The Modern Hotelier

In this special highlight episode of The Modern Hotelier , hosts David Millili and Steve Carran take a look back at the first half of the year, revisiting standout moments from over 40 conversations with leading voices in hospitality. Across these curated clips, hoteliers, developers, and industry leaders share what it really takes to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving hospitality landscape—from...

What should hoteliers be doing right now to stay ahead of these rapid changes?  In this episode, hosts Steve Carran and David Millili are joined by Tom Luersen, President of CoralTree Hospitality, for a fast-paced breakdown of the biggest hospitality and travel industry developments from May. The conversation dives into major shifts in the tech and distribution landscape, including new partnership...

How are luxury hotels currently underutilizing guest data, and what opportunities are they missing?  In this episode, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with Josh and Dana Ellis, co-founders of Abra, to explore how AI-powered personalization is transforming the guest experience in hospitality. From luxury hotels in New York City and Maui to building one of hospitality’s most exciting AI start...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with 2026 NYU SPS Incubator winner and founder of Clairdoc, Bakhtawer Baloch, for a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, resilience, and building scalable AI solutions in complex industries. From her early entrepreneurial spark selling stickers as a child in Pakistan to studying and building companies in New York, Bakhtawer s...

In this episode, David and Steve sit down with Carmen Almos, Founder & CEO of Ashburton Hospitality, for a powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, and the evolving world of hotel ownership and asset management. Carmen shares her remarkable journey—from growing up in South Africa and moving to Tennessee as a teenager, to discovering her passion for hospitality through her fami...

How does someone go from taking their very first flight after college to becoming the CEO of a world-renowned cruise brand? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises and recent recipient of the prestigious 2026 CLIA Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Award. From growing up in a small Texas town to becoming one of the most influential leader...

In this special collaborative episode of The Modern Hotelier , recorded at the Hunter Conference with Josiah McKenzie of Hospitality Daily, we share a compelling conversation with Azim Saju, CEO of ARK Holdings. Azim discusses his multi-faceted role in hospitality—from hotel ownership and third-party management to development, acquisitions, and renovations—and unpacks how culture, financial litera...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Roman Pedan, the founder and CEO of Kasa , to discuss the future of hospitality, the role of AI in hotel operations, and how technology is reshaping the guest experience. Roman shares his journey from immigrating to the United States from Ukraine to studying at the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University, before buildin...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Maura Zambarano, President of Mattress Concierge, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and the evolving role of sleep in hospitality. From a lightning-round icebreaker revealing Maura’s calm-inducing superpower to a deeply personal story of unexpectedly taking over a company after tragedy...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Chas Scarantino, CEO of RoomPriceGenie, to explore how modern revenue management is transforming the independent hotel space. From his early career in logistics and HVAC sales to leading global SaaS companies, Chas shares the experiences that shaped his leadership style and his passion for hospitality tech. The conversation dives...

In this episode of The Modern Hotelier: Hospitality Hot Topics , hosts Steve Carran and David Millili are joined by Jennifer Olson, the Director of Commercial National Accounts, SERVPRO Team Zubricki, for a wide-ranging conversation on the biggest trends shaping hospitality today. They dive into the growing concern around hospitality as a long-term career path for younger generations and discuss w...

In this episode, host David Millili brings listeners inside Indie Cultivate Boston, hosted in partnership with ILC.  David sits down with leading vendors and innovators including Airbnb, Watermelon Ghost, Direct Booker, Stash Rewards, Cloudbeds, Directful, and Canary Technologies. Across these conversations, a clear theme emerges: the independent hotel space is at a turning point driven by AI, evo...

In this episode, host David Millili sits down with Richard Aday, CEO and Co-founder of ThinkReservations, for an insightful conversation on entrepreneurship, technology, and the evolving hospitality landscape. Richard shares his journey from building websites as a child in a tech-savvy family, to studying electrical and computer engineering, working at Amazon, and ultimately founding ThinkReservat...

In this special episode, host David Millili takes listeners inside Indie Cultivate Boston in partnership with ILC, capturing candid conversations with some of the most forward-thinking leaders in hospitality. Across the discussions, a common theme emerges while AI and automation are transforming back-of-house operations, the future of hospitality remains deeply human—rooted in creativity, storytel...

In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Shane O’Flaherty, Global Director of Travel, Transportation, and Hospitality at Microsoft, for a deep dive into the future of hospitality. Shane shares his fascinating journey—from growing up in a rodeo and circus environment to shaping global hospitality standards and now leading innovation at one of the world’s biggest tech companies....

How does a former collegiate baseball player turn his competitive edge into a career in commercial real estate, and ultimately help bring a bold concept like the Atari Hotel to life?  In today's episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jordan Taylor, Managing Partner at Intersection Development, for a deep dive into one of the most innovative concepts in hospitality—the Atari Ho...

What if hotels could turn every delivery into a revenue stream instead of a cost? What if the “last mile” wasn’t a problem—but the biggest untapped opportunity in hospitality?  In this episode, host David Millili sits down with entrepreneur and innovator Robert DeDomenico to explore a bold vision for the future of hospitality logistics and last-mile delivery. Robert shares the origin story behind...

In this episode of The Modern Hotelier , host David Millili sits down with Hospitality Creators Summit co-founders Anna Blue and Anthony Melchiorri to unpack one of the most exciting new movements in the industry. They dive into the mission behind the Hospitality Creators Summit , an invite-only (but free) event designed to bring together creators, storytellers, and community builders across hospi...

Join Steve Carran and David Millili on this month’s episode of The Modern Hotelier: Hospitality Hot Topics as we break down the biggest happenings in March for the hospitality industry. This episode features a candid conversation with Bashar Wali, CEO, founder, and one of the world’s top social media influencers, as he shares insights from his global travels and perspectives on hospitality trends,...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Dr. Sharmin Dharas, Chief Experience Officer at Hotel ZAZZ and Chief Storyteller at HERstory Hospitality. Sharmin’s journey is anything but traditional. From growing up in a 13-room Route 66 motor lodge to becoming a physician, entrepreneur, author, and boutique hotel visionary, she shares how her diverse background shaped one of...

How can hotels, especially independent and boutique properties, build effective marketing strategies that drive bookings, maximize revenue, and stand out in a competitive market?  In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jody Merl, Founder and President of Innovative Travel Marketing, to dive into her incredible journey from aspiring actress to hospitality marketing powe...

In this special episode, recorded live at the Hunter Conference in Atlanta, host David Millili sits down with Peter Wenzell, CEO of Wenzell and Fisher Hospitality Group. Peter shares his journey into hospitality, inspired by his father’s work in airport concessions, and how that early exposure to travel and hotels shaped his career path. The conversation dives into one of the hospitality industry’...

David Millili sits down with Brian Popelmayer of Lockton Companies at the Hunter Conference in Atlanta to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing the hospitality industry today: rising hotel insurance costs. In this episode, Brian shares insights from more than 23 years in the insurance industry, including how the hotel insurance marketplace has evolved, why liability insurance costs are risi...

Recorded live at the 2026 Hunter Conference in Atlanta, this special episode of The Modern Hotelier: Hospitality’s Most Engaged Podcast brings together key voices from the Hunter team to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes in today’s hotel investment market. In this episode, Host David Millili sits down with Mayank Patel, Sophia Pittaluga, and Kami Burnette to discuss the forces shapi...

Ever wondered how hotels set the “perfect” price, why AI is changing the game, and what the future of travel really looks like? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Chris Anderson, Professor at Cornell University and former Director of the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, to unpack the evolving world of hotel revenue management, pricing...