Checking In by Hotel Owner

In this episode we’re speaking to Philip Steiner, chief operating officer of Vertiq Hospitality Partners. He talks about his experience with the merger of Cycas Hospitality and Vertiq Capital, how his experience as a hotel general manager led him to a senior role in operations, and the surprising things he has had to unlearn during his career.

In this episode we're joined by Nicolas Leroy, co-founder of Toile Blanche, a hotel resort and contemporary art collection in St Paul de Vence in the South of France. Having started it as an artistic destination with his brothers, Nicolas will share what he has learned about hospitality from an artist’s perspective, how to make art feel intentional and interactive for guests, and the differences b...

In this episode we speak to Daniel Kyriakides, a partner at law firm Reed Smith. We discuss why private members’ clubs are experiencing a resurgence and what that means for the future of the hotel sector. From heritage buildings being reimagined as lifestyle destinations to hotels borrowing the experiential playbook of members’ clubs, we discuss how the lines between the two are becoming increasin...

In this episode we speak to Jackie Brown, regional director, North & West Europe, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Jackie spoke about her time at Hilton and the lessons learned across both operations and corporate hospitality, Wyndham's growth ambitions across Europe and the opportunities within the UK market today, balancing global brand standards whilst supporting owner’s individual growth plans and ho...

In this episode we speak to Andrew Richardson, managing director of private members’ club Home House. Andrew reflects on his background as a chef, and what he learned working across international luxury hospitality markets, how Home House preserves its exclusivity whilst being inclusive, the evolution of the private members' club model and how versatility and adaptability are key to conquering thi...

In this episode we speak to brothers Alex and Adrien Grosjean, young entrepreneurs who have recently acquired The Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly. We discussed the reasons why Manchester’s visitor market is booming, and their decision to invest in this area, why they see extended-stay accommodation as a major opportunity in what is one of the UK's fastest-growing cities, how they p...

In this episode we speak to Philip Lassman, managing director UK&I at Numa. Philip spoke about the lessons learned from his time at Hilton, IHG and Accor, and how his early roles have shaped his leadership approach, the rise of aparthotels and why guests are increasingly seeking flexible and locally connected stays, how Native by Numa sites root themselves in their local neighbourhoods, and Philip...

In this episode we speak to Nico Tréguer, co-founder of Roberts and Treguer and The Culpeper Family. Nico spoke about founding the group alongside his longtime friend Gareth, having had a vision for bringing more nature spaces to cities, the planned extension of The Buxton in Spitalfields, and how the site’s storytelling engages guests and the local community, how the Culpeper Family’s core sustai...

In this episode we speak to Sam Innes, Food and Beverage assistant at The Waldorf Hilton. Sam spoke about how the Down's Syndrome Association Workfit programme helped connect him to his dream workplace, how he has developed confidence and communication skills while embracing the fast-paced world of guest service in his role, the benefits that inclusive hiring can bring to hospitality teams and his...

In this episode we speak to William Hunter, general manager of The Derby London City, Curio Collection by Hilton, owned by Dominus and managed by its hotel platform Dominus Hospitality. William discussed how his career has progressed under the Hilton banner, including standout lessons from Hilton’s management programme and the strong mentors he has met along the way. He also discusses balancing gl...

In this episode we're joined by Ruud Belmans, co-founder and executive creative director at design studio WeWantMore. Having gained experience working with major hotel brands, he will discuss how to improve the guest experience by refining touchpoints, the importance of implementing brand storytelling in every part of the property, and why LLMs are the next frontier for guest discovery. This episo...

On this episode of Talking Shop, we speak to Remus Obertelli, General Manager of The Imperial. Remus shares how he built a world-class foundation through the management programme at Red Carnation Hotels and the high-stakes lessons learned leading the opening of The Montcalm Royal London House. Today, we focus on his work at the helm of The Imperial, discussing the delicate art of reimagining a 120...

In this episode we speak to Joe Henry, general manager of Holmes Hotel London. Joe spoke about his people-first mindset when it comes to leading at Holmes, how the hotel connects to and supports the community around it, why modern leadership means being visible and relational and how building a culture rooted in empathy and transparency fosters trust in your teams. Today’s episode is brought to yo...

In this episode we’re joined by Richard Candey, head of Hotel Development and Consulting at Colliers. We dive into the current state of the UK hotel sector in 2026 - unpacking the challenges of rising construction costs, shifting investor appetite, and the evolving role of office-to-hotel conversions. Richard offers valuable insights into shifting deal structures, brand partnerships in today’s mar...

In this episode we speak to Anthony Hunt, partner and co-head of Corporate Real Estate at law firm Howard Kennedy. We discuss why 2026 may be seen as a pivotal year for boutique hotels, unpack the rise of global nomadism and how this is shaping demand and trends across hospitality, and how a strong team and clear, consistent messaging and offerings are key to securing investment. Today’s episode i...

In this episode we speak to Candice Pressinger, Director of Customer Data Security at Elavon Europe. We explore how hoteliers can strike the right balance between robust security and a frictionless guest experience, why even small payment inefficiencies can lead to huge lost revenue (and how to avoid them), and why security should no longer be treated as background infrastructure, but instead embr...

In this episode we speak to David Taylor, CEO of Kew Green Hotels. David spoke about Kew Green’s strategic priorities as it looks to expand, and the pillars of its new five-year strategy, the key behind building trust and strong partnerships with hotel brands and owners, and the importance of strengthening the foundations of a group through clear communication and a strong brand story. Today’s epi...

In this episode we speak to Ed Burrows, co-founder of The Wildhive Collection. Ed spoke about his career foundations and the road to founding Wildhive, the process of launching their first site at Callow Hall, and what lessons from this have shaped the opening of their second site, Eshott Hall, what Wildhive’s people-first culture and Nature-Led hospitality looks like in practice, and the importan...

In this episode we speak to Claire Good, chief operating officer at Travelodge. She spoke about Travelodge’s approach to enacting operational change across its wide portfolio, the importance of clear communication and understanding the needs of frontline colleagues and how this in turn impacts guest experience, and how Travelodge’s great managers make for great teams. This episode is brought to yo...

In this episode we speak to Tim Rumney, CEO of BWH Hotels GB. We spoke about BWH’s distinctive business model, and how individual hotels can benefit from the group’s framework whilst retaining their individual identity, the importance of understanding your USP and capitalising on what makes your hotel unique to guests, and how BWH Hotels GB's strong community is the key to long-lasting hotel partn...

In this episode we speak to Gemma Jones, hotel operations manager at The Feathers in Oxfordshire. Gemma told us about the lessons learned through her varied career, including her time as cabin crew, how leading from the front and by example is the key to team motivation, what makes The Feathers a unique and experiential Cotswolds getaway, and how the little details have the biggest impact on guest...

In this episode we’re joined by Christian Masters, the general manager of art’otel London Hoxton, who delves into his experience with hotel pre-openings, the culture and art that defines the art’otel brand, and the many things the property has in store two years after launching. This episode is brought to you by Howden, the global insurance broker. Whether you run a boutique hotel, independent B&B...

In this episode we’re joined by James Bland, commercial director for Travel, Hospitality and Leisure at Ipsos. James explores how consumer perceptions of hotel brands have changed and continue to evolve, why brand awareness is shifting - particularly among younger guests - and shares practical guidance on how hoteliers can track brand perception. We also discuss how both independent and large-scal...

In this episode we speak to Franck Arnold, Managing Director of The Savoy. We explore his beginnings in luxury hospitality across the globe, through to leading one of the world’s most iconic hotels through the unprecedented challenges of Covid. He also discusses how The Savoy continues to balance heritage with innovation, and what it takes to deliver world-class, personalised guest experiences whi...

In this episode we speak to Michael Flynn, Client Director at Howden, and Paul Davidson, Director & Senior Security and Investigations Consultant (Team 9). We explore what Martyn’s Law will mean for the hospitality sector, and the practical steps hoteliers need to consider to prepare for this - from security measures and staff training to insurance considerations and reputational risk. We also dis...