Guest Experience Episodes

In this episode, Christian de Boer, Managing Director of Jaya House Hotels, shares how he rethought everything to create and provide a radically guest-focused experience that has earned his hotel a spot in TripAdvisor's top 25 hotels in the world for five consecutive years without a single negative review. Listen now to learn about: The importance of a guest-focused experience - How Christian's approach to hospitality stands out by focusing on taking care of guests in a way that feels intui...

In this episode, Michaelangelo L'Acqua, Global Director of Entertainment and Culture at SH Hotels and Resorts, shares insights on the evolving nature of human connection in relation to hospitality. Listen now to learn about: Human Connection in Hospitality: Learn why hospitality will remain a bastion of human-to-human connections despite increasing automation. The Essence of Luxury: Discover the importance of mastery and human input in creating luxury experiences. Changing Definitions...

In this episode, Penny Brown, Managing Director of the Burgh Island Hotel in England, shares insights into creating a unique and relaxing hospitality experience that helps guests disconnect from their busy lives and recharge. Listen now to learn about: The importance of the arrival experience - How the journey to the hotel and the initial welcome with champagne sets the tone for relaxation. Intentional design choices for relaxation - The decision to exclude televisions from rooms to help...

In this episode, Nikheel Advani, co-founder, chief operating officer, and principal at Grace Bay Resorts in Turks and Caicos, shares insights on how wellness and first impressions create an unforgettable guest experience. Listen now to learn about: The importance of first impressions in hospitality How Grace Bay Resorts integrates wellness into the guest experience The therapeutic value of nature and beach walks The role of wellness coaches in enhancing guest relaxation Strategie...

In this episode, Lisa Karvellas, co-owner of Cedar Lakes Estate, shares insights on how her business has achieved recognition as one of the Travel & Leisure Best 100 Hotels in the World and the unique ways her team creates memorable experiences for guests. Attentive Service: Discover the importance of personalized service and how small, thoughtful gestures by staff can leave lasting impressions on guests. Maintaining Energy and Inspiration: Understand how Lisa and her team stay inspired and en...

In this episode, Lisa Karvellas, co-owner of Cedar Lakes Estate, shares how she and her sister transformed a 1920s summer camp into a world-class destination for weddings, retreats, and boutique hospitality. Adapting to New Uses: Learn how Lisa and her sister adapted Cedar Lakes Estate to function both as an event venue and a boutique hotel. The Importance of Guest Feedback: Discover the role of guest feedback in shaping strategy and accelerating growth. Creating Exclusive, Immersive E...

In this episode, Dino Michael, Hilton's Global Category Head of Luxury Brands, shares insights into how Hilton balances technology and human interaction to elevate the guest experience. Listen now to learn about: How Hilton collects and uses guest preferences to personalize stays. Strategies for achieving excellence at scale across multiple luxury brands. The importance of taking team members on a journey to ensure they feel connected and empowered in their roles. The importance of reading ...

In this episode, Helen Smith and Eugenio Pirri, joint CEOs of Dorchester Collection, share insights into what they call their "Golden Profiles" and how it enables their hotels to operate with excellence. Understanding the "Golden Profile" - Learn what this is and how it helps Dorchester Collection cater to each guest's individuality and needs. Technology as an Enabler - Discover how Helen and Eugenio view technology as a tool to enhance the guest experience. Structuring for Seamless Service -...

In this episode, David Jurcak, President of the iconic Grand Hotel on Michigan's Mackinac Island, shares insights into leadership, hospitality, and creating transformational guest experiences: The unique environment of Mackinac Island and its impact on guest experience (01:28) Creating transformational summertime experiences at the Grand Hotel (01:56) Daily traditions and rituals that enhance the guest experience (04:31) The role of dress codes and timeless hospitality (06:48) Th...

In this episode, Steve Palmer, founder and chief vision officer of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, shares how hospitality transformed his life and the principles that guide his company today. Listen now to learn about: Steve's Early Experience with Hospitality (01:43) - the profound advice from his mentor, Chris Goss, that shaped his view on hospitality. The True Meaning of Hospitality (00:02:52) - Steve's light bulb moment about the true meaning of hospitality and how it differs from...

In this episode, we're joined by Jen Worthington, co-founder of Play Social. Jen shares her incredible journey from being a film producer to opening the highest-grossing bar per square foot in the country, and now creating unique, playful experiences at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Jen's Background and Career Transition (01:19) - how Jen transitioned from a successful film producer to a hospitality entrepreneur. Opening the Coyote Ugly Bar (02:01...

In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Wielgopolan, Service Director at Meadowood Napa Valley. Discover how this extraordinary property became one of only 11 hotels in the United States to receive Michelin's Three Key distinction for exceptional hospitality. What You'll Learn: First Impressions Matter: Learn how Meadowood designs its arrival experience to set the stage for an unforgettable stay. Feedback is Gold: Understand the importance of collecting and responding to guest feedback to cons...

In this episode, we're learning from Jeff Wielgopolan, a hospitality expert who has led learning and training for Forbes Travel Guide and is currently responsible for creating and maintaining the guest experience at Meadowood Napa Valley. Jeff shares his insights on what it takes to provide world-class hospitality and the importance of attention to detail. Listeners will learn about: World-Class Hospitality: Learn the secrets behind providing exceptional service that makes guests feel special ...

In this episode, we are joined by Dipesh Gupta, a hotel owner and operator at Shashi Group who has integrated cutting-edge technology into the guest experience, creating a truly personalized and innovative stay. (Which was profiled in a recent article from the Wall Street Journal, "Make Yourself at Home in the Hotel of the Future.") What You'll Learn: Lessons from His Career Journey: Discover how Dipesh went from an engineer in financial services and AI to a successful hotel investor and opera...

Blackberry Farm was recently named the #1 hotel in America for food and drink by Food and Wine magazine. Previously, Andy Chabot explained how they've achieved this, and then how they hire and train their teams. In this episode, Andy shares how they gather and incorporate feedback from both staff and guests to constantly improve. Thoughts, questions, suggestions? Send me a text message Want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day? Subscribe h...

In this episode, we dive deep into guest satisfaction in today's landscape and how it's changing with Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Listeners will learn about: The latest findings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Travel Study 2023-2024. How the lodging industry has rebounded post-pandemic, with specific examples from leading brands like H...

In this episode, Sabrina Cendral, a hospitality advisor, strategist, and former Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Club Med in North America, challenges the notion that operations is the only important aspect of delivering a great guest experience and emphasizes the holistic nature of guest engagement. Listeners will learn: The Importance of Comprehensive Guest Engagement: Understand why engaging guests before, during, and after their stay is crucial for creating memorable experie...

In this episode, Roman Pedan, the Founder and CEO of Kasa, shares the power of experiencing your own hospitality services from a guest's perspective. Roman tells the story of staying at various Kasa properties and how this led to changes and improvements in guest satisfaction. Listeners will learn about: The Importance of Personal Experience: Learn why Roman believes in the importance of being a guest in his own hotels and how this practice helps him identify and address subtle issues tha...

Join us on this heartwarming episode of Hospitality Daily as we explore how Hotel Nikko San Francisco has redefined pet-friendly accommodations. Host Josiah McKenzie talks with Anna Marie Presutti about the innovative and compassionate initiatives that set Hotel Nikko apart. Listeners will learn about the hotel's unique amenities tailored for dogs and their owners, including custom dog beds, bowls, treats, and a specially designed dog run with breathtaking city views. Discover how Hotel Nikko's...

Ryan Mann is a Partner at McKinsey & Company and shares insights from their latest research article, "How the world’s best hotels deliver exceptional customer experience." Listeners will gain insights on: The Importance of Leadership: Understand what makes a great GM and how their leadership can significantly impact hotel performance. Cultivating a Culture of Excellence: Learn strategies to anticipate guest needs, exceed expectations, and create memorable experiences. Role of Technolo...

Anna Marie Presutti is Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Nikko San Francisco. In this episode, she shares a Japanese concept and approach to hospitality that her teams have embraced and live out each day that's caused their hotel to be a guest favorite (it's a TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice award winner, among other accolades). Stay tuned to hear what this is - and how you can use it to delight your teams and guests alike. Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design ...

Ashish Verma is Senior Vice President of the Luxury Division at the Unbound Collection by Hyatt. In this episode, you'll hear the practical steps his team takes to ensure each guest receives a personalized and exceptional experience. Listeners will learn about: The importance of a tailored guest experience in luxury hospitality. The role of a Guest Experiences Manager (GEM) in coordinating and synchronizing the efforts of various departments. The meticulous process of guest arrival, from per...

Homi Vazifdar is the founder and Chairman of The Canyon Group, a vertically integrated investment company focused on the acquisition or development of ultra-luxurious and best-in-class resorts in unique destinations around the world, including Amangiri, the #1 resort in the United States. In this episode, you'll hear about his unique approach to the ultra-luxury hospitality sector and how contrarian thinking has led to unprecedented success. What You'll Learn: Contrarian Thinking: Discover how...

Do you want to learn about emerging market trends in order to serve people and innovate through hospitality? Today, we're learning how Margot Stern does this. She went from managing a $450 million dollar consumer products portfolio for Mattel and Disney to becoming a hospitality strategist and advisor to now building The Hopewell, her new conservation-minded hospitality experience in an old country manor north of Philadelphia. I want you to listen to Margot to hear what it can look like to con...