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Looking Back on the Hotel Industry’s Most Influential Women of the 20th Century

Whether you’re fascinated by the controversial life of Leona Helmsley or want to learn more about one of California’s first African American hotel owners, we’re highlighting some of the industry’s most influential women of the 20th century.

Even today, in the year 2026, leadership positions in hospitality remain largely male-dominated. Though women make up more than half of the workforce, they hold only 30 percent of C-suite positions and CEO roles, and there is still a prominent gender wage gap, particularly in management. There is clearly still a lot of work to be done, but the leading hotel ladies of the 20th century laid the groundwork, paved the way and broke through some of the strongest glass ceilings. 

From Caroline Rose Hunt, founder of Rosewood Hotels, to Edith L. Turner, the first president of Leading Hotels of the World, several women were at the forefront of industry-wide innovation during the 1900s. This time in hospitality was marked by a move toward luxury-focused service, localized business models and major technological advancements, with the latter half of the century being one of the most crucial intervals for the industry. 

As we enter Women’s History Month, what better time to take a deeper dive into the lives of leading ladies who helped shape hospitality? Whether you’re fascinated by the controversial life of Leona Helmsley or want to learn more about one of California’s first African American hotel owners, we’re highlighting some of the industry’s most influential women of the 20th century. 

Hospitality's Most Influential Women of the 20th Century

Margaret Tull Robinson

Alice Sheets Marriott

As the daughter of prominent Texas oil tycoon H. L. Hunt, Caroline Rose Hunt was no stranger to the finer things in life. She spent the first half of her life primarily focused on her role as a wife and mother, and it wasn’t until she was in........

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