Israël Benyaïr Appointed General Manager of Baccarat Hotel New York 

NEW YORK, NY – December 2025 –Israël Benyaïrhas been named General Manager of the Forbes Five Star AAA Five Diamond Baccarat Hotel New York. In this new role, Benyaïr oversees the day-to-day operation of the flagship hotel which reimagined the elegance and perfection of the legendary French crystal maker into a luxury lifestyle hospitality brand when it opened in March of 2015.

A dynamic, senior luxury hospitality leader, Benyaïr has consistently worked to drive revenues and results, maximize profits, enhance quality, mentor management teams, and foster a climate of enthusiasm and motivation throughout his career. Prior to joining Baccarat Hotel, Benyaïr was the Vice President of Operations for the Delamar Hotel Collection, a private luxury brand consisting of six hotels. During his tenure, he achieved an overall guest satisfaction of 95% across the portfolio while increasing revenues, occupancies, and REVPAR year over year.  Before this, Benyaïr was the General Manager of The Mayflower Inn and Spa, an Auberge Collection hotel in Washington, CT. During this time, he oversaw an extensive renovation and successful repositioning of the property.

Benyaïr’s notable, global, career has included leadership positions with several Mandarin Oriental Hotels, including the Mandarin Oriental New York (Hotel Manager,) Mandarin Oriental Geneva (Hotel Manager, Director of Food and Beverage, and Restaurant Manager) Mandarin Oriental Boston (Director of Food & Beverage,) and the Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. (Assistant Director of Food and Beverage.) He also held leadership positions with Hotel Beau-Rivage Geneva, a Leading Hotels of the World, and the Intercontinental Hotel Geneva.    

“As we celebrate more than a decade of sparkling history at Baccarat Hotel New York, it brings me great joy to welcome Israël as our new General Manager,” says Raul Leal, CEO of Starwood Hotels. “He joins a remarkable team and a property that means so much to all of us. We’re delighted to have him here and look forward to supporting him as he settles in and becomes part of the Baccarat and Starwood family,” he adds.

“It is a privilege to lead the Baccarat Hotel New York as we continue to bring the enduring legacy and storied history of the legendary Baccarat crystal brand to life,” says Benyaïr. “This jewel-box hotel is a true celebration of joie de vivre and exquisite, joyful living, brilliantly illuminated through the storied heritage of Baccarat and I am honored to be working such a dedicated team of service artisans who consistently create unparalleled experiences for our guests,” he adds.

A native of Rhone, France, Benyaïr earned a bachelor’s degree from the Institut Vatel Hotel School in Lyon, France; a sales and marketing baccalaureate from Lycee Des Glieres in Annemasse, France; and a national diploma from College Michel Servet, also in Annemasse, France. He is fluent in English, French and Hebrew.

About Baccarat Hotel New York 

Baccarat Hotel New York is the first hotel and global flagship for the 250+ year old Baccarat crystal brand. Directly across the street from the Museum of Modern Art and steps away from Fifth Avenue’s legendary shopping, the 114 exquisitely appointed guest rooms & suites designed by Paris-based, luxury design team Gilles & Boissier delight the senses with lavish finishes and artisanal attention to detail. Generous amenities include stunning salon-style spaces where guests may enjoy all-day dining menus as well as afternoon tea; a beautiful barrel-vaulted bar featuring a kaleidoscope of Baccarat crystal stemware; a soothing Spa de La Mer, the first of its kind in the United States; a 55-foot sunken marble swimming pool complete with day beds reminiscent of La Côte d’Azur; and an on-property Baccarat boutique. Baccarat Hotel New York has earned the prestigious Michelin Key, Forbes Five Star and AAA (American Automobile Association) Five Diamond Awards. For more information, visit www.baccarathotels.com

ABOUT STARWOOD HOTELS

Starwood Hotels, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group, is a sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels, a nature-inspired lifestyle brand that launched in 2015 with properties in South Beach (Miami) and Manhattan and now includes Brooklyn Bridge (New York City), West Hollywood (Los Angeles), Sanya (China), Toronto, San Francisco, Nashville, the Hanalei Bay (Kauai) flagship property, the brand’s first European property in Mayfair (London), Seattle, Melbourne (Australia) and Copenhagen, with projects in development in Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Paris, Elounda Hills (Crete), Austin (Texas), Tokyo, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and San Miguel de Allende (Mexico); Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand that made its debut in March 2015 with the opening of its flagship property in New York, with projects under development in Rome, Florence, Dubai, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Brickell (Miami), and Maldives; and Treehouse Hotels, which premiered in London in 2019 and now includes Manchester (UK) and Silicon Valley (California), with projects under development in Brickell (Miami), Adelaide (Australia), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). In 2025, the company launched 1 Hotels Mission Membership™, a purpose-driven loyalty program designed to reward guests with perks and exclusive opportunities while giving back to the planet; guests can use their 1 Hotels Mission Membership account across sister brands Baccarat Hotels and Treehouse Hotels. Leveraging its marketing, design, operational and technological expertise, Starwood Hotels is the force behind some of the most groundbreaking and dynamic hotel brands in the world. Additional information can be found at starwoodhotels.com.