Sean Murphy

General Manager / Husband

Born and raised in Dana Point, I grew up with a deep love for the ocean and connecting with people. I started working at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel a week after my 18th birthday and have never looked back! Hospitality is everything to me. It's not about what I do professionally, it's the lens I see life through. I love my wife Kelly more than anything, and she is my reason for waking up every day. I'm also quite obsessed with my dog Mattei. He's a King Charles Cavalier and the sweetest young man!

I met one of the founders of Fox Entertainment while working for The Ritz-Carlton, his name is Kevin Wendle. We met organically through a guest complaint, as he was staying in one of our nicest suites. Long story short, he convinced me to move to Mexico and run his Hotel which was formally the private estate of an Italian duchess called Hotel Esencia. Hotel Esencia changed my life, and introduced me to a version of luxury hospitality that I didn't know existed. I was able to elevate the guest experience there to run at a Forbes 5 star level, and then partnered with him to purchase a Chateau in France and open another property.

I took a role with Auberge as a way to get back to the United States in 2023 and focus on starting a family rather than traveling the world!

Auberge is incredible, although I felt a pull back to the independent world and took an opportunity I saw tremendous potential in with The Bower opening in sunny San Diego.

This is the PR friendly version of my bio :

Sean Murphy brings more than a decade of luxury hospitality experience to his role as General Manager at The Bower. Most recently, Murphy led operations as Director of Rooms at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, where he
spearheaded the property’s opening and contributed to its recognition as one of Architectural Digest’s best new hotels in 2023. Prior to Auberge, Murphy served as General Manager of Hotel Esencia, a celebrated 50-acre estate and independent luxury hotel along Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Under his leadership, the property earned a Forbes Five-Star rating and a coveted spot on Travel + Leisure’s 2023 World’s Best Awards, cementing its reputation as one of Mexico’s most distinguished luxury destinations. Murphy’s extensive hospitality background includes leadership positions at esteemed
properties like The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara and The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, where he demonstrated his ability to drive both employee engagement and revenue growth. His expertise in luxury hospitality is further recognized by his role on the Forbes Travel Guide Standards Advisory Committee, where he helps shape industry standards worldwide