OUR HISTORY

Redwood Hotels from its humble beginnings started as a dream…..a civil engineer who had a vision and a history that was steeped in a tradition of hospitality and a background in real estate. It is this combination that was the inspiration and the foundation for what has become a leading hotel company with unlimited potential.

“The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It’s not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no, they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time.”

~ John Steinbeck

2025

Redwood continues to grow its portfolio across Canada and the United States. Recent milestones include the 2025 acquisition of Tru by Hilton in Lewisville, Texas, the rebranding of our Lockport, New York property to Spark by Hilton, and the upcoming reopening of the fully renovated Courtyard by Marriott in London, Ontario in Canada

  • 2022
       

    2022 - 2022

    Redwood Hotels is a leading hotel ownership and management company with more than 1200 rooms across North America. We are actively sourcing acquisition opportunities and have partnered with leading equity firms to grow our portfolio to have a strong presence throughout Canada and the USA.

  • 2020
       

    2020 - 2020

    When the Covid Pandemic hit and created challenges for the Hotel industry worldwide, Redwood Hotels was able to maintain stable operating performance and proved resilience through these challenging times. Our diverse class of hotels ranging from extended stay to full service in key locations were able to benefit from target customer groups that were still travelling during the pandemic.

  • 2019
       

    2019 - 2019

    Redwood Hotels expands its presence into the United States and as a result of the successful performance is able to acquire additional hotels to increase our total inventory to more than 1000 rooms

  • 2018
       

    2018 - 2018

    As Redwood Hotels continues to grow, the portfolio includes exclusively premium brands, Hilton, IHG and Marriott and more than 600 rooms across Canada

  • 2016
       

    2016 - 2016

    Redwood Hotels expands its brand partnerships to include Marriott Hotels & Resorts and a total of more than 500 rooms

  • 2015
       

    2015 - 2015

    Revenue performance and market opportunities allow for repositioning of the portfolio and sets the stage to become a leader in the Canadian Hospitality space

  • 2012
       

    2012 - 2012

    Redwood hotels grows its portfolio to over 400 rooms and begins building long standing relationships with major brands IHG and Hilton Hotels

  • 2009
       

    2009 - 2009

    Redwood Hotels acquires additional hotels and grows its total room count to 200 and begins a new growth phase for the company

  • 2006
       

    2006 - 2006

    Financial success allows the opportunity to acquire an additional hotel, setting the stage for the building of a Canadian Hotel portfolio

  • 2003
       

    2003 - 2003

    Rajesh Parekh begins his journey and vision of building a leading hotel company with the acquisition of a small independent boutique hotel

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Janani Suryanarayanan

Senior Accountant

Janani brings over 8 years of public accounting experience with experience in various industries ranging from hospitality, construction and professional services. She serves as the senior accountant/ accounting manager for Redwood Hotels Group, being primarily responsible for overseeing financial closing processes for multiple entities and collaborating and analyzing financial information both internally and externally. Janani is also involved in optimizing the efficiency within accounting operations and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and internal controls.

Amol Shivade

Assistant to the Regional Director of Operations

Amol Shivade l brings extensive international hospitality experience to his role as Assistant to the Regional Director of Operations at Redwood Hotels Group. Originally from India, he holds a degree in Hotel Management and has built a diverse career with key operational roles in the United Kingdom, Colorado, USA.
Since moving to Canada in 2008, Amol has held progressive leadership positions, including Operations Manager, Hotel Manager, and Food & Beverage Manager at Wyndham Hotels. He later advanced to the role of General Manager for Wyndham Hotels and Choice Hotel.
In addition to his responsibilities, Amol currently manages a 121-room hotel in Medicine Hat, Alberta. With a solid foundation in hotel operations, front office, and Food and Beverage, he collaborates closely with General Managers across the Redwood portfolio. His focus is on implementing effective operational strategies, ensuring brand compliance, and driving excellence in guest satisfaction, financial performance, and overall operational success.

Chandan Sharma

Finance Controller

Chandan is the Finance Controller at Redwood Hotel Group, specializing in Corporate Compliance, Government Relations, and Financial Management. He plays a key role in overseeing financial operations across all hotels in the portfolio, ensuring accuracy in reporting and alignment with company goals.

He leads monthly budget reporting, analyzes financial performance, and manages CapEx planning and control. Chandan is also actively involved in the financial side of hotel acquisitions, supporting strategic growth initiatives.

Boban Bose

Project Construction Manager

Experienced Construction Project Manager with over 18 years in civil engineering, specializing in project execution, quantity surveying, and site supervision across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and India. I hold diplomas in Structural Engineering Design, Civil Engineering, and Draughtsmanship.

Skilled in managing end-to-end construction activities, including BOQ preparation, quantity take-offs, cost control, billing, contract administration, and quality assurance. Proven ability to lead teams, manage deadlines, and deliver projects efficiently and within scope.

Ankita Pandit

Payroll and HR Administrator

Ankita Pandit oversees payroll and HR administration across the organization, supporting daily operations and employee needs. She plays a key role in coordinating recruitment, performance management, and employee benefits, ensuring smooth and efficient processes throughout the portfolio. Her dedication helps maintain a well-organized and supportive workplace environment.

Kinjal Kapadia

Accounts Payable

Kinjal Kapadia manages the vendor payment process at Redwood Hotels Group, ensuring all invoices are accurately reviewed and paid on time in accordance with company policies. With extensive experience in both accounts payable and receivable, she plays a key role in supporting efficient financial operations while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability.

Amrita Sinha

Internal Revenue Auditor

Amrita Sinha brings over 10 years of experience in Accounts and Audit. As the Internal Revenue Auditor, she is responsible for daily revenue audits across the hotel portfolio, along with daily bank reconciliations. She also monitors chargebacks, settlements, fees, and commissions ensuring all revenues and related transactions are accurate, complete, and in compliance with company standards.

Anisha Borkar, CA,CPA,CIA

Financial Controller

Anisha leads Risk Assessment and serves as the Internal Auditor for Redwood Hotels Group, providing independent assurance that the company’s risk management, governance, and internal control systems are functioning effectively. With a strong background in internal audit, risk management, and business process improvement at a leading financial institution, Anisha brings deep expertise to her role. She has successfully implemented streamlined processes and policies, reducing turnaround time from 21 days to just 5 days through strategic data analysis.

Charles Otter

Regional Director of Operations

Charles brings over two decades of international and Canadian hospitality experience to Redwood Hotels. As Regional Director of Operations, he oversees all Canadian properties, driving performance, efficiency, and guest satisfaction. His global leadership background spans 8 countries, 3 continents including Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Latvia, the UAE, Australia, and New Zealand—managing everything from upscale luxury hotels to independent and mid-market ventures. With deep expertise in multi-brand operations, rebranding initiatives, and hotel openings, Charles delivers practical strategies that improve financial results, guest experiences, and service quality. His inclusive, results-driven leadership empowers teams to innovate, exceed expectations, and support Redwood’s continued growth and success.

Shrina Parekh, MD

Chief Strategy and Investments

As a board-certified physician based in the United States, I have devoted my career to the practice of medicine, a field I am profoundly passionate about. Since the establishment of Redwood Hotels Group Canada, I have been a vital member of the team. Presently, I serve as a board member and the Chief of Strategy and Acquisition. In this capacity, I concentrate on operational and investment strategies, as well as acquisitions for the company.

My enthusiasm lies in the development of a diversified hospitality portfolio across North America, ranging from full-service hotels to budget-friendly assets. My objective is to deliver robust revenue, consistent net operating income (NOI), and excellent return on investment (ROI) for our investors. With a distinctive combination of expertise in the medical field, networking and strategic investment leadership, I lead Redwood’s growth through capital syndication, asset repositioning, and operational excellence.

My primary focus is on scaling mid- to large-scale hotel ventures and cultivating partnerships that drive long-term value and sustainable expansion. I am actively seeking opportunities for growth and collaboration throughout the United States and Canada.

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Vice-president Asset Management

Abdullah Al Rifaie

Abdullah brings more than 20 years experience managing projects in Canada and Internationally. He has successfully completed ground up new build hotel projects under the Delta, Marriott, Hilton and IHG brands. At Delta Hotels, as Director of Project Management, he led the project management team that completed the renovations for 12 owned assets. Prior to that he worked at CBRE as a Senior Project Manager where he managed the complete renovation of the Delta Hotel, Fredericton. Abdullah has held the position of Project Director at Chamberlain Architects and Construction Managers, managing multiple new build hotel projects including Holiday Inns, Hampton Inns, Residence Inn, Comfort Inn, Best Western, and Hyatt Hotels a cross Canada

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Vice-president Human Resources & Talent Development

Kristina Branitskaya

Kristina, leads the company’s human resources and administration functions globally, across the entire organization. Her responsibilities include the coordination of all efforts throughout the portfolio related to recruitment, training, performance management and employee benefits. Ms. Branitskaya oversees efforts that have resulted in more effective and streamlined companywide talent acquisition practices, companywide diversity and inclusion strategies as well as implementing strategies that drive business results and create a positive work environment.

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Sr. Vice-president Risk Assessment CA, CIA

Anisha Solanki

Anisha is responsible for Risk Assessment and serves in the role as Internal Auditor for Redwood Hotels Group , providing independent assurance that Redwood Hotels Group’s risk management, governance and internal control processes are operating effectively. Anisha has extensive experience in internal audit, risk management and business process improvement in a Leading Financial institution. She has successfully established processes and framed policies that have significantly reduced TAT from 21 days to 5 days through simple data analysis

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Sr. Vice President Of Operations

Ricardo Nicholas

Ricardo began his career in Toronto, Canada working for the Starwood Hotel Brand. His hospitality experience spans over thirty years in both hotel management operations and corporate brand support. Ricardo spent many years with Delta Brand Hotels corporate office in the capacity of Director Brand Performance and Franchise Services. Prior to joining Redwood Hotels, his most recent position was Director Operations, where he supported a portfolio that included Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Radisson and Choice Hotels..

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Corporate Accountant CA

Sajini Unnithan

Sajini is responsible for the day-to- day oversight of all accounting functions. Her experience encompasses accounting regulations and standards across North America and Internationally. Ensuring all payables and receivable accounts are current across the portfolio is key to the success of cash flow.

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Chief Financial Officer – CA, CPA

Pranav Anand

Pranav is the Chief Financial Officer with over 12 years experience in the areas of Corporate Compliance,
Government Relationship Management and Financial Management. He is responsible for management oversight of the day-to-day activities related to all Hotels within the Portfolio, overseeing the monthly budget reporting and operating results, budgeting and controlling Capex. He is also involved in the financial side of the acquisition process of the Hotels annual budgets and managing the Capital Expenditures. Pranav is committed to facilitate the success of the company by providing leadership and coordination of the company’s financial functions and developing & implementing systems and procedures to streamline operations and enhance profit and performance.

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CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Kerry Ann Kotani

The CMO of Redwood Hotels is responsible for all aspects of business development, marketing, sales and revenue generation. With more than 25 years of hospitality experience, an expert in all levels of hotel sales & marketing. Experience includes Senior Executive Positions with a leading global hotel management company, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Westin and Sheraton Hotels, overseeing multiple properties worldwide and managing owner relations. Ms. Kotani was responsible for the development and execution of a $150 Million strategic capital plan to successfully renovate a 1300 room landmark hotel. During her time with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Kerry Ann was responsible for annual revenues in excess of $300Million. In addition to holding positions on numerous Tourism boards both Provincial and Federal, sales & marketing advisory board seats with major hotel brands she has extensive knowledge and experience working with both B2B and B2C entities worldwide.

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PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Alan Dourado

The President and Chief Operating Officer of Redwood Hotels brings over 25 years of hospitality operations, development and asset management experience to Redwood Hotels. Responsibilities at Redwood Hotels include new business development, strategy and execution. Experience includes various Senior Executive and C level positions in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and North America in operations, sales & marketing, and revenue management with Hilton Hotels Worldwide, InterContinental Hotels Group, Turnberry Associates and most recently as COO of Westmont Hospitality Group, a top global hotel management company. In this most recent role, Mr. Dourado was responsible for over $800 Million in revenues and through his leadership improved NOI margins from 20% to 30%, while over a 5-year period increased the valuation of the portfolio by more than $120 Million.

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PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Rajesh Parekh

Rajesh Parekh is the founder of  Redwood Hotels with more than 33 years experience in Hotel and Real Estate Development.  Rajesh has successfully built a company that has grown into a leading hospitality organization within the industry, as an owner and manager of  9 hotels totalling more than 1,000 rooms across Canada and the United States.  His knowledge and skill as a hotel operator has allowed him to expand  his partnership with prominent hotel brands including Marriott, Hilton, and Intercontinental Hotels Group.   Rajesh leads all efforts of the company related to acquisitions, investment and capital markets.

Rajesh’s vision is to expand into a dominant hospitality organization, partnering with capital investors to grow a portfolio of world class assets across North America and Internationally.

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