Hotelier Stephen Johnston – New Adventures

Managing Director & General Manager Stephen Johnston has been a mainstay of Boston’s hotel industry for more than two decades, including 12 years overseeing Boston Harbor Hotel, one of Boston’s most prestigious and renowned properties. Pyramid Global Hospitality, which owns BHH, has created a new position for Stephen in Phoenix, AZ, where he’ll become Task Force & Transitions General Manager this winter. We talked with Stephen recently.

Congratulations on your pending move to Phoenix, Stephen. Tell us how it came about.

Thank you. It’s an exciting time for us as a family. After 22 years here in Boston, our children have grown up and are pursuing their own careers, and my wife Audrey and I have talked for a while about finding a new adventure. Boston has been a wonderful home to us since we arrived here in 2003, but we had this feeling that we wanted to try something different. When we moved here from Ireland in 2003 to open Jurys Hotel at the old Police Headquarters, it was a big change for us and our very young children. A change of culture, a change of climate and really a complete life change. Looking back, it was the best thing that we ever did, and the family flourished as a result. We are hoping to replicate that one more time!

BHH has flourished under your leadership over the past 12 years – what are the highlights of your tenure there, and what is it that makes it a 5-star property?

That’s very kind of you to say, but I truly need to tell you that it is the 325 people who work with me at Boston Harbor that have created such a successful business over the years. I think of myself as a conductor of sorts, prompting direction and doing my best to keep people focused and coordinated. But that’s where it ends. It is the professionals who surround me that make me most proud of my tenure here at Rowes Wharf.

In terms of highlights, there are many! Our Wine & Food Festival has continued to grow and is now bigger than ever. Our outdoor concert series, Summer in the City, continues to do well despite increased choices people have for evening outdoor entertainment in the city. I am very proud of the Presidential Suite that we developed at the hotel 7 years ago. It is still the best suite in the city by far and allowed us to become the hotel of choice for royalty, prime ministers and celebrities over the years. And then there are the fun things that we did – like the ice rink under the rotunda dome for a few winters. And finally, there are the awards we have won – both for the hotel and for The Dark Bar, and the fact that we have retained our Forbes 5-Star award now for 18 years.

What makes Boston such a perfect place for people to visit?

Boston has it all; we are so incredibly lucky. We have an array of world-class sports teams. We have access to nearby mountains and beaches, and a beautiful harbor that offers so much to explore. The seasons offer us everything that we could want – not overly cold in the winter, and not super-hot in the summer. And these two seasons are joined by the most magnificent fall weather that attracts people from all over the world. And, how lucky are we to have an international airport that is literally minutes from the center of the city. Access from Europe and beyond is so easy in Boston – I think that we sometimes take this for granted. And along with all of this, we are such a hub for innovation and pharma and education. There really is no other city like it. I am blessed to have been able to call this my home.

We have to ask: will you miss the New England winters?

It’s a good question. People have said to me that I will quickly tire of the endless sunshine in Arizona. Let’s just say that I’m looking forward to testing the theory!

Best wishes, Stephen!