Time to Take a Bow

AAHOA Awards Recognize Members and Industry Leaders for Outstanding Achievements

By Nick Fortuna

Denish Vasantbhai Patel, AAHOA Award of Excellence

Denish Vasantbhai Patel arrived in the United States in 2004 with a degree in business administration from his native India, strong family ties, an unquenchable desire to learn, and a tireless work ethic. That recipe for success is familiar to many AAHOA Members, but back when Patel was flipping burgers at McDonald’s, his American Dream was far from assured.

Today, Patel is chief operating officer of AJNM Hotels Group, a Fort Worth, TX-based company he runs with his brother, Jignesh (Jay) Patel. After purchasing their first property, an America’s Best Value Inn, they quickly expanded their business, which now includes the Best Western Plus Fort Worth North, a completely renovated hotel with 148 rooms.

All told, AJNM Hotels Group lists about a dozen properties in operation or under development spread out across Texas and Louisiana. It’s a vision of prosperity that seemed unlikely when Patel and his brother first came to America and lived in their sister’s hotel to save money.

A full-time college student with a job in fast food, Patel helped out at the hotel whenever possible, kindling a lifelong passion for the hospitality industry. “My journey hasn’t been without its challenges, but each obstacle has been an opportunity for growth,” Patel said. “What keeps me going is my belief in the power of hard work, adaptability, and the desire to make a meaningful impact on those I serve and work with. My journey is one of continuous learning and improvement, always with the goal of leaving a positive mark on the industry.”  

At AAHOACON in New Orleans last month, Patel reached a significant milestone in his career journey, taking the stage to receive the AAHOA Award of Excellence. The award recognizes a hotelier who has demonstrated strong leadership, high standards of excellence, and significant contributions to the industry.

Patel said winning the award “brought a mix of surprise and overwhelming gratitude.”

“It’s truly humbling to be recognized by an organization that celebrates excellence within the hospitality industry,” Patel said. “I’ve always believed in the importance of striving for the best in service and leadership, and this award reinforces that those efforts have resonated.

“My involvement with AAHOA has been incredibly rewarding and has allowed me to connect with a network of likeminded professionals who share a commitment to excellence,” he added. “I also appreciate the opportunity to mentor and collaborate with newer members of AAHOA, helping them navigate the industry and encouraging them to pursue their own paths to success.”

Patel was among seven AAHOA Members recognized during the annual awards ceremony. Winners are chosen by an independent committee. Here’s a look at the other honorees.

Ankita Jain, Outstanding HYPE Award for Excellence

As Senior Associate – Acquisition and Development at Vivant Capital, Jain was instrumental in the acquisition, design, and development of ALMA San Juan, a 56-room property in Puerto Rico. 

“From learning about the acquisition process, navigating a complex construction process in a historic district, and integrating Puerto Rican craftsmanship, developing ALMA San Juan was a deep dive into a new market, blending local culture with hospitality design while overcoming regulatory and logistical challenges,” Jain said.

Jain recently became an AAHOA Member through the association’s HerOwnership program, which offers networking and educational opportunities for women in the hotel industry. That program has been “particularly inspiring,” she said, adding that she’s “passionate about supporting and learning from women in the industry.”

After studying architecture in India, Jain earned a master’s degree in real estate finance and development from Harvard. She’s helped to design large hotel projects for brands such as Emaar, Hilton, and Marriott. 

Jain said she’s “incredibly honored” to receive this award and to “be part of such a dynamic and influential hospitality community.”

“It’s always rewarding to have your work recognized, but this award holds special meaning because it acknowledges the contributions of young professionals shaping the hospitality industry and is a validation of the dedication to my choice of career,” she said.

Nipun (Nina) Patel, Outstanding HerOwnership Award of Excellence

Nipun (Nina) Patel and her husband, Adam Patel, aren’t afraid to sign on the dotted line when they see a good opportunity. In December, Philadelphia Business Insider reported that the couple had purchased the 129-room Hyatt Place Philadelphia King of Prussia for $14 million, reflecting their strong belief in that local market.

The Patels run Bethlehem, PA-based Steel Hospitality, which acquires, develops, and manages hotels.

“We’ve carved out distinct roles within the company,” Patel said. “He focuses on long-term vision, development, and new construction, while I drive strategies for business growth and staying ahead of economic trends.”

Patel said she was “honestly overwhelmed, in the best way” upon receiving this award, which recognizes a woman hotelier for strong leadership and a commitment to lodging excellence. Like Jain, she got involved with AAHOA through HerOwnership, where she “found a community that truly aligned with my values and goals.”

With a degree in finance from New York University, Patel worked on Wall Street for JPMorgan while pursuing her master’s degree in business administration. She and her husband founded Steel Hospitality in 2006. Patel said she “takes great pride” in the fact that nearly all of the women general managers at their properties were promoted from within, having started out as front-desk associates or housekeepers.

“I’m proud to be part of a movement that’s celebrating and empowering female leaders,” Patel said. “This award also reminds me of the responsibility I have to lift others up, especially women who are working hard to carve out their own paths in this industry.”

Pratik Bhakta, Political Forum Award for Advocacy

Pratik Bhakta is no stranger to life’s pivotal moments. With his father’s health failing in 1995, he withdrew from a master’s program in electrical engineering at North Carolina State University to run the family’s hotels and motels.

“I haven’t looked back since,” said Bhakta, who lives in Ashville, NC. “The journey has been very memorable.”

Fast forward to 2022, and Bhakta would face another pivotal year, this time as a public figure. He ran for a seat in the state House of Representatives and won the GOP primary by a single vote, with more than 6,200 total votes cast. In November, Democrat Lindsey Prather carried the left-leaning district, but Bhakta takes pride in having run a strong campaign.

“I learned a lot about how messaging- and data-driven politics really are,” Bhakta said. “It was a great experience. I’ve tried very hard to bring AAHOA’s name more into the mainstream of everyday individuals, and one of the best ways to do so would be as an elected official at the local, state, or national level.”

Bhakta was among the inaugural group of AAHOA Ambassadors in 2007 and served as the North Carolina Regional Director from 2012-2016. He said it “means a lot” to have his legislative advocacy recognized by AAHOA, and he encouraged his fellow hoteliers to get involved and consider running for office.

“It’s definitely worth looking into,” he said. “We need our members to realize that there is much more that we can do to further our industry while continuing to be active members in AAHOA.”

Mahendra (Mike) Patel, AAHOA Charitable Foundation Outreach Award

Growing up, Mike Patel gained inspiration from seeing how simple acts of kindness and attention to detail could create memorable experiences for others, sparking his passion for the hospitality industry.

Patel, president of Laguna Lodging, based in South Padre Island, TX, said entry-level jobs taught him the importance of customer satisfaction, teamwork, and adaptability. Over time, those values made him successful not only as a hotelier but as a leader serving others through charitable organizations.

A member of AAHOA’s Government Affairs Committee, Patel previously served the association as an Ambassador and Board Member. He’s also a longtime executive board member of Leuva Patidar Samaj Foundation, Inc., helping to preserve Leuva culture across North America and to raise and manage scholarship funds for underserved, high-achieving students.

For the past three years, Patel has served as vice president of Gujarati Samaj of the Rio Grande Valley, which organizes educational and cultural activities promoting Indian heritage. He also has worked to empower adults with disabilities in the Rio Grande Valley though the local Disability Chamber of Commerce, and he’s organized golf tournaments to benefit local nonprofits.

Upon receiving this award, Patel said he was “incredibly honored and grateful.”

“Community service has always been a passion of mine because I believe in giving back and making a positive impact where it’s most needed,” Patel said. “I’m driven by the desire to provide exceptional service and create welcoming environments for all.”

Arun (Ray) Patel, Cecil B. Day Community Service Award

Ray Patel owns and manages eight hotels through his Stockton, CA-based company, Aelius Management Group, but helping underserved people locally and in India is what really drives him.

A devoutly religious man, Patel has donated major funding to the faith-based nonprofit Inner City Action, Inc., which provides shelter, sober-living transitional housing, mobile showers, and meals for people experiencing homelessness and low-income families in San Joaquin County. The organization said Patel’s generosity is a principal reason it was able to provide 15,590 hot meals, 13,934 showers, 12,444 overnight shelter stays, and 303,700 pounds of food to local residents last year.

Similarly, Patel has helped to bring clean drinking water, toys, and food to tribal villages in India, part of his mission to serve “the poorest of the poor,” he said. Given how many AAHOA Members make meaningful contributions to charity, however, he said he was “really surprised” to be recognized for his philanthropy.

“I feel that I’ve been blessed, so I’m wholeheartedly willing to help everybody and anybody,” Patel said. “Inner City Action, Inc., changes people’s lives and helps to get them on their feet, so I keep helping the charity. Once you are successful, you feel like you want to help other people who really need it.”

BLVD Hotel & Studios, IAHA Independent Hotel of the Year Award

Sagar Kumar said he’s always been drawn to the idea of creating spaces where people feel welcomed, so when wildfires ripped through Southern California in January, the BLVD Hotel & Studios in Los Angeles was among the local properties offering discounts to evacuees.

Kumar said his hotel focuses on providing “elevated, personalized stays with a local touch.” Located in the heart of Studio City near Universal Studios Hollywood, the boutique property bills itself as “modern,” with a “perfect blend of comfort, style, and convenience” to serve both leisure and business travelers.

Kumar said he learned hotel operations from the ground up before buying and running his own property, and while the journey hasn’t always been easy, it’s been “incredibly rewarding.” He said he’s “deeply honored” that BLVD Hotel & Studios received the award, which honors an independent hotel that sets a high standard of excellence in quality, service, and guest satisfaction. 

“It was a humbling moment, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, not just for the recognition but also for the team and community that have supported me along the way,” Kumar said. “This award means a great deal. As an independent hotelier, every win is the result of hands-on work, creative problem-solving, and a lot of heart.