998: Newport Beach: How a Luxury Destination Keeps Its Soul

This week, as I look back on podcasts that mattered to me over the last 10 years of No Vacancy and Rouse Media, I'm sharing some episodes that reflect where the industry — and all of us — actually were at the time. This one is difficult, but important. It's one of the first live shows we ever did, recorded just before COVID shut everything down. At that point, we were still learning what this virus was, how it spread, and what it might mean for travel and hotels. I went live on LinkedIn with Anthony Melchiorri and Dr. Primas, a New York–based physician with deep experience in travel health. Anthony had known Dr. Primas since 1991, going back to his days at The Plaza, and we brought him on because we needed expert insight — not speculation. Within 48 hours of this episode airing, I lost almost my entire business. That wasn't unique to me — far from it. We all experienced loss. That's part of why this episode stands out. It captures the exact moment before everything changed. I'm rerunning this not to relive it, but to document it. It's a snapshot of what the hotel industry was thinking, fearing, and trying to understand in real time. In this episode: 🦠: What we knew — and didn't know — about COVID at the time 🏨: Early concerns about travel, hotels, and guest safety 🧠: Medical context instead of rumor or panic 📉: The uncertainty facing the hospitality industry in that moment 📍: A live conversation recorded just before shutdowns began There's no sponsor on this episode. It stands on its own as a record of a moment none of us will forget.

Everyone talks about FIFA 2026 like it's a guaranteed win for hotels. The reality is more complicated. I connected with Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics to look at the actual hotel development, renovation, and conversion activity tied to FIFA host cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — and to answer a question hoteliers ask every time a mega-event comes to town: Should you really build for this? On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce breaks down where hotels are being added, where renovations matter more than new builds, and why most smart owners don't bet long-term strategy on short-term events. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What we cover: ⚽: Why FIFA doesn't drive hotel demand the way many people assume 🏨: Where full-service hotels make sense — and where they don't 🏗️: The difference between building for an event vs. building for a market 🔄: Why renovations and conversions dominate many host cities 🏟️: How stadium districts like Dallas, Miami, and Atlanta actually work 🎓: Why teams and staff often stay in dorms — not hotels 💰: How owners still capitalize on short bursts of extreme rate compression

I spoke with Allen Rolleri about his family's experience dealing with multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable form of cancer. The Rock Out Myeloma fundraiser takes place January 15, raising funds to support families facing the financial realities that come with long-term treatment. On #NoVacancyNews, Allen explains what the diagnosis meant in practical terms, how quickly his family had to learn about the disease, and why costs outside of medical bills often become part of the challenge. The conversation stays focused on awareness gaps, everyday expenses people don't anticipate, and how support often comes in specific, practical forms. Topics covered: 🎸: What Rock Out Myeloma funds and how it helps families 🧠: What a multiple myeloma diagnosis looks like day to day 💸: Financial pressure tied to long-term treatment 📉: Why this cancer receives limited attention and funding 🤝: How targeted support actually makes a difference More information is available at fightingagainstmyeloma.com.

Happy Holidays! In our 2025 sendoff show Glenn, Craig and Dr Producer Suzanne welcome Raj Chudasama and Sara Pinto of M1Intel. They seem nice enough so the crew thought it would be fun to get to know them over some happy hour cocktails and some laughs to kick off the holiday season Friday Night Audit style.

We got something cool for episode 1001! Props to Katie Cline at the Skift Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality podcast for this one. I joined an end-of-year roundtable with some of the most thoughtful voices in hashtag#hospitality media to reflect on what actually mattered in 2025 and what could reshape 2026. Huge thanks to everyone who brought real perspective (and disagreement) to the table: 🎙️: Katie Cline — Suite Success 🎙️: Josiah Mackenzie — Hospitality Daily 🎙️: Zach Busekrus — Behind the Stays 🎙️: David Millili & 🎙️Steve Carran — The Modern Hotelier On hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I focused on two things that kept showing up in every conversation this year — and won't go away in 2026: • the confusion and overconfidence around AI, and • the growing economic bifurcation between ultra-luxury and everyone else. I also shared why I think profitability pressure, critical thinking, and realistic expectations will define the next cycle — and why hospitality needs to stop parroting talking points and start asking harder questions. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What this roundtable covers: 🧠: Where hashtag#AI helps — and where the industry oversells it 💰: Why protecting profit mattered more than top-line growth in 2025 🏨: The growing gap between ultra-luxury and the rest of the market 🤝: Why loyalty programs face an identity crisis 🎤: Why conferences, panels, and media need real voices — not scripts 🔮: What each of us sees coming in 2026 (and what worries us) Question for you: Which 2025 trend do you think hoteliers misunderstood the most heading into 2026?

Well… this happened. This is episode 1,000 of No Vacancy is live. What started as me, a mic, and no real plan (OK, the original plan was to dominate the universe, but that proved too ambitious) turned into a platform that somehow became part of how this industry talks to itself. This episode purposely short. No guest. No agenda. Just a pause to acknowledge the milestone — and the timing. In 2026, hashtag#NoVacancyNews turns 10, which makes this episode feel a lot like a major milestone with everything lining up. On hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I touch on how the show started, how it shifted from audio to video, and why consistency matters more than getting it perfect. Why this episode exists: 🎙️: Because 1,000 episodes feels worth acknowledging and is great for shameless self-promotion 📺: Because moving to video changed everything - forcing me to get in better shape. 🤝: Because this only works with a real community behind it – like I mean it! 🏨: Because hospitality people show up, even when things get complicated. Like during Covid when most everyone became 'real' 😅: Because sticking with something this long is still shocking for a lazy lug like me If you've listened, watched, shared, disagreed, or stopped me in a hashtag#hotel conference hallway over the years — thank you. And if we haven't met yet, I can't wait to be of your acquaintance. Next stop: episode 1,001… and year 10. Thanks to my amazing team: Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED, David Mignano, CRME and Crystal O'Donnell Happy Holidays and we'll see you in a couple of weeks with some great new episodes!!!

Everyone keeps asking the same question: Is hotel development slowing down? The global numbers say something very different — and far more nuanced. I checked in with Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics for a worldwide pipeline update that cuts through assumptions and looks at what's really happening across regions, segments, and timelines. On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce explains why room counts remain historically high, why developers deliberately push openings into later years, and why renovations and conversions now matter as much as ground-up construction. This conversation focuses less on hype and more on how capital actually behaves when markets tighten. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What the data actually shows: 🌍: Global pipeline remains massive — but not evenly distributed 🏗️: Projects already under construction tell a different story than announcements 🇨🇳: China still dominates room count, but activity continues to normalize 🏨: Luxury holds firm while other segments feel pressure 🔄: Renovations and conversions reshape supply faster than new builds 📆: Developers delay openings by choice, not panic 🎢: Orlando and Dallas attract momentum for very different reasons

Luxury no longer means chandeliers and thread count. It means connection, memory, and how guests feel long after checkout. I caught up with Robert Reitknecht at INSPIRE Luxury, hosted by the International Luxury Hotel Association, live from Resorts World Las Vegas. (Important context: this was my 10th day in Vegas, so expectations were appropriately managed.) On #NoVacancyNews, Robert explains how luxury hotels move from performative service to genuine connection, why frontline teams shape the guest story more than any design element, and how leaders must "lean into the brand" without losing authenticity. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Key Takeaways: 🏨: Why luxury now centers on memory, not material things 👥: How frontline teams directly influence the guest's emotional takeaway 🎯: Why leaders must engage staff before guests arrive 🧠: How listening creates better service cues than scripting ✨: The shift from perfection to progress in luxury operations 📖: Why guests remember stories — not lamps, lobbies, or furniture

Some resorts talk about experiences — Westgate builds them at theme-park scale. I visited Westgate Vacation Villas with Jared Saft, Chief Business and Strategy Officer, to explore how this company evolved from 16 original units into a massive, guest-focused resort with 3,000 rooms, a full waterpark, a Chuck E. Cheese–powered arcade, an in-lobby movie theater, and a $120 million reinvestment underway. On #NoVacancyNews, Jared walks through how Westgate designs spaces for toddlers, teens, parents, and grandparents at the same time, how they turned nostalgia into a modern attraction, and how they're expanding into more than 40 new destinations in just seven months. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What you'll see on this tour: 🏨: How Westgate grew from 16 units to 14,000+ across the portfolio 🎬: Why they built a full movie theater right in the check-in lobby 🧒: How kid-first design keeps families engaged (and sane) on peak weekends 👾: Chuck E. Cheese partnerships, retro arcades, and Mystery Funhouse nostalgia 🍭: A candy shop with a waterslide literally running through it 🌊: Shipwreck Island — a full waterpark wrapping around the building 🌮: The strategy behind Los Amigos, Sid's American Kitchen, and Megabytes 🚀: How Westgate thinks about thoughtful, entrepreneurial expansion Question for you: What's the most impressive family-focused feature you've seen at a resort?

Newport Beach looks luxurious from the outside — but its secret sauce is heart, identity, and a fiercely intentional brand strategy. On #NoVacancyNews, I teamed up with my Friday Night Audit partner-in-crime Craig Sullivan to talk with Gary Sherwin, CEO of Visit Newport Beach, about how one of America's most aspirational coastal cities keeps its charm, avoids the "sea of sameness," and delivers the version of Southern California people dream about. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Here's what we cover: 🌴: How Newport Beach built a destination brand that hotels actually use 💼: Why 100% locally owned hotels strengthen the community's identity 🏖️: How Newport avoids the "two people holding hands on a beach" cliché trap 💡: Why luxury now means accessible, customized, and never stuffy 🎯: How the city stays true to its brand promise across every neighborhood 🎨: Why in-house creative helps the DMO avoid homogenized marketing 🎄: How "50 Days of Festive Fun" became a massive holiday driver 🍽️: The rise of high-end dining, RH's splashy opening, and what's coming next 🏆: Why taking creative risks beats playing it safe — every time Question for you: What U.S. destination delivers the experience you imagined before you arrived?