A Room with a View Podcast

n Room 76, Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Frank Pitsikalis from Agilysys, an entrepreneur whose journey has taken him from building a start-up to becoming an executive in a major hospitality technology company. It’s an inspiring story about backing an idea, building a business and taking on new challenges as it grows. We explore the transition from founder to corporate leader, the lessons le...

In Room 79, Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Aimee Armstrong from Altitude AI, an exciting start-up taking a fresh approach to corporate travel. It’s an inspiring conversation about challenging established ways of doing things and using AI to rethink the experience for business travellers and the hotels that welcome them. We explore the ambition behind Altitude AI, the realities of building a...

In Room 76, Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Frank Pitsikalis from Agilysys, an entrepreneur whose journey has taken him from building a start-up to becoming an executive in a major hospitality technology company. It’s an inspiring story about backing an idea, building a business and taking on new challenges as it grows. We explore the transition from founder to corporate leader, the lessons l...

In Room 75, Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Matty Roberts, a rising hotel mogul with three Surfside motels and more on the horizon. Matty joins us to talk about building a growing accommodation business, his love of hospitality and the ambition behind his next chapter. It’s a conversation about having a go, learning as you grow and creating places people love to stay. With his enthusiasm and...

In Room 74, Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Craig Coughlan, a housekeeping company innovator, Blue Mountains Hotel School graduate, family man and great friend. Craig joins us for a conversation about building a business in one of hospitality’s most essential fields and the people who make it all happen. We explore bringing fresh thinking to housekeeping, building teams who take pride in thei...

Australian grown coffee takes centre stage in Room 73 as Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome coffee entrepreneur Shreya Gupta. We explore the story behind growing coffee on home soil and building a business that connects Australian agriculture with our love of a great cup. From the grower to the guest, the conversation looks at the people, passion and work behind Australian grown coffee, and the...

What does it mean to build a great business and a life that matters? Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Michael Flynn to Room 72 for a conversation that goes beyond hotel marketing to explore ambition, surviving cancer and the impact we leave on others. Drawing on his experience with Accor and Hilton, Michael joins us to discuss building a business with purpose, backing himself and creating some...

WE"RE BACK!! Our third year at NoVacancy, and this time we are here with Accor and Industry Legend Adrian Williams What has shaped Australia’s hotel industry? Where are we today, and what comes next? Recorded live at NoVacancy 2026, Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin welcome Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer with Accor, to A Room With A View for a conversation about the industry’s past, present a...

Room 70 | Greg Maguire – Powerhouse Hotels From humble beginnings to regional hotel icon, Greg Maguire has spent a lifetime quietly transforming what great hospitality looks like in country Australia. In this episode, Greg shares the story behind Powerhouse Hotels, the risks and resilience that shaped his journey, and the leadership lessons he’s picked up along the way. It’s a warm, generous chat...

In Room 69 of A Room With A View*, Grant and Scott take things back to where it all began. It’s a relaxed, straight-up chat about how life's journey—both here at home and abroad—and what’s on the horizon for the rest of the year. No script, no spin, just two mates reflecting on the road so far and the opportunities ahead. Grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy this open and honest conversation

In Room 68 of A Room With A View, we sit down with landscape architect and creative mind Daniel Baffsky — a man whose story is as much about family as it is about design. Daniel opens up about the values he learned from his father, the energy that family life brings to his work, and the evolving passion that’s shaped his career. It’s a thoughtful and honest conversation about legacy, purpose, and...

Welcome back to A Room With A View, the final episode for what has been a fantastic year together. Today we’ve got a very special guest in the Room With A View studio: Michael Johnson. Hall of Famer, proud dad, hotel professional and an absolute legend of our industry, Michael has been recognised in both the HM Awards and AHA Hall of Fame – and for good reason. In this episode, we dive into anothe...

There are few names more recognisable – or more genuinely loved – in Australian television than Larry Emdur. From early mornings on The Morning Show to game shows and everything in between, Larry’s career has spanned decades, making him a constant presence in Australian living rooms. But what’s most interesting isn’t just what he’s done – it’s where he’s going next. In this episode, Larry joins us...

On this Room 65 of A Room With A View, we sit down with the brilliant Richard Crawford from Marriott Hotels. Richard’s journey from growing up in Tasmania and working in the family business, to building one of Australia’s finest boutique hotels, The Henry Jones, is nothing short of inspiring. He’s a true hotelier — passionate, creative, and deeply connected to place and people. We loved hearing hi...

Welcome to A Room With A View, the podcast where we dive into the stories behind the people shaping our industry. In this episode, we sit down with Paul Hutton from Hilton – a true hotelier at heart, and a family man who has dedicated his life to hospitality. Paul’s journey is as inspiring as it is fascinating. We talk about where it all began, from his early steps into hotels, to the extraordinar...

Welcome to A Room With A View, coming to you live from No Vacancy 2025. Today we’re diving into the world of European sun beds with Sophia from Dolce Capri — a young start-up that’s redefining the way we relax poolside. It’s a story of passion, design innovation, and creating comfort in a whole new way. We hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation, and if you do, don’t forget to like and subscrib...

Welcome back to A Room With A View, coming to you live from NoVacancy. In this episode, we’re joined by Kay Goodman, a passionate hotelier and leader who has just taken the bold step of starting her own company. Kay’s story is full of energy and inspiration, showing what it takes to turn experience into opportunity and vision into action. We dive into her journey, her perspective on the future of...

Welcome to Room with a View, coming to you live from No Vacancy 2025. We’ve got a bit of déjà vu today, because almost exactly one year ago we had these two legends on the podcast together. By complete coincidence, here we are again — one year later, same show, but with a whole lot that’s changed. We're joined by Ramzy De Silva and Declan Mimnagh, and what a year it has been for both of them. We’r...

Welcome to A Room With A View, live from Room With A View 2025. Our special guest is none other than Caper Schmidt, and we're thrilled to have you with us as we explore the ideas, people, and stories shaping the future of our industry. This podcast is about more than just conversation—it’s a chance to open the window a little wider, to challenge perspectives, and to share insights you won’t find a...

Welcome to another live edition of Room With A View, coming to you from the heart of NoVacancy 2025. Today we’re recording from the HR Stage, where conversations about people, culture, and the future of hospitality are at the forefront. A big thank you to Nicole Downs for inviting us onto the stage and for her warm introductions — it’s always a pleasure to be part of this community. Joining us tod...

Welcome back to A Room With A View, live from No Vacancy 2025. Today we’ve got a truly exciting conversation lined up with Ryan and Alyssa from Aetheron - Booking Boost. They’re at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation, and together we’ll explore how AI is being applied to the hotel industry in ways that are transforming guest experience, streamlining operations, and unlocking new va...

Welcome to A Room With A View Live from No Vacancy. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Michael Donnelly — a man who’s lived more lives than most of us could dream of. From fronting rock ’n’ roll bands to building stages for some of the biggest acts in the world, Michael now leads the charge in one of the hospitality industry’s most exciting niches: Japanese sleeping pods. It’s a wide-ranging conver...

Welcome to A Room With A View, coming to you live from No Vacancy, where we explore the stories shaping hospitality and beyond. Today, we’re joined by someone who has taken the spirit of hospitality far outside the walls of hotels and into communities, literally changing lives. Craig Rodgers is a former hotelier whose career journey has led him to extraordinary impact through his work with ReLove,...

Welcome to A Room With A View, coming to you live from NoVacancy 2025. We are thrilled to be surrounded by the people shaping the future of our industry. A special thank you to Gabriel Eytan for introducing us to the world of TEA on this episode – in this episode you will learn there is so much more to Tea than you know - it could quite literally change your life. And of course, thank you to all o...

Welcome to A Room With A View, coming to you live from No Vacancy 2025. Today, we’re diving into a conversation that goes beyond hotels and hospitality, exploring how business can be a platform for real change. Our guest is Vinita Baravkar, the founder of Bhumi, a pioneering brand transforming the way the world thinks about textiles, sustainability, and conscious living. From humble beginnings to...