers today and how can Preferred Hotels & Resorts help overcome them? Ueberroth: Independent hoteliers are navigating a highly competitive and increasingly complex environment. Rising operational costs, evolving traveler expectations, talent pressures, technological transformation and the growing influence of large-scale

56 hotelsmag. com July / August 2026