John Tolbert
Resort, Private Club & Hospitality Leader
John Tolbert brings tremendous international leadership experience over two decades in supporting IMI Worldwide Properties’ developers and projects with an emphasis on Private Clubs, Hospitality and Resort and Residential Real Estate.
Early in his career, John was part of the sales team that created and launched Hyatt Resorts of Hawaii. Later, John led the team of Sales and Marketing executives in the opening of one of the most significant resort developments in the Caribbean, the El Conquistador Resort and Club, a 300-acre resort on the northeast tip of the island of Puerto Rico. He established his passion for resort real estate with the opening of Las Casitas Village, a cliff-top whole ownership villa hotel development that was the first to earn the AAA Five Diamond award in the Caribbean.
As Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Wayne Huizenga’s Boca Resorts, Inc. (BRI), John played a key role in the success of seven iconic luxury resort hotels, six private clubs and three luxury yacht marinas. Following the sale of the public company to Blackstone, John was recruited to become President of Sales and Marketing for this hotel group and launch the LXR brand of luxury hotels. He also spent several years in Resort Operations, as Hotel Manager of the Five-Star, Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton Naples.
Throughout his career, John has been at the forefront of envisioning and creating branded residential resorts and has brought his expertise in hospitality, private clubs, amenities, golf, ski, spas, marinas, and food and beverage concepts to such noted brands as Mandarin Oriental Hotels and Residences, Auberge Resorts, Rosewood Hotels and Residences, Fairmont/Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Viceroy Hotels, Resorts and Residences, Golden Door Spa, Jack Nicklaus Design Group’s Clubs & Lodges, Kiawah Development Group, and St. Regis Hotels, Resorts and Residences. A noted industry expert on transforming and repositioning hospitality and real estate assets, he is a popular speaker on “Modern New Luxury.”
“John Tolbert’s noted success in the luxury travel industry coupled with his desire to bring clients ultimate experiences – be it travel or real estate – has harmonized extraordinarily well with our philosophy at IMI,” remarked Mike Collins, founding partner and CEO for IMI Worldwide Properties. “We are fortunate to have someone as passionate as John so closely connected as a strategic ally, especially with the exciting developments currently underway at IMI.”