Hospitality Daily Podcast

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...

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 "concep...

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 covera...

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...

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...

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 exp...

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 descr...

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 ca...

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) Previ...

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,...

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 m...

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 L...

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...

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: o...

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...

In this episode, Susie Arnett , the Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas , shares what she learned after a retreat at Six Senses Kyoto led by Dr. Ingrid Yang , and why the idea of "collective effervescence" matters for anyone building places where people gather. Susie also reflects on why people haven't fundamentally changed, why work is increasingly wh...

In this sponsor bonus episode, Jerimi Ford , the Chief Innovation Officer at Actabl and founder of Transcendent , shares how AI Asset Setup is turning a days-long manual process into a 30-second photo capture, and why accurate asset data is the foundation for better capital budgeting, preventive maintenance, and benchmarking across your portfolio. You'll also hear how gamification and associa...

In this episode, Franck Desplechin, the Founder and Executive Hospitality Consultant at Incrementum, shares what he's learned from conducting undercover quality audits at luxury hotels, arriving with his wife and two young kids so they're never flagged. He breaks down the quiet, repetitive service failures that never generate complaints but drive guests away, and why emotional presence m...

In this episode, Jason Littrell , the founder of Kinetic Management Systems , shares a playbook for winning the before, during, and after guest conversations using AI. You'll hear his tactical approach to Google Business Profile optimization, the NPS-to-Google-review funnel that drives a 4.71-star average, and why responding to missed calls is one of the highest-ROI moves in hospitality. Watc...

In this episode, Sofia Vandaele , General Manager of the InterContinental New York Barclay and Regional Director for IHG Lifestyle and Luxury, shares how growing up in her parents' Belgian banquet hall shaped her view of hospitality, what working with Blackstone taught her about being a business leader, and why health challenges in COVID changed how she leads her team today. Sofia is intervie...

In this episode, Susie Arnett , the Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas , shares how an AI meditation coach on a jhana retreat accelerated her practice and what that experience revealed about the future of guest-facing AI in hotel wellness. She explores why hotels need a wellness recommendation engine rather than just a menu, why AI can understand a guest in 200 word...

In this episode, Chris Cline , the General Manager of Hotel Santa Barbara , shares the story of renovating a nearly 100-year-old, 75-key boutique hotel without closing its doors and why keeping his team employed through the process preserved knowledge that proved essential. Chris details how local partnerships with artisans bring Santa Barbara's community into every guest room, and how the ho...

In this episode, Chris Cline , the General Manager of Hotel Santa Barbara with Geronimo Hospitality Group , shares what independent hospitality provides. Chris explains how Geronimo's 11-month "Living as a Leader" training program, their owner-operator structure, and a culture built on trust and engagement create an environment where both team members and guests thrive.  A few more...

In this episode, Valerie Ferguson , the former Regional General Manager of Resorts at Walt Disney World , shares what multi-generational travel reveals about guest behavior, loyalty, and long-term revenue. Drawing from her experience across luxury and large-scale operations, she explains why family travel is expanding across three generations and how that shift is reshaping expectations. You’ll he...

In this episode, Amanda Frasie r, the President of Standards and Ratings at Forbes Travel Guide , shares with hertelier founder Emily Goldfischer what goes into hosting their annual summit in Monaco for the world's top hoteliers, how their star rating system actually works across 500+ evaluation standards, and where Forbes Travel Guide is expanding next into river cruises, trains, and adventu...