Episodes

Staffing and turnover remain challenges in hospitality, but you can tackle this head-on. In this special sponsor bonus episode, Josiah sits down with his colleagues at Actabl, Roger Robles and Emma Christensen, to unpack “Associate Engagement,” a new feature inside Transcendent that turns routine maintenance into a live scoreboard, gives engineers the recognition they deserve, and helps you see who’s really performing.​​ Request a call here with Actabl to learn more about this A few more resour...

In this episode, Matthias Huettebraeuker interviews Stijn Oyen, Managing Director at Design Hotels, about the future of hospitality, the concept of "community capital," and trends unfolding in the industry today. See the report from Design Hotels, “Further Forecast 2025—Community Capital,” and their article "Travelers Are Seeking Community: Here’s How to Build It." If you liked this, you may also like: Inside Design Hotels: How Stijn Oyen Curates a Global Collection of Hospitality Innovators ...

In this episode, Matthias Huettebraeuker interviews Stijn Oyen, Managing Director at Design Hotels, about authenticity, culture, and originality in hospitality today. Also see: Inside Design Hotels: How Stijn Oyen Curates a Global Collection of Hospitality Innovators A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivere...

In this episode, Matthias Huettebraeuker interviews Stijn Oyen, Managing Director at Design Hotels. They highlight the unique qualities and curation process of Design Hotels, as well as how the company maintains its distinctiveness in the hospitality industry. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to yo...

Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, shares her insights on the broader applications of technology and innovation in the hospitality industry. Also, see our other episodes with Gilda: Reinventing the "Art of Travel": Inside Orient Express's Quest to Redefine Luxury Hospitality LVMH and Orient Express: How Luxury Leaders Navigate Legacy in an Era of Change Leading Through Change: Adaptability in a Turbulent World A few more r...

Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, shares her insights on leadership, adaptability, and innovation in the hospitality industry today. Also, see our other episodes with Gilda: Reinventing the "Art of Travel": Inside Orient Express's Quest to Redefine Luxury Hospitality LVMH and Orient Express: How Luxury Leaders Navigate Legacy in an Era of Change A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You c...

In this episode, Josh Wyatt (IG @therealjoshwyatt), CEO of Avant Gardner, shares what he's learned about operating at your best as a hospitality leader. Also, see our other episodes with Josh: Why Creativity Wins—Even in a Recession: The Generator Hostels Story Inside Avant Gardner: Creating The World's Most Innovative Entertainment Destination A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions ...

In this episode, Josh Wyatt (IG @therealjoshwyatt), CEO of Avant Gardner, shares what he's learned about leadership in hospitality and beyond. Also, see our other episodes with Josh: Why Creativity Wins—Even in a Recession: The Generator Hostels Story Inside Avant Gardner: Creating The World's Most Innovative Entertainment Destination A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you wan...

In this episode, Josh Wyatt (IG @therealjoshwyatt), CEO of Avant Gardner, shares behind-the-scenes insights into what many are calling the world's most innovative events and entertainment complex, providing a masterclass in creativity and experiential design. Links: See posts on Josh's LinkedIn profile here Avant Gardner on LinkedIn Avant Gardner on Instagram The Brooklyn Mirage on Instagram Listen to Josh on Prism's Live Music Industry Podcast A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitali...

In this episode, Josh Wyatt (IG @therealjoshwyatt), CEO of Avant Gardner and former Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Generator Hostels, takes us inside the powerful intersection of creativity and capital in hospitality. Josh shares the compelling story of how he transformed Generator Hostels into one of the world's most innovative and successful hospitality brands—even during challenging economic times. You'll learn: Why creativity is crucial for standing out in hospitality. How to effectiv...

In this episode, Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, reveals how luxury leaders are successfully preserving legacy brands in today’s rapidly evolving world. She provides an inside look at the strategic partnership between Orient Express and global luxury powerhouse LVMH, exploring why history, authenticity, and meticulous craftsmanship are essential ingredients for thriving amidst uncertainty. A few more resources: If you'r...

Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, takes us behind the scenes of the iconic brand's revival in this episode recorded Friday, April 11, 2025 - exploring how they're reinventing luxury hospitality. Discover the strategy behind their ambitious launch of Orient Express’s first hotel, train, and yacht—and learn what the new 'art of travel' truly means. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You c...

In this episode, Jan Freitag, National Director, Hospitality Analytics at CoStar Group, shares insights on the impact of tariffs on the US hotel industry, the importance of actionable data, and strategies for navigating uncertain times. Links: "Tell Me More" Podcast by Jan Freitag & Isaac Collazo: Apple Podcasts or Spotify Jan's recent episode on No Vacancy News Jan's episode on the Hotel Moment podcast Hotel Data Conference I-92/APIS Dataset from the U.S. Department of Commerce More conversa...

Today, Hospitality Daily transforms into your personal sonic retreat as we present our first-ever musical special: "Dream Resort: A Mediterranean Escape," created by Clay Bassford and our friends at Bespoke Sound. Leave behind the daily challenges of hospitality and immerse yourself in the fantasy resort experience you work so hard to create for others. Our specially curated 53-minute musical journey transports you to an idyllic Mediterranean paradise—from the gentle morning waves greeting your...

In this episode, Suzie Thompson, Vice President of Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels, shares her insights on careers in hospitality and how they celebrate excellence. This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode deli...

In this episode, Suzie Thompson, Vice President of Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels, shares how she is preparing for an AI-driven world. This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day,...

In this episode, Suzie Thompson, Vice President of Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels, shares insights into how her teams blend data, culture, and creativity to deliver exceptional guest experiences. This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares some top takeaways from his latest research, including how 87% of hospitality professionals participating in the study already use AI to improve efficiency, creativity, and guest experience. Listen now for practical examples, underutilized AI opportunities, and actionable insights you can use in your hotel or hospitality business. Also see: AI 2027 Project What AI Might Bring Hotels in 2025 - Martin Soler America's Chief AI Officer for Travel Share...

In this episode, Zach Demuth, the Global Head of Hotels Research at JLL, shares what he sees happening in the hotel and hospitality ecosystem, including tariffs, travel trends, and San Francisco's comeback. See insights and research from JLL here See coverage of JLL's San Francisco research on Hotel Management and Hotel Investment Today. Check out our other conversations: Why The Hotel Industry is at a Pivotal Moment (December 2024) Research: Top Hospitality Trends to Watch (February ...

In this episode, host Josiah Mackenzie welcomes Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, and a seasoned hospitality data expert with prior experience at CBRE and PKF. Jamie shares his extensive experience in analyzing hospitality data, discussing its evolution from historical reporting to predictive, detailed segmentation. The conversation delves into current demand trends, the critical interplay between internal and external market data (especially short-term rental data from AirDNA), and how to ...

In this episode, Emily Goldfischer, founder and editor-in-chief of hertelier, interviews Hazel Hagans Farris, Le Meridien Washington, D.C., The Madison. Hazel shares her unconventional journey from studying chemistry to becoming a leader in the hospitality industry, tackling leadership challenges, and championing women in hospitality. In this, we cover: (00:00) Introduction (00:21) Hazel's background and career shift (01:17) First role at W Atlanta Buckhead (02:46) Gradual realization of pa...

In this episode, Anna Blue, a seasoned leader in hospitality and beyond, shares her insights on navigating career transitions, the importance of finding purpose, and the power of saying "I don't know yet." We cover: (00:00) Intro: Layoffs in the U.S. and career transitions (00:32) Anna's own career transition (03:09) Being "highly employable" (04:50) Learning from others' experiences (05:40) Balancing work and personal life (07:07) Finding excitement in new opportunities (09:17) Career a...

In this episode, Steven Marais, Vice President of Rooms at Noble House Hotels & Resorts, shares an exciting new initiative to free up his teams to spend more time with guests. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the co...

In this bonus episode, Steven Marais, Vice President of Rooms at Noble House Hotels & Resorts, shares his experience working with Actabl's suite of products: Alice: Software for Operations, Housekeeping, Guest Messaging & More ProfitSword: BI for Data-Driven Hotel Management Hotel Effectiveness: Labor Management & Staffing Scheduling Transcendent: Hotel Asset Management Software See more episodes with Steven: Why I Stayed: How Growth, Culture, and Opportunity Kept Me in Hospitality Executi...