The Staffing Agency has launched The Hotel Agency, a dedicated recruiting division built for hotel ownership groups, operators and management companies facing staffing shortages. The division debuted this week at the America’s Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS).
Hotels enter 2026 grappling with record turnover, rising labor costs and the most acute talent scarcity the industry has seen in decades. The Hotel Agency formalizes more than 14 years of hotel search work previously serviced through The Chef Agency and responds directly to accelerating demand from brands seeking partners who understand hotel operations from the inside.
“Hotels have been asking for a search partner who understands the realities on property,” said Steven Kamali, CEO of The Staffing Agency. “Every one of our recruiters has lived it—they’ve worked in hotels, run departments and understand the operational cost of a bad hire.”
The Hotel Agency is staffed entirely by former hoteliers —operators, culinary leaders, room executives and department heads— enabling fast and accurate candidate alignment and higher retention outcomes.
The group enters the market with:
• A vetted pipeline of 350,000+ hospitality professionals
• 500+ hotel and restaurant groups already served across the U.S.
• Dedicated recruiting capabilities for hourly roles through executive leadership
“Owners want partners who know how hotels actually run,” said John Rothstein, chief commercial officer, The Staffing Agency. “One staffing miss can destabilize an entire operation. The Hotel Agency was built to solve that with precision—supported by national reach and a proven infrastructure.”
The Hotel Agency offers:
• Full-time, management and executive hotel recruitment
• Recruiters with real operational backgrounds
• Sourcing and placement powered by a U.S. hospitality talent engine
• Solutions for independent hotels, branded portfolios and ownership groups
• Strategic expansion in 2026 focused on franchise networks and multi-property operators
The Staffing Agency is a recruiting organization built on a growing portfolio of sector-specific divisions, including The Chef Agency and The Estate Agency. The company specializes in hospitality and service industry recruitment and maintains a proprietary pipeline across the U.S. supported by more than 14 years of industry experience.