Boutique Hotel Owner: Rob Blood

Founder & President of Lark Hotels

At age 28, Rob entered the hospitality world with the purchase of his first lodging property in Kennebunkport, Maine. Now, 13 years later, he is involved in the ownership and management of 24 distinctive boutique hotels and several restaurants in the North East of the United States and in California. Along the way he has served as a consultant/owner’s representative for several significant hotel and resort projects throughout the North East. In 2012 Lark Hotels was formally born. Lark is Rob’s passion – creating and operating playful, design-driven boutique properties that pay homage to their locations and create a deep feeling of nostalgia by providing unique experiences and service for guests – resonates deeply with him.

Not a back office CEO, Rob has been recognized for doing whatever it takes – whether it is cleaning toilets, making beds, hauling furniture or installing wallpaper. It’s true, more of his time lately is spent developing the strategic vision for Lark Hotels, creating budgets, forecasting revenue projections and evaluating projects, however he, along with the rest of the Lark leadership team, is in regular touch with each property on an ongoing basis.Over the last decade, he has become an expert in revenue management, creating operational efficiencies, repositioning properties, branding, and project evaluation. While other developers and operators can be hesitant to commit to seasonal markets or smaller properties, Rob has a particular affinity for these resort destinations and knows how to maximize a short season.

Check out some images of Rob’s boutique hotels