Cayo Levantado Resort Appoints Maria Lamarche as General Manager
Maria Lamarche takes the helm at the Samaná Bay luxury retreat following leadership roles with Hyatt and Hilton.
The short answer
Cayo Levantado Resort has appointed hospitality veteran Maria Lamarche as its new General Manager. Lamarche brings nearly 40 years of international luxury hotel experience to the Samaná Bay private island property.
“This special property offers a truly unique experience that celebrates the beauty, culture, and spirit of the Dominican Republic. I look forward to working alongside our incredible team to continue creating memorable experiences for every guest.”
The short version
- Maria Lamarche assumes the General Manager role at Cayo Levantado Resort in Samaná Bay.
- Lamarche brings nearly 40 years of luxury hospitality leadership spanning the Caribbean, Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
- Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana and Hilton Hurghada Plaza represent Lamarche's most recent senior management postings.
Cayo Levantado Resort has appointed industry veteran Maria Lamarche as its new General Manager, the Dominican Republic private island property announced [1]. Lamarche arrives with nearly four decades of luxury hospitality management experience across the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, having most recently directed the pre-opening operations at Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana [[1], [2]].
Who is Maria Lamarche?
Maria Lamarche is an international hospitality executive who brings nearly 40 years of luxury operations experience to her new role at Cayo Levantado Resort [1]. Throughout her career, she has directed resort openings, repositionings, and operational teams across four global regions: the Caribbean, Middle East, Europe, and Asia [[1], [2]]. As reported by eHotelier, her leadership philosophy centers on team development, collaborative management, and running wellness-oriented luxury properties [1].

Where did Maria Lamarche work prior to Cayo Levantado?
Prior to joining Cayo Levantado Resort, Lamarche managed the pre-opening phase of Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana, situated on the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic [[1], [2]]. Before her tenure with Hyatt, she worked in Egypt as General Manager of the Hilton Hurghada Plaza [[1], [2]]. At the 531-room Red Sea destination, she directed operations that transformed the hotel into Hilton's top-performing property across Egypt for brand performance, quality assurance, and guest satisfaction ratings, alongside delivering financial results [1].
According to Hotels Magazine, her extensive career includes leadership and operational responsibilities across eight global hotel brands [2]. Her brand resume spans Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Rotana Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Le Méridien, and Sheraton [[1], [2]].

What are the operational priorities at Cayo Levantado Resort?
At Cayo Levantado Resort, Lamarche will lead operations across the private island luxury retreat located off the coast of Samaná Bay [1]. In a statement published by Hotels Magazine, Lamarche emphasized honoring the destination: “This special property offers a truly unique experience that celebrates the beauty, culture, and spirit of the Dominican Republic” [2].

The resort emphasizes luxury island hospitality and wellness [1]. Lamarche’s appointment focuses on maintaining guest satisfaction levels, driving operational excellence, and developing on-property team talent across the resort's departments [1].
How does Lamarche's career experience align with the resort?
Lamarche's career trajectory covers high-volume international resorts, luxury brand repositionings, and new property pre-openings [1]. Her background blends regional Caribbean experience with operational lessons from global travel destinations [[1], [2]].
| Property / Company | Location | Key Role & Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| Cayo Levantado Resort | Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic | Appointed General Manager [1] |
| Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | Oversaw pre-opening operations [[1], [2]] |
| Hilton Hurghada Plaza | Red Sea, Egypt | General Manager; 531 rooms; top Hilton in Egypt for satisfaction [1] |
| Global Hospitality Brands | Caribbean, Middle East, Europe, Asia | Leadership across Hilton, IHG, Mövenpick, Sheraton, and others [[1], [2]] |
Reported by
This article was written from the following reporting. Follow the links for the original coverage.
- [1]Cayo Levantado Names Maria Lamarche General Manager— eHotelier
- [2]Cayo Levantado Resort Names Maria Lamarche GM— Hotels Magazine
Frequently asked
+Who was appointed General Manager of Cayo Levantado Resort?
Maria Lamarche was appointed General Manager of Cayo Levantado Resort. She brings nearly four decades of luxury hospitality management experience across the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
+Where is Cayo Levantado Resort located?
Cayo Levantado Resort is a luxury private island property situated off the coast of Samaná Bay in the Dominican Republic.
+What was Maria Lamarche's most recent position?
Most recently, Maria Lamarche led the pre-opening operations for Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana, located in the Dominican Republic.
+Which property did Lamarche manage in Egypt?
Lamarche served as General Manager of the 531-room Hilton Hurghada Plaza on Egypt's Red Sea, where the property ranked as Hilton's top-performing hotel in the country for guest satisfaction and quality assurance.
+Which major hotel brands has Maria Lamarche worked with?
Lamarche has managed properties for brands including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Rotana Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Le Méridien, and Sheraton.
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