Are Hotels Automating Away the Guest Experience?

The Second City gave us John Belushi, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and generations of comedy legends. This week, two of their own joined #FridayNightAudit, giving Craig Sullivan, Suzanne Bagnera, and me a chance to find out whether professional comedy training could salvage any of our careers. The prognosis wasn't particularly encouraging. What an honor to welcome James Colquhoun, Co-President of The Second City, and Nick Castellanos, Senior Client Partner at The Second City, live from Chicago! We talked about how The Second City uses improv to sharpen communication skills, why hotel employees improvise practically every day, and what happens when people actually listen to each other. Craig had plenty of questions, Suzanne had even more opinions, and I learned that The Second City's approach involves lowering the stakes. Around here, we prefer lowering the standards.  PLUS, after six months, 32 contenders, and an astonishing amount of complaining, we FINALLY crowned the champion of our Hotel Pet Peeves Tournament! Outlet Desert faced Always Hidden Lamp Switches in a ridiculously close contest, and even our guests couldn't agree on which hotel annoyance deserved eternal infamy. Join us for some laughs, cocktails, and the dramatic conclusion of a tournament that lasted longer than some hotel renovations. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Sometimes the smartest #HotelSales strategy starts with driving through a competitor's parking lot and checking out the trucks! Those company names might reveal your next extended-stay customer, and no fancy algorithm replaces that kind of local intelligence. At last month's My Place Hotels of America conference, I spoke with Jeff Wermager, VP of Sales and Revenue, about combining sophisticated #RevenueManagement technology with some good old-fashioned detective work. My Place's Market Force program already has 75% of its hotels participating, and Jeff sees opportunities well beyond pricing rooms. He's focused on finding the right guests at the right rates for the right length of stay. Watch how My Place combines technology and local sales intelligence to strengthen #ExtendedStay profitability and why Jeff wants GMs out from behind their computers. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

AMResorts co-founder Javier Coll lasted just two months in retirement before jumping back into #Hospitality. Now he's bringing a new level of luxury to #AllInclusive resorts with a JW Marriott in Costa Rica. His philosophy? Guests shouldn't spend their vacations constantly reaching for their wallets. I couldn't agree more! On a recent episode of No Vacancy, Suzanne Bagnera and I spoke with Javier, President of Mullen Hospitality Management, about the economics of upscale all-inclusive resorts and his Griffin Club concept. He's creating a VIP experience within an already luxurious resort, giving owners another opportunity to command premium rates. But how much more are guests willing to pay, and what convinces them it's worth the price? Javier offers an interesting perspective on #HotelDevelopment and how owners can capture more revenue from luxury experiences. Thanks so much to Actabl for supporting this podcast. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Hotel owners looking for clarity in the transaction market might be waiting a very long time. But waiting for perfect conditions isn't much of a growth strategy either. During The Lodging Conference, which recently wrapped up in Phoenix, I caught up with Kirk Pedersen, COO, and Paul Sacco, Chief Growth & Development Officer at PM Hotel Group. Two years after PM Hotel Group joined forces with Sightline Hospitality, they're pursuing growth opportunities in luxury, lifestyle and outdoor hospitality despite the uncertainty in the #HotelInvestment market. At Reset, an outdoor hospitality property in Joshua Tree, Kirk saw firsthand how much a major hotel brand influences consumer demand. The property initially faced the challenge of attracting guests as an independent hotel, but demand increased dramatically after Reset joined Marriott's Outdoor Collection. For #HotelOwners, it's a powerful demonstration of how the right brand partnership changes a property's competitive position. Hear Kirk's perspective on that experience and where he and Paul see opportunities in #HotelDevelopment despite the uncertain transaction market. Thanks so much to Unifocus for supporting this podcast. Unifocus: Workforce Management Redefined. Visit unifocus.com. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

During The Lodging Conference I caught up with Sara Masterson, President, and John Schultzel, Chief Growth Officer at Olympia Hospitality, about an interesting contradiction in the #HotelIndustry. Were automating more of the guest experience while travelers increasingly crave technology breaks.   John shared how guests at an Olympia hotel in Chicago love playing vinyl records in their rooms, and Sara questions whether every new #HotelTechnology investment actually improves the guest experience. Plus, why personal recommendations beat online reviews and why Sara favors automating repetitive tasks while keeping hotel employees focused on guests. Thanks so much to Unifocus for supporting this podcast. Unifocus: Workforce Management Redefined. Visit unifocus.com. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

During The Lodging Conference, I caught up with Ryan Bodine, SVP at NewGen Advisory, who sees plenty of buyers and plenty of hotels for sale. So why is it still so difficult for buyers and sellers to agree on a price? Ryan believes today's #HotelInvestment economics demand a different approach, especially as higher borrowing costs force investors to reconsider valuations and returns. Cheap financing made hotel deals easier to justify a few years ago, but many buyers still judge opportunities by expectations that no longer reflect today's #HotelTransactions market. Ryan and I also get into the psychological adjustment investors face as they navigate this new reality. Hear why he believes a reset in thinking could help hotel owners and investors recognize opportunities they might otherwise overlook. Thanks so much to Unifocus for supporting this podcast. Unifocus: Workforce Management Redefined. Visit unifocus.com. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

The latest Hotel Business Hot Topics session, "Planning Through Uncertainty: A Resilience Playbook for Hotel Leaders," presented in partnership with Entegra, featured a panel of industry executives, along with moderator Glenn Haussman, founder/host, No Vacancy Live podcast, who explored how hotel leaders can build resilience amid ongoing uncertainty by focusing on operational fundamentals, empowering property-level teams and using technology strategically. Panelists also discussed how AI can streamline administrative tasks and support decision-making without replacing human expertise.

Michael Goldstein has a cocktail for every time of day and a succession plan that apparently depends on how much hes had to drink. Naturally, we invited him onto Friday Night Audit! Michael and David Caron, MBA, CHA of Avalon Hospitality Group join Glenn, Craig Sullivan, and Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED for a few drinks and plenty of laughs. We get into absurd hotel brand requirements, the latest from The Lodging Conference, and Michaels tradition of holding staff meetings on his boat. David also weighs in on when he might inherit the keys to the company. Plus, its the championship round of our Hotel Pet Peeves Tournament! Outlet Desert takes on Always Hidden Lamp Switches as we prepare to crown hospitalitys most infuriating annoyance.Pour yourself something good and join us. Cheers!

During The Lodging Conference, Mark Sergot, Chief Development Officer, Americas, at IHG Hotels & Resorts, and I talk about a shift reshaping hotel development: owners at the end of a franchise agreement care far more about performance than the deal they signed years ago. Mark hears the same message again and again from owners: key money, fees and term length still count, but stronger results drive the next decision. That helps explain why IHG says Garner now ranks as the fastest-scaling brand in company history. Mark also shares how IHG uses brands like Hotel Indigo and Ruby to give owners more options across #HotelDevelopment and conversions. Hear how Mark thinks about #HotelPerformance, what owners tell him directly and why those conversations shape IHG's growth strategy across #Hospitality. Thanks so much to Actabl for supporting this podcast. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Hotel development costs keep climbing, and smaller markets present an even tougher challenge. But My Place Hotels fits 63 extended-stay rooms on just 1.25 acres, creating opportunities where larger hotel projects struggle to pencil out. Last month, when I attended the My Place Hotels of America conference, I caught up with COO Matt Campbell about the company's growth strategy and its decision to bring back Trend Hotels by My Place, a flexible brand that gives owners another option in the #HotelConversion market. My Place is expanding its footprint across the country, and Matt shared that the company's loyalty program grew 75% since its last conference. But I'm especially interested in how its efficient #ExtendedStay operating model and smaller development footprint open opportunities in markets that other brands often overlook. Hear why Matt sees so much potential for owners and how My Place is approaching its next phase of #HotelDevelopment. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.