Episodes

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...

In this episode, Steven Marais, Vice President of Rooms at Noble House Hotels & Resorts, shares insights on simplifying hotel tech stacks, the challenges of integrations, and the journey towards a more unified, cloud-based technology foundation. We cover: (00:56) Steven's role and responsibilities (02:08) The importance of interfacing in hospitality tech (03:52) Challenges with legacy systems and new tech (05:01) Preparing for a future with more AI (05:56) Standardizing the tech stack acro...

In this episode, Steven Marais, Vice President of Rooms at Noble House Hotels & Resorts, shares insights on challenges and strategies for recruiting and retaining talent in the hospitality industry, including the importance of creating career paths and a fun work environment. 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...

In this episode, Steven Marais, Vice President of Rooms at Noble House Hotels & Resorts, shares the most valuable lesson he's learned in his career: that execution is everything. He discusses the importance of follow-through in hospitality, the role of training and preparation, and how to handle high-pressure events. 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...

In this episode, Steven Marais, Vice President of Rooms at Noble House Hotels & Resorts, shares his journey from bellman to VP, the importance of culture and opportunity in career growth, and insights into leading through change in the hospitality industry. (00:00) Introduction (00:32) Steven's career journey from Bellman to VP (01:47) How Steven got started in hospitality (02:33) Career opportunities in the hospitality industry (03:09) Steven's current role as VP of Rooms (04:04) The inte...

In this episode, Anna Blue shares insights on the current state of the hospitality industry, including DEI, women's empowerment programs, and practical steps leaders can take to drive positive change. We cover: (01:16) Current chaos and volatility in the industry (02:07) Industry's silence and its impact (03:11) Importance of transparency (05:06) DEI discussions behind closed doors (07:08) Disconnect between C-suite and staff (08:25) Effectiveness of DEI programs (09:09) Programs for wom...

In this episode, Samantha Hardcastle, Founder & Creative Director at The Storied Experience, shares lessons every hospitality provider can learn from White Lotus. Also see: Official White Lotus Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Story-Driven Hospitality - Samantha Hardcastle These Slovenian River Guides Showed Me "Experience" Doesn't Have to Cost Anything - Samantha Hardcastle The Two Chemicals Behind The Best Hospitality Experiences - Samantha Hardcastle A few more resources: If ...

In this episode, Vance Morris, a former Disney leader and founder of Deliver Service Now, shares how hospitality businesses can create extraordinary guest experiences—and significantly increase revenue—by implementing the proven systems behind Disney’s magic. 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 deliver...