The Halo Effect: Hospitality Stories with Ashleigh and Michael Donald

Why "five clicks" might be the most important metric in hospitality right now. In Episode 50 of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael are joined by Patryk Luszcz, UK Regional Director at Profitroom, who brings more than 15 years of experience across luxury hospitality in the UK and Germany. Patryk's hospitality story began in childhood, growing up in Greece where the industry was sim...

In this episode, Ashleigh and Michael are joined by Silvia Del Corso, founder of PinkSEO, an award-winning SEO agency built on a simple premise: no jargon, no fixed contracts, and results that really move the needle. In this conversation, Silvia shares how her background in travel and tourism shaped the way she runs her agency today. She explains why trust is now the central currency of digital se...

Why the best business development doesn't feel like selling If the idea of "business development" makes you uncomfortable, maybe this episode is for you. Ashleigh and Michael are joined by Katie Tobin and Karen Willey, co-founders of Always Thinking and Festival of Hospitality, two people who've spent their careers proving that the best business development doesn't feel like...

In this episode, Ashleigh and Michael are joined by Sam Weston, Head of AI and Marketing at 80 Days and editor of Hotel Speak , a specialist with over two decades of experience across hospitality, digital marketing, brand strategy, and AI. Sam explores why brand has never mattered more for hotels and why "brand legibility" is fast becoming as important as brand strength. The conversation...

What if your front desk is the most underused commercial team in your hotel? In Episode 46 of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael are joined by Stephen Levins , Vice President International at Frontline Performance Group , who leads an international team supporting more than 1,500 hotels across over 100 countries. Stephen's hospitality story starts in Ireland, runs through a graduate programme i...

In Episode 45 of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael are joined by Paul Griffiths , Head of Commercial Growth and Strategic Partnerships at GuestRevu and Co-Founder of Next Wave Hospitality . Paul's hospitality story begins the way so many do, with the odd silver service shift at sixteen, and pulling pints behind the bar through university, The medical biochemistry degree might be a little less...

What does it really take to future-proof a hotel business? In this episode, we sit with Alessandra Leoni , Head of Hospitality at Focus on Hospitality and co-founder of Next Wave Hospitality , to explore the intersection of technology, people, and performance in modern hospitality. With over 30 years of experience spanning housekeeping to senior commercial and technology leadership roles at brands...

Fresh from the floors of IHIF Berlin 2026, Michael Donald sits down with Guy Lean , Managing Director of hospitality recruitment specialists Madison Mayfair , to unpack what 2,500 hospitality leaders and 700+ investors were really talking about, beyond the headlines. From cautious optimism in the face of the week's most popular term "geopolitical uncertainty", to the growing recognition of hotels...

Is your hotel performing well on paper but falling short on returns? It's time to look beyond RevPAR. In this episode, Ashleigh and Michael are joined by ⁠Graham Norris⁠ , Co-Founder of InnPractice, and ⁠Matt Hughes⁠ , Founder of Accommodate Consulting, to unpack one of hospitality's most persistent blind spots: the gap between strong trading metrics and actual owner returns. Recorded against the...

In this episode of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael Donald reflect on International Women’s Day 2026 and what it means for the hospitality industry today. The conversation explores the origins of International Women’s Day, the two themes shaping this year’s discussion, and how the day has been recognised across the UK through panels, events and wider industry debate. Ashleigh and Michael also...

In this milestone 40th episode of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael Donald reflect on NoVacancy’s inaugural London show at ExCeL and unpack what it revealed about the future direction of hospitality. Fresh from two energising days on site, Ashleigh shares first-hand observations from across the keynote stages, panels and conversations that defined the event. From long-term thinking to 2030 and...

Ashleigh and Michael are sharing a quick preview of No Vacancy London, as it opens this morning (25th February 2026) at ExCeL. With 3,000+ attendees and 100+ speakers and exhibitors across two days, they spotlight the themes and some of the sessions likely to shape the year ahead, including AI and hotel discovery, marketing differentiation, tech in practice, data-led market insights, and the indep...

This episode is inspired by Season 2 of The Night Manager (starring Tom Hiddleston), but this one has fewer silk shirts and less international espionage and a bit more fire alarms at 3 am, overbooked nights, and being the person everyone relies on when the hotel and its guests are at their most vulnerable. Ashleigh and Michael look back on their own time working nights across very different proper...

What does it take to build confident teams, strengthen service culture, and lead with practical clarity in today’s hospitality landscape? In this episode of The Halo Effect: Hospitality Stories, Ashleigh and Michael Donald are joined by Dan Barnes , Founder and Managing Director of Flourish Hospitality, for a thoughtful discussion on people, performance, and the leadership behaviours that truly sh...

In this episode of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael Donald explore what Valentine's Day really means in hospitality and why operators may want to move beyond the old predictable formulas. With February now positioned as a full “month of romance”, they unpack how hotels and restaurants can stand out in an increasingly crowded calendar by focusing on experience-led, connection-driven progra...

Hotel marketing in 2026 is not just campaigns and content. It’s about leadership across brand, revenue operations, and guest experience. In this episode, Ashleigh and Michael unpack what fractional marketing support really means, and why it is becoming a serious advantage for hotels navigating tighter margins, shifting guest behaviour, AI-driven discovery, cookieless marketing, and constant operat...

January is the month of resets, but guests do not leave their wellness intentions at home when they travel. In this episode, Ashleigh and Michael explore what “supportive wellness” could look like in hospitality, without becoming preachy, restrictive, or trend-led. From the rise of the no and low alcohol movement and supplement culture, to why “environment beats willpower”, they discuss how hotels...

In this episode, we take a proper pause after our first week back of the New Year to reflect on what we’re building and how to set your plans up for success, whether you’re running a hotel, leading a team, or growing a business. We talk through why January is the perfect moment to review last year’s results, sense-check your strategy, and update/set your goals for the year. We also share some prod...

In a world of AI assistants, bots and generative search, a clear and consistent story is no longer a nice-to-have. It is essential. In this episode, Ashleigh and Michael unpack Halo’s ABCs of Storytelling - a practical framework to help hotels and hospitality brands own their narrative from first search to post-stay review. They explore how to join the dots between what is promised in marketing an...

In this third instalment of our 2026 travel and hospitality trends series, Ashleigh and Michael discuss how travel is shifting from escape to expansion. Drawing on the brilliant Forbes trend series by travel writer Angelina Villa Clarke , alongside insights from The Future Laboratory , Fox Communications and leading hotel brands, they explore what guests will really be looking for in the years ahe...

In our second Travel Trends episode, Ashleigh and Michael look beyond the classic capital cities to explore how travelers are rediscovering “second” cities, coastal communities, and lesser-known islands in response to over-tourism and rising costs.  From Bali, Lombok and Komodo to hill tribe communities in Vietnam, they discuss the realities behind regenerative travel, and how tourism can leave pl...

From decision overload to decision detox, Ashleigh and Michael chat about how travelers are rethinking the way they plan and book their trips. In this first Travel Trends episode, they explore why all-inclusive and fully curated itineraries are making a comeback, how luxury travel advisers and retreat operators are stepping in to remove cognitive load, and where AI powered tools such as ChatGPT an...

In this episode, Michael takes listeners on a journey to Morocco, a country that we visited earlier this year and continues to rise as one of the most exciting destinations for global travellers. Together with expert guide and podcast host Azdean Elmoustaquim, from Destination Morocco , they look at what makes Moroccan hospitality so special. From the magic of the medina and the scent of spice mar...

In this special Black Friday-focused episode of The Halo Effect, Michael is joined by John Mullen , Senior Territory Sales Manager at Revinate , to explore how hotels can turn one of the most competitive moments of the year into a genuine commercial advantage. With consumer behaviour shifting and inbox competition at an all-time high, John shares some practical advice on planning, scheduling and p...

Sales sits at the core of every hospitality business, but what truly makes it work? Ashleigh and Michael welcome back Joanna Fisher, a commercial hospitality specialist with 25+ years across hotel brands, clusters and global markets. In this episode you’ll hear: • How hotel sales has evolved, and why it will always be about people • Why confidence, curiosity and connection still outpace clicks • P...