Not Hilton, not Marriott, it’s Patel: CA shares the story of one community that's just 1% of the US population but owns 60% of American hotels

The biggest name in the American hotel business is not Hilton, Marriott, or Ritz-Carlton — it is Patel. A LinkedIn post by Sarthak Ahuja recently shared how the Gujarati Indian community, which forms less than 1% of the US population, now controls about 60% of the country’s hospitality business. It began with one man’s journey in the 1930s that laid the foundation for an entire community to rise in the hotel industry.

The beginning: From Trinidad to California farms

The story traces back to Kanji Manchhu Desai, who arrived in the United States from Trinidad in 1934. He overstayed his visa and worked on farms in California. During World War II, a Japanese American hotel owner was forced to leave due to wartime restrictions and trusted Desai and his friends to manage the property in his absence.

Desai brought together his friends — one to manage the front desk, another for cleaning, and a third for laundry. That experience introduced them to the operations of running a hotel in America.

Building the foundation of an empire

After the war, Desai leased his own property, the Hotel Goldfield in San Francisco. He then began writing letters to his friends and relatives in India, especially in Gujarat, encouraging them to explore the same business opportunity.

According to the post, Desai guided newcomers on how to lease and operate hotels, provided accommodation during their early days, helped finance their ventures, and even advised them on finding suitable locations.

Over time, around 400 Gujarati families followed his lead. What began as a community effort gradually expanded into a multi-generational business network that now spans across the United States.

From community cooperation to a national network

The Reddit post noted how Desai’s approach was rooted in cooperation rather than competition. “What a fabulous story of sharing one's finds and knowledge with others, working towards serving one's community, and building an industry rather than worrying about others becoming competition,” it read.

This spirit of collective growth helped the community gain deep expertise in hotel management. Today, their legacy continues, with many hotels across the country owned or managed by families carrying the Patel surname.

The Patel Motel Story

A short film titled “The Patel Motel Story” premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Festival in New York. The film explores this remarkable journey of Gujarati Americans who turned a small-scale venture into a dominant force in the US hospitality sector.

As the Reddit post concluded, “The biggest lesson we learn from Gujaratis is, you win by cooperation and not through competition.”

(Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on LinkedIn. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.)