The Conscious Hospitality Podcast

After a period of stepping back to fully live the work, The Conscious Hospitality Podcast returns with a conversation that goes straight to the heart of growth, pressure, and becoming. In this episode, David sits down with Franck Desplechin —a chef, leader, and author whose journey began at just fifteen years old, when he chose to step out of the traditional path and into the intensity of professi...

Season Two of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast begins with its most heartfelt and personal conversation yet. Host David Arraya welcomes his wife and life partner, Jessica Arraya , for Part 1 of her inspiring journey — a story of love, resilience, and conscious living across continents. Jessica shares her path from a joyful, faith-rooted childhood in South Carolina to becoming the steady, groundin...

🎙 Episode 66 — From Cameroon to Tech: Samy Sam’s Inspiring Journey Through Love, Leadership, and Innovation In this deeply moving episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with tech entrepreneur Samy Sam ( Samy Samandjeu ) for a heartfelt conversation that bridges personal growth, leadership, innovation, and the healing power of love. From a small village in Camero...

James McBride is more than a hotelier—he’s a true icon in the world of luxury hospitality. With a career that spans over three decades and includes leadership roles at some of the most renowned properties on the planet, James brings charisma, creativity, and deep human insight to every conversation. In this special episode, we sit down for a heartfelt and candid exchange that covers everything fro...

Episode 64 – The Power of Personal Narratives with Benjamin Rogers In this powerful episode, David Arraya sits down with Benjamin Rogers , Assistant Professor at Boston College , to explore the transformative role of personal narratives in leadership , wellbeing , and organizational behavior . Together, they dive into the Hero’s Journey framework and how our individual stories shape our sense of p...

Episode 63: Redefining Luxury Travel, Leadership, and Parenthood with Melissa Krueger Welcome to another powerful episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , where we explore the intersection of conscious leadership, luxury travel, and the human experience. In Episode 63, your host David Arraya sits down with Melissa Krueger , the dynamic CEO of Classic Vacations , for a heartfelt and insightfu...

Episode 62 – Navigating Conscious Leadership with Carolyne Doyon, President & CEO of Club Med North America & the Caribbean In this inspiring episode of the Conscious Hospitality podcast, host David Arraya sits down with Carolyne Doyon , President and CEO of Club Med North America & the Caribbean, to explore the evolution of conscious leadership in hospitality. With over 25 years of ex...

Episode 61 – Sonal Uberoi: Rethinking Wellness in Hospitality In this inspiring episode of the Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Sonal Uberoi , founder of Spa Balance Consulting and a global expert in wellness strategy , spa management , and sustainable business transformation . Sonal’s unique journey—from growing up in Kenya, pursuing a law degree, and working in hi...

Episode 60: From Burnout to Balance – A Transformative Journey with Eva Jungstein In this compelling episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya is joined by Eva Jungstein , a certified health coach, and former executive leader. Together, they explore a deeply personal and timely conversation on burnout, leadership, mental health, personal growth , and women empowerment —throu...

Episode 56 – Redefining Luxury Through Wellness & Purpose: A Conversation with Alexandra Walterspiel In this powerful episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David is joined by Alexandra Walterspiel , CEO of Sensei and one of the most visionary leaders at the intersection of hospitality, wellness, and conscious leadership. Raised in a hotel and shaped by a family legacy in hospital...

In this inspiring episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Davin Salvagno —a globally recognized thought leader on purpose, bestselling author of Finding Purpose at Work , and founder of PurposePoint and The Purpose Summit . With a rich background spanning leadership roles in retail, healthcare, human resources, and consulting, Davin has helped some of the wo...

The Journey of a Visionary Hotelier – with Peter Bowling In today’s episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , I have the great honor of sitting down with Peter Bowling , one of the most respected names in global luxury hospitality. With over 30 years of experience leading some of the world’s most iconic resorts—including One&Only Palmilla, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Viceroy Los Cabos,...

In this inspiring episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya welcomes Jennifer Lodge , Senior Vice President of Membership at Forbes Travel Guide , for a heartfelt and insightful conversation about growth, gratitude, and excellence in the world of luxury hospitality. With over 40 years of experience in the industry—from cleaning hotel rooms as a teenager on the shores of Lake...

Episode 55 - Mark Harmon Creating Soulful Places Through Luxury Hospitality, Connection, and Curiosity In this special episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya welcomes Mark Harmon , visionary founder of Auberge Resorts Collection and Chairman of Private Label Collection , for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about what it truly means to lead with purpose in the world...

Episode 54: Thomas Steinhauer — A Life in Service, A Legacy of Leadership In this powerful episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Thomas Steinhauer , a celebrated leader whose career at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts helped define a generation of service excellence. From his humble beginnings in the Austrian Alps to becoming one of the most respected figur...

Episode 53: Redefining Financial Leadership in Hospitality with David Lund In this episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with David Lund , widely known as The Hotel Financial Coach , for a transformative conversation about the evolving role of financial leadership in the hospitality industry . With over four decades of experience in hotel operations and finance...

Episode 52: Leading with Heart – A Conversation with Eddie Rivera In this powerful episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Eddie Rivera , Executive Coach, Leadership Strategist, and speaker, to explore the deeply human side of leadership, resilience, and personal transformation. From his early days growing up in Puerto Rico to building an impressive career i...

Episode 51: Maha Abouelenein on Self-Reliance, Cultural Identity & the Power of Performance In this inspiring episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Maha Abouelenein , global communications strategist, entrepreneur, author, and one of the most influential Arab-American voices in leadership and personal development. From her early years growing up as a f...

Episode 50: The Virtue of Hospitality with Steve Fortunato In this milestone 50th episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Steve Fortunato , visionary founder of roomforty and author of T he Urgent Recovery of Hospitality . This rich and vulnerable conversation takes listeners on a journey through Steve’s life—from childhood challenges to his emergence as a l...

In this episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Steve Schloss , a seasoned executive coach, leadership strategist, and former Chief People Officer, whose career spans over three decades across industries like finance, tech, media, and sports. Together, they explore Steve’s professional evolution—from his early years shaped by a strong family foundation to le...

In this episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Angelo Carotenuto , founder of LivTours , to explore the power of meaningful, personalized travel experiences and the mindset behind conscious leadership in the tourism industry. With roots in Rome and a transformative journey that brought him to the United States, Angelo shares how his cultural duality shaped...

En este episodio profundo de The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , el anfitrión David Arraya conversa con Alejandro Bataller , Vicepresidente Ejecutivo de AB Living Group y SHA Wellness Clinic , sobre la intersección entre la hospitalidad y la salud holística. Juntos exploran el recorrido personal de Alejandro, la evolución de SHA y las lecciones transformadoras que ha aprendido en el camino. Puntos...

In this episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya sits down with Dennis Turcinovic , the visionary restaurateur leading the renaissance of Delmonico’s , America’s first fine-dining institution. Dennis shares his deep-rooted family legacy in the restaurant industry , the evolution of restaurant culture , and how he is balancing tradition with innovation to redefine modern hos...

En este episodio de The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , el anfitrión David Arraya conversa en profundidad con Isay Macias sobre su fascinante trayectoria a través de su vida y carrera, finalmente encontrando su hogar en la hospitalidad. Juntos exploran la importancia de los hábitos diarios, el papel fundamental del mentorazgo y cómo la inteligencia emocional impacta en el liderazgo. Isai comparte...

Episode 44: Empowering Women in Hospitality with Emily Goldfischer In this special Women’s History Month episode of The Conscious Hospitality Podcast , host David Arraya welcomes Emily Goldfischer , founder and editor-in-chief of Hertelier , a groundbreaking platform dedicated to empowering women in the hospitality industry . Emily shares her journey from childhood to becoming a hospitality leader...