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whose father, Gopalbhai, was an early hotelier.
Until now, Patel hoteliers lacked a comprehensive history book that could tell our children, grandchildren, and future enerations how we became involved in running hotels and motels. Mahendra Doshi’s book remarkably fills that gap. It serves as an excellent historical resource.
daughter of Dhanjibhai B.Patel, a trailblazer who played a pioneering role in consolidating the nascent Patel hotel business.
Surat To San Francisco” celebrates the achievements of the Patel trailblazers and provides an enlightening and helpful introduction to our relatives for our children and grandchildren. When our relatives entered America, they faced significant struggles but overcame all odds heroically, succeeding beyond their expectations in the hotel business, a field in which we, their children, now excel. We owe them a great deal of gratitude
whose father Kunverjibhai Patel came to America via Trinidad in the 1940s.
The Patels’ life in America drastically transformed from farm hands to lodge operators after Kanji Manchhu Desai leased a small hotel in Sacramento in 1942. He changed the trajectory of how Patels made a living in America.
Scarsdale, New York
The book is very impressive – it narrates how Patels have made a substantial economic and social contribution to the American hotel enterprise.
Fremont, California
Because of your trailblazing work, the world will now know the history behind the Patel hotel story. You are a pioneer.
Assistant Professor, Northern Arizona University, Phoenix- Scottsdale, Arizona
Surat To San Francisco” is a story of the desire to be successful business entrepreneurs by dedication, passion, family devotion, courage, and providing the next generation a historical example of humanistic spirit to be admired and cherished.
CHA, Hospitality Entrepreneur, San Jose, CA
A groundbreaking work that fills a long-overdue gap in American immigrant history. Mahendra Doshi masterfully captures the early Patel hoteliers’ resilience, ingenuity, and legacy. Through meticulous research and heartfelt storytelling, the book honors the pioneers who turned hardship into opportunity and built the foundation for the hospitality industry for Patels in the U.S.A., who now own over 60% of the hotels in the country. A must-read for anyone interested in immigration, entrepreneurship, or realizing the American dream.
Daughter of Thakorebhai Madhavbhai Patel, who came under the Luce-Cellar Act in 1952.
I grew up at the Sunnyside Hotel, a residential one in San Francisco—not in a storybook home, but in a place where the front desk phone rang at all hours, where we folded towels before homework, and where our family dreams were built room by room. Reading “Surat To San Francisco” brought back many memories, and I saw our story reflected in history. The stories of the original Patel pioneers, who left Gujarat with almost nothing and built a life in a new world, felt like reading the unwritten chapters of my own family’s journey. As a second-generation daughter, I often struggled to explain to others what our lives were like. This book does that, with grace and truth. It honors hard work and the love, sacrifice, and strength that defined our parents’ generation.
This isn’t just a book about our business but a tribute to our roots, a gift to every child who grew up behind the front desk, and a powerful reminder that our family’s struggle and success are part of something bigger. Thank you, Mahendra Doshi, for telling our story. It was long overdue– and deeply needed.
Hospitality Entrepreneur and Community Leader, Houston, Texas.
While San Francisco nurtured the Patel hotel business, Surat was its birthplace. Most Patels who initiated and expanded the hospitality industry in San Francisco hailed from the larger Surat District. We take great pride in our hometown, which played a crucial role in establishing what has now become a massive industry driven by our community.
Hospitality Businessman, San Jose, CA.
Among the three Patel Founding Fathers, Kanji Manchhu Desai was an explorer-evangelist, comparable to Christopher Columbus. Nanalal Patel resembled a character from Horatio Alger's stories, pursuing his American dream with skill, determination, and perseverance. D. Lal Bhakta was akin to Homer's Odysseus, traveling across continents to find his Ithaca—in his case, America—to secure his pot of gold to take back to Orna.