NEW ORLEANS — Big Easy Management (BEM), a New Orleans-based hospitality property management company, has been ranked No. 22 among 582 qualifying U.S. companies in AirDNA’s 2026 national Best Property Manager rankings. The company earned a 4.91-out-of-5 rating with more than 12,000 guest reviews.
The recognition places the company among the top 4 percent of qualifying U.S. companies in AirDNA’s rankings and elevates its New Orleans hospitality expertise onto a national stage, said BEM’s founder.
“We are proud to be recognized by AirDNA as one of the nation’s leading property managers,” said David K. Holtman, founder and CEO of Big Easy Management. “This ranking reflects our commitment to giving visitors an authentic New Orleans experience while managing properties with care for the neighborhoods and neighbors around them. As locals, we understand both the hospitality landscape and our responsibility to the communities where we operate.”
Holtman said AirDNA’s recognition is significant because AirDNA’s Best Property Manager rankings are based on an analysis of independent guest reviews across major booking platforms. AirDNA reports it tracks 15 million active short-term rentals and uses guest feedback to assess managers’ ability to deliver consistently high-quality stays at scale.
“New Orleans is one of the world’s great hospitality cities, and Big Easy Management’s national recognition confirms the expertise, entrepreneurial energy and service culture that define our region,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. “As visitors continue to recognize the value of authentic New Orleans experiences, it is important that local companies demonstrate they can compete at the highest level. Big Easy Management’s AirDNA ranking is a notable accomplishment for the company and a point of pride for the broader New Orleans hospitality economy.”
Local Big Easy Model Drives Performance
Holtman said BEM’s model combines sophisticated revenue management with operations rooted in New Orleans, hands-on property care and close relationships with owners. Communication, transparency and accountability are central to that approach. The company has also built its operating processes around the realities of New Orleans, its unique events calendar, pronounced seasonality, and historic building stock, rather than relying on a national playbook.
“Big Easy Management understands that a great stay in New Orleans begins with respect for the place and the people who live here,” said Lauren Haydel, owner of Fleurty Girl. “David and his team take great care of the properties they manage, and they also recognize these properties are part of our city’s neighborhoods. Their attention to the guest experience has a local’s eye for the surrounding community, and that is a big part of what establishes them as the gold standard in property management.”
Growing its portfolio to nearly 200 active rentals, boutique hotels and multifamily hospitality units, Holtman said BEM’s performance has exceeded market trends. From November 2025 through April 2026, BEM generated 34 percent more revenue per available night than the broader New Orleans market average for short stays, meaning that for every $100 generated by the average available active rental in the market, BEM-managed rentals generated $134. During the soft summer months of 2025, the company grew year-over-year revenue per available night by 9.2 percent while the broader market declined by 6.8 percent.
At The Quisby, a historic St. Charles Avenue property converted into a boutique hotel, BEM’s management approach has produced significant results for ownership, including a 15 percent net operating income growth and a nine percent decrease in operating expense in January-August 2026, as compared to the same period in 2024, Holtman said.
“Our goal is to take the complexity out of owning and operating a hospitality property in New Orleans,” Holtman said. “Owners should be able to protect their asset, provide a positive guest experience, and grow revenue, even when the city’s travel cycle is slow.”
