Lindsey 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 conversation centered around how we help independent hotels compete and thrive without compromising what makes them special in the first place. 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 distribution ecosystems all create significant challenges.
Standing out has become harder, even for exceptional hotels. That is where Preferred Hotels & Resorts can create meaningful value. Our role is not to standardize hotels or ask them to fit into a predefined mold. Our role is to amplify what already makes them extraordinary. We do that through global sales and distribution capabilities, integrated marketing and communications, strategic partnerships, loyalty and increasingly through insights and technology that help hotels better understand and engage today’s luxury traveler.
HOTELS: What is the place for independent hotels today, what is their distinction and how do they drive value and experience for today’s travelers?
Ueberroth: Independent hotels are not simply relevant today: They are defining the future of luxury and experiential travel. Travelers increasingly want experiences that feel original, emotional and rooted in culture and place.
Independent hotels naturally deliver that because they are often reflections of the people, communities and stories behind them. That distinction matters: The most memorable travel experiences are rarely about sameness; they are about how a place makes you feel.
At Preferred, we believe our role is to help preserve and elevate that individuality while giving hotels access to the commercial tools, global reach and brand strength needed to compete successfully on a global stage.
HOTELS: Preferred Hotels & Resorts added 20 new member properties in Q1. How do you balance global growth with adding properties that are the right fit?
Ueberroth: We believe in intentional growth. It is about building a portfolio that reflects the quality, character and diversity of experiences our travelers and hotel partners value most. Every hotel we welcome should bring something meaningful to the collection. We also spend a great deal of time evaluating alignment from both a brand and commercial perspective. We want to ensure that hotels will benefit from being part of our network and that they are positioned to actively engage with the opportunities we provide across sales, marketing, loyalty and distribution.
HOTELS: Loyalty programs are vital to ingratiate travelers. How does I Prefer Hotel Rewards accomplish that?
Ueberroth: What makes the program unique is that it was designed specifically for independent hotels. Our goal is not simply to drive transactions; it is to create meaningful relationships that encourage travelers to discover and connect across our global portfolio while supporting hotel profitability and long-term guest loyalty.
We continue to see strong growth in membership, engagement, revenue contribution and cross-brand stay behavior, which is a particularly important metric for us because it demonstrates that travelers are actively exploring the breadth of experiences across our network.
HOTELS: Has your vision changed at all for Preferred Hotels & Resorts? Where do you see the organization by 2030?
Ueberroth: Our vision has remained remarkably consistent. We believe in the power of independent hospitality and in travel as a force that connects people, cultures, and experiences in meaningful ways. What has evolved is the scale of opportunity in front of us and the ways we can support our hotels in an increasingly dynamic environment.
By 2030, I see Preferred Hotels & Resorts continuing to strengthen its position as the top global brand for independent luxury hospitality. Not by becoming more standardized, but by becoming even more valuable to the hotels we serve.