Hospitality Reframed

A hotel refurbishment is a major investment. But how do you make sure it delivers more than a beautiful space?Recorded live at the Independent Hotel Show in London, this Hospitality Reframed panel brings together hotel operations,interior design and brand expertise to examine what makes a refurbishment commercially successful - and what can go wrong when the right conversations happen too late.Scot Turner, Founder & Managing Director of Auden Hospitality, is joined by Shaun Bowles, General Manager of the Francis Hotel Bath and Castle Hotel Windsor; Jan Janecek from Office for Contemporary Design; and Miroslava McDermott, Director of Brand & Marketing at Foxhills Club & Resort.Together they explore why a clear brief matters, why operators and brand teams need a seat at the table from day one, how to balance budget with guest experience, and how a restaurant can become a destination in its own right.The discussion includes real examples from the Castle Hotel Windsor, the Francis Hotel Bath and Foxhills' Manor Housetransformation, including the launch of Lomri. Hear how Foxhills approached its restaurant identity, website and guest journey — and the early changes it reported in attracting local diners and members.From breakfast buffets and flexible spaces to construction disruption, team training and the value of involving contractors early, this is a practical conversation for hotel owners, generalmanagers, designers and anyone planning a hotel or restaurant refurbishment.Explore Auden Hospitality's hotel F&B strategy and concept development work: https://www.audenhospitality.com/Subscribe for more Hospitality Reframed conversations on hotel food and beverage strategy, restaurant concepts andcommercial performance.01:59 – Why refurbishment success startswith the right project team03:33 – Define the investment goals beforedesigning anything04:46 – Why hotel operators must beinvolved from day one06:38 – Brand is not marketing: getting theconcept right early08:38 – How a clear brief keeps designersand operators aligned10:40 – Building long-term value, notchasing quick wins13:43 – Where to spend and save on hoteldesign16:45 – Designing spaces around how guestsactually behave18:22 – How Foxhills and Auden challengedthe traditional Manor House restaurant20:30 – Making breakfast buffets andmulti-use spaces work23:06 – Why breakfast affects the wholehotel experience25:02 – Healthy conflict: protecting theconcept during design28:23 – Managing hotel refurbishments whileguests are staying30:00 – How Lomri became a restaurantdestination beyond Foxhills33:15 – Removing booking barriers andattracting local diners33:53 – Foxhills shares its earlyrestaurant audience results35:30 – Why early collaboration made theconcept work37:49 – The role of team culture indelivering the vision41:00 – How Auden's training helped theFoxhills team bring Lomri to life44:03 – Audience Q&A: shouldcontractors join projects earlier?48:08 – Why the right people at the righttime save money

Most hotel restaurants fail for one simple reason.They try to please everyone.In this episode of Hospitality Reframed, Scot Turner sits down with Mark Hayton to discuss the transformation of The Manor House at Foxhills, one of the UK's most respected country club destinations.Together they unpack the thinking behind creating Lomri, why Foxhills chose to move away from a traditional hotel restaurant, and how a bold concept has helped attract members back into the Manor House, increase repeat visits and bring new local diners through the gates.More importantly, they discuss how successful hospitality projects are actually created.From creating the right concept and involving operational teams early, to challenging assumptions, stress-testing ideas and building authenticity into every decision, this conversation offers practical lessons for hotel owners, operators and developers looking to create restaurants that genuinely perform.If you're interested in hotel F&B strategy, restaurant concepts, hospitality design, destination dining, hotel food and beverage, or creating experiences guests actually remember, this episode is packed with insight.Chapters00:00 – Welcome to Foxhills and the story behind the club02:40 – Why Foxhills never stops investing in the guest experience04:15 – Why food & beverage is the glue that holds a club together07:40 – The problem with the original Manor House restaurant09:40 – Why the brief wasn't "refurbish the restaurant" but reinvent the Manor House11:40 – Why Foxhills chose to be bold instead of playing safe13:10 – Creating a collection of restaurants, not one restaurant15:30 – Making multiple concepts work inside one building18:20 – Why authenticity mattered more than curation20:40 – How stories transformed the guest experience22:10 – The moment Foxhills committed fully to the concept25:05 – The results after just three months: members returning and repeat visits27:20 – How one restaurant started driving weddings, conferences and golf breaks30:25 – Why the right consultant changes the outcome of a project33:20 – The "premortem" exercise every hospitality project should use35:05 – "Being bolder is more fun" — the biggest lesson from the project36:45 – Why genuine hospitality always beats gimmicks39:30 – Final reflections on creating places people genuinely enjoyTo learn more about Foxhills, visit their website https://www.foxhills.co.uk/To visit Lomri https://www.lomri.co.uk/And if you are thinking about a new food & beverage development and would like to know more about Auden Hospitality, visit our website https://www.audenhospitality.com/

Technology is no longer sitting behind hospitality.It’s shaping the space itself.Recorded live at the Hospitality Tech Expo 2026 at ExCeL London, this special episode of Hospitality Reframed in collaboration with the  @hoteliersvoice  podcast explores how technology, staffing pressures and digital behaviour are fundamentally changing how hospitality spaces are designed and operated.Hosted by Ryan Haynes and Scot Turner, the panel brings together:Alessandra Leoni, Head of Hospitality - Focus on HospitalityPaul Wells, Partner & Architect - Studio MorenPrem Jethwa-Odedra, CEO - Biteluxe…to unpack how smart technology, digital infrastructure and operational realities are reshaping hotel design, F&B spaces and guest experience.From ePOS systems and AI to connectivity, PMS integration, flexible public spaces and revenue-driven design, this conversation explores what modern hospitality spaces actually need to deliver today — commercially, operationally and emotionally.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome to Hospitality Tech Expo 202601:12 – Why hospitality spaces are being redesigned03:04 – The relationship between technology and guest experience05:18 – Designing spaces for both guests and teams07:44 – The operational pressures reshaping hotel layouts10:10 – Infrastructure first: cabling, connectivity and flexibility13:02 – The biggest mistakes made during hospitality design projects15:48 – Why WiFi and digital infrastructure are now critical utilities18:25 – PMS, handheld devices and operational flow21:14 – How F&B technology changes space utilisation24:33 – Reservations, ePOS and inventory systems in modern hospitality27:11 – Technology that improves service vs technology that frustrates it30:06 – Why collaboration between departments matters more than ever33:28 – AI, guest communications and digital engagement36:17 – How hotels are driving additional revenue through tech39:02 – Designing multi-use spaces guests genuinely want to stay in42:20 – Final reflections from the panel

What does great hospitality design actually do?In this special live episode of Hospitality Reframed, recorded at the HRC 2026 Vision Stage at ExCeL London, Scot Turner hosts a panel of operators, designers and sustainability experts to explore one big question:Does design drive revenue — or should we really be talking about profitability?Joined by:Alex Chapman, CEO - DECONDavid Chenery, Director - ReassembleGanan Kanagathurai, CEO - Roti King…the conversation dives into the real role of design in hospitality today — from guest behaviour and dwell time to operational flow, sustainability, emotional connection and commercial return.The panel explores why beautiful spaces alone are not enough, how operators often brief design incorrectly, where value engineering goes wrong, and why sustainability must be considered through the lens of durability, ROI and long-term performance.This is a practical, honest conversation about what hospitality spaces need to deliver today — commercially, emotionally and operationally.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction01:12 – Does design drive revenue… or profitability?03:45 – Why revenue can be the wrong metric for design06:10 – When design helps sales but hurts operations08:30 – What is the real job of hospitality design today?11:05 – Emotional vs operational design decisions13:18 – Why operators often brief design incorrectly16:40 – What a good hospitality design brief looks like22:15 – Where operators should spend vs save25:04 – Why value engineering gets a bad reputation28:11 – What should never be value engineered out31:22 – Sustainability beyond materials and greenwashing34:10 – Durability, ROI and designing for the long term37:08 – Designing spaces people want to stay in40:25 – Behavioural science, dwell time and craveability43:12 – Final takeaway from each panellist

This is the first episode of Hospitality Reframed — and it starts with one of the most misunderstood topics in business: sustainability.In this conversation, Scot Turner sits down with David Chenery to strip sustainability back to its fundamentals. Not as a marketing message, but as a system of choices, constraints and long-term thinking.They explore why sustainability is less about saving the planet and more about building healthier systems, why cost and competition create real tension, and how culture, design and storytelling shape whether sustainability actually works in practice.From circular economy design to guest experience, procurement challenges to scaling across hotel groups, this episode reframes sustainability as something far more human, operational and commercially relevant.Chapters:00:00 – What sustainability actually means in business02:45 – Cost vs sustainability: the real tension04:40 – Culture as the driver of sustainable behaviour08:33 – Why carbon isn’t the full story10:03 – Designing for emotion, not just metrics11:13 – Circular economy and storytelling in spaces13:07 – Why “soul” matters more than aesthetics14:55 – Non-places vs meaningful spaces17:20 – Sustainability as an extension of hospitality18:41 – Systems thinking and ecosystems in business21:34 – Designing spaces that age and evolve27:17 – Balancing real impact with visible actions31:33 – The Restorative Design Framework explained36:34 – Why circular economy works in practice44:17 – Hotels vs independent agility48:46 – Does sustainability cost more?52:48 – Real examples: reuse, cost savings, and impact57:00 – The future: abundance, resilience and systems59:05 – Final reflections on hospitality and human connection

Hotels keep softening their concepts — and it’s killing their identity.In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey dive into why bold F&B wins, why micro-niche strategy is the future, and why trying to please everyone leaves hotels with concepts that excite no one.Chapters:00:00 – The frustration: hotels keep softening concepts01:15 – Bold F&B explained: clarity over gimmicks03:02 – Why independents win (and hotels copy badly)05:20 – Micro-niche strategy: stop trying to be everything08:00 – Standing for something vs pleasing everyone09:40 – Local-first positioning: not a buzzword12:15 – Why “safe” menus are a risk14:00 – Hotels need confidence, not committees16:50 – What success looks like: purpose-built concepts18:25 – Final reflections

Hotel strategy starts with data — but it can’t end there.In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey discuss their recent trip to Dresden, Germany, and what it taught them about market research, data validation, and walking with purpose. They explore how real insights onlycome when you get out of spreadsheets and into the streets — talking to people, observing day parts, and seeing how locals and tourists actually behave.Expect insights on:- Why strategy needs both data and context- How walking the city can validate or disprove the numbers- Dresden’s F&B landscape: local vs tourist trade- How to spot gaps in hotel positioning through observation- Why teams must “walk with purpose” to see opportunity clearlyChapters:00:00 – Welcome to Hospitality Huddles at Vobos Studios01:27 – How strategy and market research link together02:00 – Why going on-site matters more than data alone03:32 – Validating data in Dresden and finding real context05:14 – First impressions vs. reality: what surprised us most07:19 – Understanding the hotel and its F&B operations08:55 – Walking the streets: outlet density and patterns09:56 – What counts as “fine dining” in Dresden11:18 – The difference between tourist and local areas13:30 – Identifying opportunity in local neighbourhoods14:35 – Exploring local operators and residential districts15:48 – Why many hotels believe their own narrative16:42 – Data without context: the danger of assumption17:47 – Walking with purpose and learning to look up18:28 – Closing reflections: take the time to see it for yourself

Toolkits aren’t paperwork. They’re performance.In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey break down one of the most requested, yet most misunderstood, parts of hospitality operations: toolkits, SOPs, operational manuals, and digitised frameworks.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome from Vorboss Studios in East London00:56 – “Toolkits vs SOPs”: why language matters02:01 – Why operators struggle to build toolkits02:36 – Toolkit structure: imagery, brand sheets, videos03:25 – Development: analysing, visiting, filming, documenting04:48 – Capturing day parts and service elements05:25 – Sequence of service, rituals and tone of voice06:31 – Making toolkits accessible: videos, planograms, formats07:03 – Delivering toolkits digitally and physically07:56 – Why PDFs become worthless after 3 months08:23 – Amend: updating and correcting existing documentation09:06 – Standardisation across multi-site or multi-country ops10:14 – “Company standards vs brand specifics” explained11:23 – Takeaway example: universal standards vs brand execution12:12 – Why objectivity matters when amending SOPs12:45 – Writing for operators, not HR13:20 – Recommendations: workflow, equipment, digitisation14:16 – Digitisation tools: scanning, barcoding, mobile-first ops14:50 – Market research and operational insight15:21 – Scoops, portion bottles and consistency tools15:51 – Documentation + value-added recommendations16:30 – Identifying roadblocks and workflow friction17:17 – Equipment, people, digital: the three ops pillars18:22 – Why toolkits matter for scaling hotel groups18:53 – The McDonald’s systems lesson19:10 – Final reflections

Luxury is undergoing a profound transformation — and the old rules no longer apply.In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner is joined by Professor Zi Wang, luxury branding academic, consultant, writer and coach, to explore how a new generation of consumers is reshaping the meaning of luxury.Zi reveals why today’s luxury is defined less by status and more by quietconfidence, emotional value, identity expression and cultural consciousness. They discuss Gen Z’s rejection of traditional luxury cues, the importance of authenticity, and why emotional intelligence is now one of the most essential skills in hospitality and brand-building.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction to Professor Zi Wang01:05 – Zi’s journey: academia, luxury branding and coaching03:10 – How luxury has evolved beyond status05:45 – The rise of emotional value in luxury08:20 – Gen Z and the rejection of traditional luxury codes11:02 – Symbolism, social media and identity construction13:40 – Post-pandemic shifts: meaning, intention and consciousness16:12 – Why “personalisation” is misunderstood in hospitality18:55 – Emotional intelligence as a luxury differentiator21:10 – Why luxury brands lose relevance23:44 – “Quiet confidence” as the new luxury aesthetic26:11 – Time, space and attention as elite commodities28:55 – Sustainability and conscious consumption31:40 – Zi’s work as a consultant, writer and coach33:20 – Final reflectionsTo learn more about Professor Zi, find her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zi-wang-59a90b248/ This podcast is brought to you by Auden Hospitality, creating hotel F&B that rewrites the rules. Learn more by visiting our website www.audenhospitality.com

From Blackpool to Istanbul, via Kenya, Australia, Hong Kong, Vegas, Budapest, Kuwait and Dresden — this episode of Hospitality Huddles is our full 2025 Wrapped.Recorded in early December, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey reflect on a year of global travel, concept development, hotel openings, operational toolkits, market research and big learnings. It’s a relaxed, honest recap of where the year took us, what stood out, and why 2026 will be the year the hard work of 2025 really comes to life.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome & setting the scene01:10 – January: Blackpool market research02:48 – Kenya and Nairobi market insights03:40 – Toolkits, SOPs and early-year groundwork04:04 – Asia trip: Bali, Australia and Hong Kong04:18 – Windsor and the Castle Hotel concept04:41 – Vegas and Bar & Restaurant Expo06:27 – Spring concepts and Foxhills development07:58 – Budapest: To The Table08:50 – Noreen opening and summer momentum09:59 – Mayfair flagship hotel concept11:27 – Kuwait reconnaissance and toolkit deep-dive15:23 – Dresden market research and strategy15:56 – Kensington Hideaway opening prep16:18 – Istanbul Hilton opening17:39 – Reflections on 2025 and looking aheadTo learn more about our work at Auden Hospitality, visit our website www.audenhospitality.com