At a hotel management company, you never make a mattress decision just once. You make it again with every renovation, at every property in the portfolio, and every guest in every room lives with the result.
Will Geissel, Vice President of Procurement and Laundry Operations at Marcus Hotels & Resorts, understands that better than most. He oversees purchasing for 17 hotels and nearly 40 restaurants, from the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh to The Garland in North Hollywood, California. Two years ago, he brought in Tempur Sealy Hospitality for a single renovation. Several projects later, Tempur Sealy is the first call he makes whenever beds are part of the scope.
Here’s how a relationship-first approach turned one trial renovation into a trusted partnership across the portfolio.
Procurement, From Soup to Nuts
Will brings 25 years of procurement leadership to the role, including a decade as Corporate Director of Procurement Services at Starwood Hotels. At Marcus, his remit covers nearly everything a hotel or restaurant buys: food and beverage, guest room supplies, engineering supplies, and contracted services.
“No two days are the same, and that’s what I enjoy about it,” Will said. “We cover the full spectrum, from soup to nuts.”
Mattresses are one of the categories Marcus sources directly, so selecting a bedding partner falls to Will and his team.
Partnerships Are Built on Trust
For an investment of this size, Will won’t take a chance on a vendor he doesn’t know.
“I believe in relationships first. Before I commit to a partner, I need to know who they are,” Will explained. “When you’re placing an order for 500 beds, you’re making a significant commitment on behalf of the entire company. That kind of decision requires trust.”
Quality, comfort, and competitive pricing all matter, and Will notes that Tempur Sealy’s programs with the major hotel brands deliver on all three. But for him, the relationship is what decides it.
“A vendor who isn’t present isn’t building anything,” he said. “If they’re not investing time in understanding your business, there’s no foundation for trust, and without trust there’s no partnership.”
From a Single Renovation to the First Call
Will first met David Wiles, Director of Hospitality at Tempur Sealy, at a hospitality trade show in Las Vegas. Marcus had a renovation coming up, so Will made a point of sitting down with him. David walked him through the full range of approved beds for Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton properties, along with how Tempur Sealy has built its programs alongside each of those brands.
Marcus moved one hotel to Tempur Sealy during that renovation. The results were strong enough that the two teams have since partnered on four more renovations, with another in the pipeline. Today, Will’s process starts the same way every time.
“As soon as I know a renovation is coming and beds are in scope, my first step is to reach out to David,” Will said. “I’ll ask, ‘What’s approved for this Hilton brand? What are the options for this Marriott?’”
From there, the Tempur Sealy team sends a king and two queens for the property’s model rooms. “That’s typically what seals the decision,” Will said. “Our ownership, operators, and property teams can experience the product firsthand. Once everyone is aligned and confident, we move forward with the full order.”
For Will, that’s what a real partnership looks like. “When a need comes up and one supplier immediately comes to mind, there’s a reason for that,” he said. “It’s earned through consistency, and it starts with being a true partner.”
Going Above and Beyond
Every project of this scope has its challenges. Early in the relationship, Marcus ran into an issue with 16 mattresses at the Hyatt in Coralville, Iowa. David didn’t respond with an email or wait for a report. He flew to Iowa, inspected the mattresses throughout the hotel, and replaced what needed replacing, no questions asked. Will hasn’t had a complaint since.
“We were still early in building the relationship, and David got on a plane to personally address an issue at a single property,” Will said. “That told me a great deal about him and about Tempur Sealy. That level of accountability is rare among suppliers, and it’s exactly what builds long-term trust.”
Premium Comfort, Seamless Delivery
Will evaluates a bed on four criteria: quality, comfort, pricing, and delivery. On every count, feedback from Marcus properties has been strongly positive, and guest satisfaction scores reflect it.
“They deliver a level of premium comfort that our guests expect,” he said.
Delivery has been just as dependable. Every order was timed so installations never disrupted hotel operations.
For Will, the bed is central to the guest experience. “The guest experience is defined by a series of touchpoints: the amenities, the cleanliness of the room, the quality of the towels, the linens, and the bed itself,” he said. “Each one matters. If any one of them falls short, it can compromise the entire stay.”
The Best by Every Measure
Our core philosophy is to be “The Best by Every Measure.” Asked whether Tempur Sealy has lived up to that promise, Will didn’t hesitate: “Absolutely, and on schedule.”
He summed up two years of renovations this way: “Seamless execution. No surprises, no drama.”
His advice to his peers? “Evaluate the entire package, not just the product or the price,” he said. “In the end, the most valuable thing a supplier brings is the relationship. That’s where lasting partnerships come from.”
That’s why our hospitality team is fully dedicated to the properties it serves: ready to pick up the phone, get on a plane when it matters, and be there for the next renovation.