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The Historic Hotel Bethlehem is entering its next chapter on Sunday as Kelly Ronalds takes over the role of general manager.
Ronalds, who has been with the hotel for 16 years, most recently as director of room sales and guest experience, will take over the role from Bruce Haines, who will remain managing partner of the hotel.
Haines had decided to take over the role himself after the retirement of Dennis Costello in 2021.
Ronalds said coming off of the COVID-19 pandemic, Haines felt it was important to concentrate on rebuilding the brand and wanted to oversee operations himself.
He had been around in the late nineties when the hotel closed for a year, and he wanted to make sure nothing like that ever happened again.
But since that time, the hotel has gained a great deal of success.
For five consecutive years the hotel topped USA Today’s list of Top Historic Hotels – making the list a total of seven times.
It has also increased its national and international marketing efforts drawing businesses, event organizers and tourists to the hotel and the surrounding historic district, shops and restaurants.
Ronalds said in her new role she will build on those national and international marketing efforts, promoting the hotel as a top destination.
Besides her 16 years with the hotel, she has further background in that work. Prior to joining Hotel Bethlehem, she worked for what was then known as the Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau but now goes by Discover Lehigh Valley.
She said she learned how to draw in major conventions, events and corporate meetings to the region, but now concentrates her efforts on her little piece of Bethlehem – noting that the entire region benefits from the tourism draw to Bethlehem.
The hotel also has another extra boost to help market itself as a destination now, since a US UNESCO World Heritage Site was designated in the heart of Historic Moravian Bethlehem.
While she works for the hotel – and will oversee daily operations of the hotel, restaurants and conference and event space there – she said she really sees part of her job as promoting downtown Bethlehem, especially its restaurants, shops and historical sites that many guests enjoy when they are staying at the hotel.
“Expanding our marketing efforts doesn’t just help the hotel. It helps the historic district and Bethlehem businesses,” she said. “Guests want to shop and dine while they’re here. It means a lot when we bring people to the hotel and we can engage them in the downtown.”
She said many business conferences often contain plans for exploring the area as part of their events.
Haines said he has great confidence in the enthusiasm and hard work Ronalds will bring to the role.
“Kelly has earned this promotion through years of hard work and creative vision. I’m confident she will lead our hotel reputation to even greater success than she already has,” he said. “Kelly’s leadership has been instrumental in the hotel’s five consecutive USA Today #1 Best Hotel/Resort wins and in Bethlehem’s #1 Best Main Street victory. Her destination marketing savvy is unmatched.”
He also noted that Ronalds will be the first woman to take the helm at the hotel in forty years. The only other female General Manager was Elizabeth Emslander who Bethlehem Steel, which owned the hotel at the time, appointed in 1981.