Good Morning Hospitality

We’re diving into a busy week across the OTA landscape. Booking.com just launched its first U.S. credit card in partnership with Visa and Imprint, and we unpack what this means for direct bookings, loyalty, and whether it can really compete with the big travel cards already in your wallet. We also break down Expedia Group’s Q2 earnings, where strong B2B ad performance and international travel lift...

This week on Good Morning Hospitality Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down Marriott Hotels’s flat Q2 performance and a dip in U.S. hotel occupancy, plus they spotlight new inclusive hiring initiatives where hotels are employing individuals with intellectual disabilities. On the travel side, they unpack TSA’s potential rollback of the 3.4-ounce liquid rule, Delta Air Lines’s refusal to...

In this episode of GMH EU, Leo and Sarah cover Airbnb's latest ad campaigns, Booking.com's Q2 earnings report, and an exclusive interview with Andrea Degli Innocenti from Spacest about their recent acquisition of TheHomeLike. The discussion includes insights on regulatory challenges in the rental market, market trends, and future opportunities. Follow the Hosts: Leo Walton – ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ Sarah Nan...

Brandreth Canaley, Wil Slickers, and Jamie Lane break down key developments across the travel and short-term rental landscape. They cover Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) Q2 results, including strong growth in Europe and Asia, a softer U.S. market, and how loyalty and direct booking strategies are evolving. The episode also unpacks new insights from AirDNA’s latest outlook report, an acquisition at...

In this episode of Good Morning Hospitality, we’re sharing some big news: we’ve officially joined the Skift family! We talk about what this means for the show, how the opportunity came together, and why this move makes so much sense for the community we’ve built over the past five years. From back-of-napkin ideas to early-morning recordings and wild conference weeks, this journey has been nothing...

On this episode of GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk explore Hilton’s strategy to drive direct bookings from small business travelers, while Marriott Hotels finalizes its acquisition of citizenM hotels, expanding its lifestyle portfolio. The vanishing hotel minibar takes center stage as operators rethink in-room profit models. In travel, Tripadvisor reveals its top 2025 attractions, JetBlu...

On today’s episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Michael Goldin, Wil Slickers, and Brandreth Canaley dig into two major stories that could shape the future of short-term rentals and travel tech. First, we unpack Airbnb’s push into artificial intelligence and the company’s vision to revolutionize travel search. CEO Brian Chesky is betting big on AI to turn Airbnb into a fully personalized travel con...

On this week’s episode of Good Morning Hospitality Hotels, the crew, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk, unpack a wave of strategic moves across the industry, including the potential sale of the iconic Ace Hotel / Atelier Ace brand, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’s partnership with Grubhub, and Peachtree Group's $1.5 billion fund targeting distressed hotel assets. We also dive into the rise of credit card-dr...

This week on GMH EU, Sarah and Leo unpack Spain’s sweeping proposal that could eliminate over 1.1 million tourist rental beds, sparking major implications for STR operators. They spotlight Travel Chapter’s LinkedIn update on glamping and lodge bookings gaining traction across the UK. The duo then navigates a heated back-and-forth between Airbnb’s recent overtourism report and the strong rebuttal f...

It’s a lighter week for travel headlines, so we’re diving into one of the most impactful pieces of research in the industry — the State of Travel 2025 from Skift Research. This annual report is packed with 300+ slides of data, trends, and forecasts that reveal where the industry is headed. Each of us brings one or two of our favorite slides to the table and unpacks why it matters. From the shift t...

On this episode of GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk dive into Marriott Hotels’s groundbreaking net-zero hotel project and how waning green tax breaks might affect sustainable builds moving forward. They cover Hard Rock International’s expansion of its Reverb Hotels brand and analyze how the timing of the Fourth of July impacted hotel performance across the country. In travel, Delta Air Li...

This week on GMH EU, Sarah and Leo dive into the reopening of iconic Alpine rail routes connecting Austria, Switzerland, and Italy—just in time for scenic summer travel. They break down the latest acquisition move by The Travel Chapter as it brings Beach Retreats into its portfolio. The episode also explores how travelers are increasingly turning to AI for leisure trip planning, according to a new...

Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, and Brandreth Canaley dive into how Bad Bunny is fueling a major tourism spike in Puerto Rico, with hotel, flight, and luxury travel demand following his tour dates. They also unpack Marriott Bonvoy's move to trademark a new Outdoor Collection brand and what it signals about the outdoor resort trend. The episode wraps with a look at why leisure travel continues to out...

This week on GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk cover major hospitality headlines, including Blackstone’s acquisition of Sunseeker Resorts and Hilton’s launch of a new brand designed for traveling workers. They explore Hyatt’s big bet on all-inclusive brands, a leadership shake-up at Six Senses, and TSA updates that could soon change the way we move through security. Plus, the team unpacks...

On this episode of GMH EU, Sarah and Leo explore fresh legal heat for Booking.com and Airbnb in Spain, where both platforms are accused of flouting new national regulations. They review surprising Q1 2025 data revealing where short-term rental demand rose—or unexpectedly fell—across Europe. The duo also highlights the UK hotel worker strike that’s capturing national headlines, the global tourism i...

Wil Slickers, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane are all on deck for today’s episode of Good Morning Hospitality! First, the team breaks down Airbnb’s new 2025 updates to payment and cancellation policies—big changes that could affect both hosts and guests across the platform. From stricter cancellation terms to adjusted payout timelines, we unpack what these updates mean for operat...

This week on GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk are joined by guest host Ben Wolff to break down some of the biggest moves in the hospitality world. From Hyatt’s $2B hotel sale to Tortuga Resorts and LA’s controversial hotel minimum wage hike to the Waldorf Astoria New York’s long-anticipated reopening, the hotel landscape is in motion. The hosts also discuss One Beverly Hills’ luxury devel...

This week on GMH EU, Sarah and Leo tackle Airbnb’s surprise policy shift—delaying host payouts until after guest check-in—a move creating immediate waves across the short-term rental community with no official press coverage yet. The duo also discusses the EU’s proposed ban on carry-on luggage fees, signaling a broader effort to regulate hidden travel costs. To top it off, they spotlight the viral...

Wil, Michael, and Brandy break down three major stories shaping luxury hospitality. First, Sonder CEO Francis Davidson steps down as the company deepens ties with Marriott. What does this leadership shake-up mean for Sonder’s future? Next, Exclusive Resorts takes a significant minority stake in OneFineStay, merging private club access with curated home rentals in a bid to dominate the high-end vac...

On this week’s episode of Good Morning Hospitality Hotels with Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk, the crew breaks down Hyatt’s decision to lay off guest service staff as tech replaces traditional roles, while the broader hotel industry faces profit pressure amid rising costs and slowed growth. Resorts World Las Vegas makes headlines by offering Apple Wallet room keys—no app required. On the travel sid...

In this episode of GMH EU, filmed live from the STR Summer MeetUp in Barcelona and hosted by SCALE, Truvi and Good Morning Hospitality Europe, Leo, Sarah, and Damian discuss various important topics impacting the hospitality industry. They emphasize the significance of industry unity amid growing regulatory challenges and delve into the ongoing debate between TUI and Airbnb on over-tourism. The co...

Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, and Brandreth Canaley unpack citizenM hotels call to kill the front desk and what it really signals about modern hospitality design. Then it’s Marriott International’s bold bet on AI and automation, and how that contrasts with the rise of curated, human-centric dining experiences. From tech-driven efficiencies to the return of the hotel dinner party, this episode cove...

This week on Good Morning Outdoors, the crew dives into Castle Peak’s fast-growing outdoor hotel brand, Trailborn, which is scaling across iconic U.S. nature destinations with five new properties on the way. The team discusses how Trailborn blends boutique-style hospitality with an outdoorsy ethos, and how Castle Peak’s co-CEOs are shaping a guest experience rooted in adventure, local culture, and...

This week on GMH EU, Leo and Sarah unpack Airbnb’s alleged poaching of tour guides from rival platforms to grow its Experiences segment, raising questions about competition in the tours and activities space. They dive into Italy's re-legalization of remote check-ins and why it’s a big win for STR operators across Europe. Also in the spotlight: how Holidu and HomeToGo are quietly acquiring niche lo...

On today’s episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane dig into a flurry of power plays and platform pivots across the travel and lodging landscape. First, we continue to unpack the growing tension around Airbnb’s Experiences program, as the company is now facing allegations of poaching guides from rival platforms to grow its inventory. As Airbnb doubles down...