The Room Key

In this episode of The Room Key, I’m joined by Chris Zhao, CRME—Senior Product Manager for SEM/SEO at Travel Media Group—to talk about the reality of hotel digital marketing in 2026: every channel is crowded, every click is paid, and “rank higher” isn’t a strategy anymore . Chris lays out a framework he calls Trust-led Multichannel Growth —the idea that the real bottleneck for most hotels isn’t tr...

Put your bags down and relax—welcome to The Room Key, where we make underwriting sound less like a hostage negotiation. In this episode, Sonia Egyhazy, a hotel development executive at Accor, breaks down how luxury hotel brands evaluate markets, sponsorship, feasibility, and owner–brand alignment—and what separates a deal that gets traction from one that stalls. What you’ll learn in this episode *...

Hotel lending isn’t dead in 2026—but it’s definitely different. In this episode of The Room Key , Chase Keller sits down with Ryan Bosch , Principal at Arriba Capital , to unpack what’s really getting financed right now, what lenders are passing on, and how owners can structure deals that actually close. Ryan explains why cash flow—not hope—is the single factor driving credit decisions, how banks...

What happens when an institutional finance guy stops analyzing deals… and starts operating them? In this episode of The Room Key , Chase sits down with Tom Bono , Managing Partner of Bono Capital Group , to talk about the real-world playbook behind buying underperforming motel assets and turning them into boutique, higher-performing hospitality properties. Tom shares how his early career in struct...

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase Keller sits down with Rachel Humphrey —attorney, former AAHOA executive, and founder of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance —to explore a remarkable career defined by reinvention and impact. Rachel shares how she traded trial law for trade associations, how leadership “chose her,” and what she learned from years representing hotel owners and leading...

In this episode, Chase sits down with hotel mortgage broker Larry Yells to unpack the current state of hotel financing and what owners need to know heading into 2025. Larry has spent more than two decades navigating the ups and downs of capital markets for hotel owners — from the “good old days” of 75% leverage to today’s tighter lending standards. He breaks down who’s still lending, what loan pro...

Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman joins me for a deep dive on his founder journey and the operating system behind one of hospitality’s most active platforms. We talk about growing up around hotels, launching Peachtree in 2007, and the decisive pivots through the GFC and COVID. Greg explains how an “owner-lender-operator” perspective shapes underwriting, where mispriced risk actually shows up, and...

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase sits down with Danielle Beckcom, Founder & CEO of TADA Hotel Consulting. Danielle shares her journey from front desk agent to industry leader, and the lessons she’s learned along the way about sales, revenue management, and what hotel owners need to know to stay competitive. You’ll hear: How a simple front desk habit launched Danielle’s career in sales Wh...

Every hotel owner knows the business is cash-hungry — payroll, PIPs, taxes, debt service. But too often, the financial side is neglected until it’s too late. In this episode of The Room Key, I sit down with Paden Squires, CPA and CFP®, to talk about the financial playbook every hotel owner should be running. We dive into: Why clean, consistent financials are the foundation of every good business d...

Episode Summary In this episode of The Room Key , Chase Keller sits down with Anne Becker Olins, a Paris-based architect and designer whose work with Accor spans the globe’s most luxurious hotels—including Raffles, Fairmont, and Orient Express. Anne shares what makes luxury design truly timeless, why she insists on staying involved after hotels open, and how even midscale owners can learn to blend...

Most hotel owners don’t need more legal theory—they need lawyers who understand how hotels actually work . That’s exactly what Steven Shapiro is training his students to become. Steven is the Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Law Program at American University Washington College of Law. In this episode, he and Chase talk about why hospitality law isn’t just about contracts, and why every law...

Can doing good actually make your business more profitable? In this episode of The Room Key, host Chase Keller sits down with Anna Blue, former President of the AHLA Foundation, for a candid and insightful conversation about workforce development, DEI, and what hotel owners need to know about building a stronger team and a better guest experience. Anna shares her journey from social justice to hos...

Insurance might not be the most glamorous part of running a hotel, but it’s one of the most important. In this episode of The Room Key , I sit down with Tyler Trunnell , better known as “Mr. Hotel Insurance,” to dig into the details every hotel owner should know. Tyler shares how to avoid costly coverage gaps, what owners often overlook when renewing policies, and the biggest risks facing today’s...

When you’re facing failed QA inspections, bad guest reviews, and the threat of losing your franchise flag, there’s no time for slow fixes—you need a turnaround expert. Jake Isaacs has made a career out of stepping into these high-pressure situations and leading hotels back to health. In this episode of The Room Key , Jake sits down with Chase Keller to discuss his remarkable journey: growing up ac...

From Front Desk to Fairfield: A Conversation with Hotel Owner Vimal Ranat Growing up in a hotel can teach you a lot about life—and about business. In this episode of The Room Key , host Chase Keller sits down with hospitality veteran Vimal Ranat, who shares his inspiring journey from working the front desk as a child to owning multiple branded properties, including a newly built Fairfield Inn &amp...

From fry cook to Four-Star GM—Jeff Keeley’s hospitality journey is as inspiring as it is insightful. In this episode of The Room Key , Jeff takes us behind the scenes of luxury hotel management at the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza, where he’s led the team for nearly five years. What You’ll Learn: ✔ The career path from entry-level hotel jobs to luxury leadership ✔ How to foster guest l...

If you're a hotel owner, manager, investor, or franchisee—this episode is for you. Stephen Barth is a hospitality attorney, professor at the Conrad Hilton College, and founder of HospitalityLawyer.com . He’s spent decades helping hotel professionals navigate legal risks, build emotionally intelligent teams, and prepare for the unexpected. In this episode of The Room Key , we dive into: ✅ The most...