Episodes

In this episode, Philippa Wagner, the Founder of People Places Spaces, and former head of 23 Lab at Ennismore, shares why the hotel industry's segmentation habit is breaking down, what the solo traveler actually wants, and why community can't be manufactured. Learn more about The Future Guest Report 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 acti...

In this episode, Philippa Wagner, the Founder of People Places Spaces, shares an honest perspective on AI and tech in hospitality, drawing on her Future Guest research. She explains why guests forgive people but not technology, where AI belongs in operations, and how the right tech finally lets you hire for personality instead of tech skills. If you've sat through one too many high-level AI panels and want a grounded view, this conversation is worth your time. Mentioned: Bob W Numa Mews Oracle...

In this episode, Joe McGroarty, Clark Brayton, and Pritesh Patel of Actabl share why hotel data has been broken for decades, how their team built the patented normalization layer that fixes it, and why getting this right matters more in an AI-enabled world. You'll hear what's actually happening when revenue isn't easy to report on across your portfolio, the three questions to bring to your next tech partner meeting, and why context, not volume, is what makes AI answers trustworthy. Connect wi...

In this episode, Chris O'Donnell, the President of Select Service Division at Aimbridge Hospitality, shares how the balanced scorecard turns hotel operations into a meritocracy. You'll hear how Aimbridge cascades five universal metrics from CEO Craig Smith down to every property, why turnaround success starts with quick wins, and the bias-for-action principle Chris carries into every problem. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message...

In this episode, Chris O'Donnell, the President of Select Service at Aimbridge Hospitality, shares what it takes to drive hotel profitability for owners amid rising costs and muted top-line growth. He explains why the "middle of the P&L" is where the work gets done, why cutting labor can cost more than it saves, and how investments in tools, training, and culture can lower turnover and raise efficiency at the same time. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here...

In this episode, Chris O'Donnell, the President of the Select Service division at Aimbridge Hospitality, explains where select service hotels are heading and why technology only matters if it gives hotel leaders time back. Chris breaks down how the line between full service and select service has narrowed, how data is reshaping operational decision-making, and why traditional annual budgeting often carries inefficiencies forward year after year. He also shares how operators are using automati...

In this episode, Chris O'Donnell, President of Select Service at Aimbridge Hospitality, shares why hospitality is an industry that creates both energy and opportunity. 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 suggestionsIf 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 conversa...

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, the President and COO at Actabl, and Stephen German, the SVP of Product Management at Actabl, share how AI can support new hospitality providers and experienced hotel leaders. You'll hear why associate-facing technology matters as much as guest-facing tech, how an "AI coach" can replicate the decision-tree logic of a seasoned operator, and what to do now to find your first real use case. Connect with our guests: Andrew Arthurs on LinkedIn Stephen German on Link...

In this episode, Susie Arnett, the Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses, shares her real-world take on vibe coding and what AI tools actually deliver when a non-technical person tries to build a digital product. She explains why the promise that anyone can build anything is overstated, what platforms like Replit are useful for, and where she sees the real opportunity for hotels to give teams time to invent. Read Susie's post on this on LinkedIn here A few more resources: If you're ne...

In this episode, Sofia Vandaele, General Manager of the InterContinental New York Barclay and Regional Director for IHG Lifestyle and Luxury, shares an operator's read on running a flagship hotel in 2026. You'll hear how she manages cost discipline when expenses have outpaced ADR recovery, why she frames union work as a framework to build on, where AI is showing up in her operation, and how the Barclay is using its 100th anniversary to deepen guest connection. Sofia closes on what she sees as th...

In this episode, Tom Michelberger, founder of Michelberger Hotel in Berlin and Michelberger Farm in Brandenburg, shares with our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker why depth beats scale, why most designer hotels lose their edge after a few years, and what it takes to integrate into a community without performing for it. After 17 years and one hotel, Tom resists the word "concept," refuses to scale, and treats hospitality as a conversation rather than a monologue. Featured in this ...

In this episode, Nick Slavin, the CEO and co-founder of Curacity, shares his front-row perspective on why hotel discovery is being rewritten by AI, what 94% of hotels are missing on their own websites, and how independent properties can use this moment to take market share back from the OTAs. You'll hear the difference between ranked search and binary AI search, why third-party media coverage now drives 10 to 100 times the visibility signals of your own website, and what to do this week to star...

In this episode, Stuart Greif, the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Forbes Travel Guide, shares how the organization is helping develop the next generation of luxury hospitality professionals as global demand outpaces the supply of trained people. You'll hear about the Energizer e-learning exercises teams can run during a daily standup, the Rising Stars program at Le Logis in Cognac, the new certification and credentialing path for hotel professionals, and the stories of young hospitalit...

In this episode, Dr. Peter Ricci, Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at Florida Atlantic University, shares a practical view of AI in hospitality. He explains why the fear around AI is overblown, where it fits best in operations, and how leaders should use it to support better decisions without losing the human judgment guests still need. You’ll hear how Peter thinks about staffing after industry crises, AI’s role in talent acquisition and guest experience, and why hospit...

In this episode, Dr. Peter Ricci, the Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at Florida Atlantic University, shares why the industry's progress on workforce flexibility lands at a "three out of ten," what his recent research reveals about rising quit rates, and what the next generation of hospitality students actually wants. Connect with Peter on LinkedIn and explore his work at the FAU Hospitality and Tourism Management Program or his faculty profile. Read his Lodging Maga...

In this episode, Hans Pfister, President at Cayuga Collection, shares how his team turned a sheep farm, an abandoned lot, and a former cacao plantation into properties where guests now spot sloths, pumas, and native birds from their decks. Hans explains why he calls this "luxury rewilded," how healing the land turns team members into guardians of the property, and why the way you describe your hotel determines the kind of guests who walk through the door. Properties referenced: Aguas Claras in ...

In this episode, Hans Pfister, the Co-Founder and President at Cayuga Collection, shares how his team makes sustainability visible, human, and worth caring about for guests. You will hear how The Cayuga Way book, local leadership, and back-of-house tours turn their work into stories guests can feel and remember. 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 ...

In this episode, James Ferguson, the author of Seek the Good and Celebrate and creator of the Confetti leadership model, shares how his cancer journey reshaped his approach to leading hotel teams and why hospitality leaders should celebrate progress, not just outcomes. Mentioned in this episode: Confetti-Man.com (where to get the book) The Confetti Culture Playbook (James's first book) Previous episodes with James: Our "culture committee" helps us build and scale the culture we want How We ...

In this episode, Susie Arnett, Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses, shares what happened when a self-driving car company asked her to design a "moving sanctuary," and how the three pillars she landed on (productivity, social, and wellbeing) apply to any space where people spend time. You'll come away with a framework for thinking about hospitality across cars, schools, hospitals, and senior living, and a test you can use on your property tomorrow. Read Susie's full take on this work ...

In this episode, Stephen German, the Senior Vice President of Product at Actabl, shares his three-layer framework for putting AI to work in hotels: the data foundation, surfacing intelligence, and agentic AI. You'll learn why most hotel AI projects stall before they start, what needs to be true inside your tech stack before agents can deliver value, and why Stephen believes time in the AI market beats timing it. Learn more about Actabl, and its products: ProfitSword, Hotel Effectiveness, Alice...

In this episode, Larry Cuculic, the President and CEO of BWH Hotels, shares how a brand built around owners produces different decisions. You'll hear how elected hotelier directors, member market area protections, and a $1.3 billion member-only insurance program translate structural alignment into real financial relief for independent operators. You may also enjoy our other episodes with Larry: How Mentors Shaped My Leadership Hospitality Starts Before Guests Step on Property A few more resour...

In this episode, Sarah Kopit, the Editor in Chief at Skift, shares what she found reporting The Squeeze, her deep dive into the economic pressures facing America's hotel owners. You will hear why runaway costs, refinancing, and the franchise fee structure are putting owners in an impossible position. Read her reporting: Inside the Crisis Crushing America's Hotel Owners, as well as her earlier piece in this series. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn. A few more resources: If you're new to H...

In this episode, Larry Cuculic, the President and CEO of BWH Hotels, shares why the guest experience now starts the moment someone types "hotel Chicago" into a search bar and what it took to grow brand.com revenue and mobile app revenue. You'll hear his own moment about getting the customer journey wrong once, and why every digital touchpoint is a hospitality moment. Referenced: our earlier episode with BWH's Jay Hubbs, HSMAI's Marketing Professional of the Year. A few more resources: If you'...

In this episode, Larry Cuculic, President and CEO of BWH Hotels, shares how a meeting with his father's union attorney opened the door to West Point and shaped the leader he became. You'll hear what he learned about team, trust, and knowing your role from playing basketball for Mike Krzyzewski, and why letting go is the hardest part of leading. 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 suggesti...