A Visionary New England Hotel Management Team 

Our Story

Jon and Douglas Cohen, founders of Newport Hotel Group, developed an interest in real estate from a young age. Their father, Dr. Earle Cohen, was a pediatrician and real estate investor in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1972, Dr. Cohen purchased the Millstone Village Inn, a large restaurant and banquet facility in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Dr. Cohen purchased the historic Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island several years later. At ages 7 and 5 respectively, Jon and Douglas began work in the family restaurant and later the hotel. By their respective high school graduations, they had gained experience in all facets of hotel operations, working in positions as varied as dishwasher, prep cook, accounting clerk, and front desk manager. Jon went on to obtain an undergraduate degree in business economics from Brown University and a law degree from Duke University. Before forming Newport Hotel Group with Douglas, he practiced real estate law in New York City at Schulte Roth & Zabel, LLP. Douglas also pursued economics, obtaining an undergraduate degree from Harvard University. After college, Douglas joined the real estate investment group at Bear Sterns in New York City, and then returned to Cambridge to earn an MBA at Harvard Business School. Throughout this time, the brothers regularly discussed their interest in finding an entrepreneurial business opportunity where they could apply their complimentary professional and personal backgrounds. Unexpectedly, difficult economic times and their father's sudden illness would bring Douglas and Jon that opportunity. The Hotel Viking, still owned by the Cohen family but managed by an outside firm for several years, had suffered as a result of the commercial real estate downturn of the early 1990s. The property required hands-on operational expertise and management, as well as significant capital investment. Jon and Douglas committed to make the Hotel Viking their first business venture, and took over the day-to-day operations of the hotel. They subsequently formed Newport Hotel Group as an umbrella company focused on pursuing additional hospitality investment opportunities. Jon and Douglas began recruiting top management talent with hospitality experience, the majority of whom are still with the company today. Utilizing hands-on marketing, direct sales and cultivation of strong repeat business, the Newport Hotel Group team was able to grow annual year-round occupancy at the Hotel Viking from 40% to 76% by 1999. By the time the property was sold to LaSalle Hotel Properties, a publicly-traded REIT, in 1999, the Hotel Viking was once again recognized as the premier hotel and conference facility in the Newport area. Newport Hotel Group continued to manage the property for the new owner over the next several years, overseeing the ongoing operations, renovations, and expansion of the hotel.

Our Company Today

In addition to the Hotel Viking, Newport Hotel Group has purchased, renovated, developed and managed over a dozen hotels in 6 states, totaling more than 2,000 guest rooms. These range from 50-room boutique waterfront hotels to 300-room full-service convention properties. We have run both independent and branded hotels, and have operated hotels on behalf of public companies, investment funds and investor groups. Jon and Douglas Cohen understand hotel operations on the front-line level and have the sophistication to work with lenders and financial institutions to structure multi-million dollar real estate transactions. Newport Hotel Group enjoys a leading reputation in the New England hotel market today.