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No Vacancy Live!

No Vacancy Live

No Vacancy is home to the hospitality industry's top podcasts. We speak to the CEOs, influencers and leaders to go behind the scenes of the hotel and travel business.

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Today · 7 min
The Hidden Inefficiencies Costing Hotels Money
During The Lodging Conference, Shozib Khan, SVP of Strategic Asset Performance at Spire Hospitality, and I tackled a frustrating reality of #HotelTechnology: Hotels collect mountains of data, yet employees still waste time hunting for basic information. Think about a room attendant knocking on five doors just to find an empty room. Multiply those wasted minutes across an entire hotel portfolio, and the opportunity for #AI becomes obvious. But Shozib challenges the industry's focus on cutting labor hours. He sees a bigger opportunity in giving employees their time back, improving productivity and boosting profitability. His approach to #HotelOperations offers a different perspective on where technology delivers the greatest value. Hear why Shozib believes hoteliers are overlooking some of their biggest opportunities to improve performance. 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.
Saturday · 8 min
How Raines Finds More Profit Inside Existing Hotels
During The Lodging Conference, Kerry Ranson, President Operations/Partner of Raines, and I talk about why more hotel owners now question whether their management company still fits the asset. Debt costs rise, expenses squeeze margins and topline growth doesn't guarantee stronger profit. Raines owns hotels, so Kerry looks at third-party management through the same lens as the owner. He explains where fresh eyes uncover missed revenue, why asset value deserves more attention than a month-end statement and how Raines finds additional income inside hotels without chasing growth for growth's sake. If you own, operate or manage hotels, his take on #HotelOperations, #HotelRevenue and management performance gives you plenty to think about. 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.
Friday · 4 min
Why Hoteliers Have More Pricing Power Right Now
During The Lodging Conference, Joseph Bojanowski, President of PM Hotel Group told me his Q4 booking pace is up double digits across group, transient, meetings and events, with Q1 tracking the same way. That's quite the different story than the broader economic mood. Low supply gives hoteliers pricing power, and Joseph thinks they need the confidence to use it. We also get into the value-minded traveler and how AI helps hotel teams spend more time with guests, create a more personal experience and support stronger pricing without losing the human side of #Hospitality. Watch this one to hear why Joseph feels so bullish on #HotelPerformance and where he thinks hoteliers still have room to push #HotelRevenue. 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.
Thursday · 7 min
How Higher Interest Rates Are Reshaping Hotel Investment
I'm at The Lodging Conference with Greg Friedman, CEO of Peachtree Group, talking about what happens when the cost of money moves faster than the economics of a hotel deal. Greg walks through a hypothetical $25 million loan where annual interest expense jumps from about $1 million to $2 million. Add higher operating costs and the margin for error gets very thin. Owners must drive more revenue, protect NOI and take a much harder look at what an asset is really worth. We also get into the odd split in today's market: developers face tougher economics while existing owners benefit from less new supply. Higher rates keep changing #HotelInvestment decisions, but Greg still sees opportunity for people who understand the fundamentals and know where to look. Watch this one for a sharper read on hotel values, development and ownership strategy across #Hospitality. Thanks 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.
October 6 · 4 min
What Higher Interest Rates Mean for Hotel Deals
Ryan Bosch of Arriba Capital joined me at The Lodging Conference to talk through one of the toughest parts of the hotel investment market right now: the numbers keep moving faster than the deals. Treasury yields jumped more than 100 basis points, refinancing got more expensive and buyers started reworking assumptions almost overnight. Ryan explains why that could slow acquisitions, push some owners toward a sale and put more pressure on hotel values as the market adjusts. At the same time, there's still plenty of debt capital looking for a home, which creates a very different dynamic than you'd expect in a higher-rate environment. That tension between expensive money and available capital is where the #HotelInvestment story gets interesting. 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.
October 5 · 5 min
How Hotel Leaders Build Relationships at The Lodging Conference
I'm at The Lodging Conference with Wayne West III, President of Newport Hospitality Group, and we get into something most people never really think about: how much value you can create from the conversations between the sessions. Wayne comes to events like this with a plan. He knows who he wants to see, what he wants to ask and where those conversations can sharpen the way he thinks about brands, competitors and the business overall. We also get into why he stays focused on adapting instead of waiting for the noise to clear, and what he's seeing across #HotelOperations as travel demand keeps holding up.Watch this one for a sharper look at how experienced #Hospitality leaders use industry relationships to make better decisions. 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.
October 3 · 5 min
Red Roof's Growth Strategy as Economy Hotels Gain Ground
Consumers don't shop for "economy hotels." They shop for a price point, a product they like and an experience that works for them. That's a big reason I think Red Roof has an interesting opportunity right now. At its conference in Fort Lauderdale, the company laid out plans to grow Red Roof Plus+, the traditional Red Roof brand and HomeTowne Studios, while also strengthening RediRewards and putting more focus on lighting, personalization and the guest experience. My takeaway: as hotel rates keep climbing, #EconomyHotels have a chance to compete for travelers who care less about our industry labels and more about what they're actually getting for the money. Here's my quick wrap-up from the conference and where I think Red Roof fits into the #Hospitality conversation. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
October 1 · 13 min
Hotel Marinas Turn Boat Traffic Into Revenue
A marina gives hotel owners another customer base without adding a single guestroom. Jeremy Parks, President of Trident Marine Group, joins me on No Vacancy to explain how boaters drive spending across restaurants, bars, pools, spas and other resort amenities. His point is simple: every marina slip creates another revenue-generating opportunity from people already arriving at the property. For #HotelOwners, that means looking beyond room count and thinking about how every asset on the property contributes to #HotelRevenue and the overall #GuestExperience. Watch this one to see how waterfront hotels turn marina traffic into more business across the entire property. 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.
September 30 · 14 min
Hotel Staffing: The Talent Pool Hotels Keep Overlooking
Hotels keep saying they can't find people. PRIDE Industries is showing them where to look. Darleyn Pazdel, SVP of Workforce Inclusion at PRIDE Industries, joins me on No Vacancy to talk about a workforce hotels still overlook: people with disabilities. PRIDE already puts this into practice across hospitality, including 56 employees with disabilities at Thunder Valley Casino Resort processing more than 3 million pounds of laundry a year. This isn't charity. It's #WorkforceInclusion tied directly to one of hospitality's biggest challenges: finding and keeping great people. Watch this one to see how you can widen your labor pool and strengthen your #HotelWorkforce. 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.
September 29 · 18 min
Inside HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof: Why This Extended Stay Model Works
There's a big difference between hearing about a hotel brand and actually getting inside one with the people building and operating it. I toured a brand-new HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof in Bradenton, Florida with Hiten Patel of Dhruv Management, which operates the hotel, and Matt Hostetler, Chief Development Officer for Red Roof. HomeTowne Studios is an extended-stay brand, and this tour gives us a closer look at what makes that model work. We get into the operating efficiencies, the lower-cost structure compared with a more traditional hotel operation, and the design decisions helping owners run the property with fewer moving parts. We also look at how the prototype comes together from both sides: the operator actually running the hotel and the brand team focused on development and growth. Watch the full tour and see how HomeTowne Studios approaches extended stay from the ground up.
September 28 · 6 min
Hotel Marketing With AI: How My Place Hotels Competes With Bigger Brands
Last week at the My Place Hotels of America conference, I talked with Jeff Thomas, VP of Marketing, about how a smaller hotel company competes against brands with much bigger marketing budgets. Jeff says My Place started experimenting with AI back in 2022, using it to create visual content at scale, personalize marketing and improve how travelers find its hotels through ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and other AI tools. His team tests aggressively, learns quickly and tracks revenue coming through AI-driven discovery. We also get into #HotelMarketing, AI search and why Jeff keeps his team focused on a clear strategy instead of chasing every new platform that pops up. Watch this one to hear how My Place uses #AI to compete more effectively across #Hospitality. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
September 27 · 2 min
Why Hotel Conversions Are Driving My Place Growth
Glenn Haussman talks with Brian Quinn, Chief Development Officer at My Place Hotels, from the My Place Hotels of America conference about one of the biggest forces shaping hotel development right now: conversions. Brian explains why owners keep bringing conversion opportunities to My Place, how the company is expanding its development options, and how it protects the core My Place prototype while opening the door to more markets. They also get into guest demand, construction headwinds and why conversions are creating a bigger opportunity across extended stay. Watch to hear how My Place is approaching conversions, development growth and new opportunities for hotel owners. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
September 26 · 5 min
My Place Hotels: Growth, Leadership and the Next Generation
Glenn Haussman talks with Sarah Dinger, EVP of Franchise Relations at My Place Hotels, from the My Place Hotels of America conference about Trend, the company's new conversion offering. Sarah explains how Trend gives owners more flexibility to adapt a property to its market while My Place keeps its original brand focused on a consistent prototype. They also talk about how Sarah supports operators, her work growing the AHLA Forward network from 200 to more than 1,000 people, and why she puts so much energy into mentorship and bringing younger people into hospitality Watch to hear how Trend expands My Place's hotel development options, where conversions fit into the company's strategy and how Sarah sees the brand growing from here. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
September 24 · 3 min
Inside My Place Hotels' Extended Stay Growth Strategy
Glenn Haussman talks with Ryan Rivett, President and CEO of My Place Hotels, at the My Place Hotels of America conference in Fort Lauderdale about how the company approaches growth in extended stay. My Place owns, operates, develops and franchises hotels, and Ryan explains how that experience shapes development decisions, franchise support and the way the company evaluates opportunities in both small communities and major metros. They also talk about the brand's growth, vertical integration and how My Place connects ownership, operations, development and franchising into one strategy. Watch to hear how My Place is thinking about #ExtendedStay growth, #HotelDevelopment and franchise expansion across Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
September 24 · 34 min
Why Hospitality Leaders Must Stay Uncomfortable
The minute you get too comfortable, somebody else passes you. Gary Hernbroth, author of Twist the Familiar, joins me on No Vacancy to talk about questioning how we work, how we lead and how we build relationships. His point is simple: confidence moves you forward, but comfort turns into complacency fast. That applies to careers, #HotelLeadership, sales and pretty much every part of #Hospitality. We also get into failure and why people who fall down, learn and adjust often bring more value than people pretending they never screw up. Watch this one to challenge a few habits, rethink how you approach people and keep yourself from getting too comfortable. Gary's book, Twist the Familiar, is here: Twist the Familiar on Amazon 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.
September 22 · 13 min
The Group Business Edge Hotels Keep Missing
One in three room nights globally comes from meetings and groups, with 60% of that demand coming from small and medium meetings. Lukasz Dabrowski, SVP of Global Supplier Relations at HRS, joins me on No Vacancy to explain where that group business is hiding and how hotels are getting better at finding it. Companies are combining transient travel, meetings, groups and extended stays to better understand their total buying power, while better data is helping hotels spot demand faster and respond before the opportunity disappears. Watch this one to see how you can uncover more group demand, respond faster and turn more of that business into #HotelRevenue. 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.
September 21 · 14 min
Is AI Getting Your Hotel Wrong?
AI is starting to decide which hotels travelers see — and what it says about your property may not even be right. Michael Bennett, CEO of Cendyn, and Nicki Graham, CMO, join me on No Vacancy to talk about what happens when travelers start asking ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI tools where they should stay — and the information those tools return doesn't match what the hotel actually wants people to know. That's the drift problem. AI pulls from multiple sources, and once the wrong information starts showing up, hotels risk losing bookings or disappointing guests who arrive expecting something the property never promised. The opportunity here is bigger than simply fixing bad information. Hotels need to think differently about content, visibility and direct booking as search becomes more conversational. See why Michael and Nicki believe hoteliers need to take control of their story now, before AI-driven hotel search really takes off. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
September 19 · 44 min
Virtual Hotel Industry Happy Hour: Pet Peeves, Dynamic Pricing & Bad Decisions
We've spent months asking one completely unnecessary but surprisingly important question: Which hotel pet peeve annoys us most? We started with 32. Now Always Hidden Lamp Switches and Water Pressure Roulette fight for the last spot against Outlet Desert in the championship round. Vote now on my LinkedIn page and help decide who gets there. https://lnkd.in/gaKZvpxu On this week's Friday Night Audit, Craig Sullivan, Dr. Producer Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED and I track the voting in real time, argue over the bracket and treat this tournament with a level of seriousness normally reserved for actual sports. Somewhere along the way, the bracket itself becomes a pet peeve. We also go after dynamic grocery pricing, terrible buffet tongs, Gen Z slang and an upcoming lazy-river race where finishing last counts as a competitive strategy. That's hashtag#FridayNightAudit: hashtag#Hospitality, happy hour and entirely too much passion for hotel annoyances.
September 17 · 14 min
Relational Wellness Is Next Big Hospitality Trend
I'm calling it now: Relational wellness is the next major hospitality trend. The opportunity is we're spending more time with screens and less time with each other. Hospitality reverses that by bringing people back together. My proof is the Evermore Orlando Resort, purpose-built for connection. Families and friends stay together instead of scattering across separate hotel rooms, with large homes, shared kitchens, big gathering spaces, private pools and room around the table for everyone. For years, we've talked about wellness through spas, sleep, fitness and nutrition. Relational wellness expands that conversation to something people desperately need right now: connection. Here chef Vincent Cani and I talk about bringing this vision to life while my family and closest friends for decades get to reconnect. Hotels and resorts have a huge opportunity here. Create spaces bringing people together. Build food and beverage around sharing. Give families and friends reasons to put the phones down, sit around a table, talk, laugh and create memories together. Thanks to Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Hospitality for awakening me to a new way to enjoy being with the people we love that deepens those bonds while creating forever memories. Watch this one with #RelationalWellness in mind. I'm convinced this is the next big #Hospitality conversation. Do you see relational wellness becoming a real hospitality category, or are we still thinking too narrowly about what wellness means? Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
September 16 · 14 min
How Hotels Use AI Without Losing Control of Guest Data
Hotel employees already juggle enough. They don't need 10,000 system steps standing between them and the guest. Kevin King, CEO of Shiji Group, joins me on No Vacancy to talk about how #AI strips away that complexity so hotel teams spend more time focusing on hospitality. But Kevin keeps coming back to another issue: protecting the enormous amount of guest data powering all this technology. As hotels ask AI to do more, they also need to know exactly where that information goes and who gets access to it. That puts #Hospitality in an interesting spot: move fast enough to capture the upside, but build the safeguards before the technology outruns the operation. Watch why Kevin thinks hotels need to get this balance right now — before #HotelOperations gets a whole lot smarter and a whole lot more complicated. Visit https://shijigroup.com/ Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

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