The Modern Hotelier

Hosted by David Millili & Steve Carran

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324

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Each episode we discuss industry trends, talk about new technologies, and speak to industry experts. All so that you, The Modern Hotelier, can succeed in a new age of hospitality.

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September 10, 202640 min

#327: Designing Unparalleled Hospitality Experiences | with Janice Wilson, Founder of Menizei

What does it take to create a truly one-of-a-kind hospitality experience in the age of AI? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Janice Wilson, founder of Menizei and Territori to explore the intersection of hospitality, technology, real estate, AI, and category design. Janice shares her unconventional journey from law and real estate to professional dance, entrepreneurship in Cambodia, software engineering at Amazon, and building a unique hospitality concept near Olympic National Park. She explains why she believes category can matter more than data when creating differentiated hotel experiences and why relying too heavily on competitors and traditional comp sets can lead to a “crisis of sameness.” She also discusses why lifestyle operators have an advantage when experimenting with AI, the challenges of building a custom hotel tech stack, and what larger hotel brands need to consider as AI becomes increasingly embedded in hospitality. You’ll also hear Janice’s advice for aspiring hotel owners, why design should begin earlier in the development process, and what the future of hotel technology could look like. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why category design can help hotels stand apart from competitors The advantages and challenges of custom hotel tech stacks Why lifestyle hotels can move faster than large brands How storytelling can become a transformational guest experience Why design should be part of a hotel's core concept—not just an amenity If you're interested in hotel technology, AI in hospitality, hotel development, lifestyle hotels, guest experience, and the future of travel, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how hoteliers can think beyond traditional industry playbooks. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5sFviYGOx0k Links: Janice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janicewilson/ Territori: https://territori.io/ Menizei: https://menizei.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/327 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

September 8, 202653 min

#326: The Future of AI in Hospitality: Hotel Technology, Data & Automation | with Kevin King

What does it take to build technology that can truly transform hotel operations? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Kevin King, CEO of Shiji, for a wide-ranging conversation about hospitality technology, artificial intelligence, leadership, and the future of the hotel industry. Kevin shares his journey from working at a hotel front desk in Australia to leading a global hospitality technology company. He discusses how his experiences living and working in China shaped his leadership philosophy, what he learned from scaling MICROS across Asia Pacific, and why successful technology companies must ultimately be built around people, trust, and resilience. The conversation also dives deep into AI in hospitality—and why hotels need to look beyond chatbots and flashy features. Kevin explains how connected platforms, APIs, data governance, security, compliance, and agentic AI can help hotels move from simply answering questions to actually completing operational tasks. Kevin shares his perspective on why AI will eventually become as invisible and essential as the internet, why hotels may be using only a fraction of the technology they already have, and why functionality should come before unnecessary processes and features. In this episode, you'll learn about: The evolution of hotel PMS and enterprise technology How AI can create real operational value for hotels Data security, privacy, compliance, and data sovereignty Why connected platforms are critical for AI adoption The importance of people, resilience, and trust in hospitality leadership Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YXhod3D2m2M This episode is sponsored by Shiji: https://www.shijigroup.com/ Links: Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-king-9689271/ Shiji Group: https://www.shijigroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/326 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

September 3, 202623 min

#325: Hospitality Hot Topics August 2026: Airbnb & Lark Hotels, Hilton & Marriott New Soft Brands, & More! | with Richard Sandoval

What’s happening across the hospitality industry right now? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier Hospitality Hot Topics, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with Richard Sandoval, CEO of Spire Hospitality, to unpack the latest trends and biggest stories shaping the hospitality industry—from Airbnb’s growing move into hotels and OYO’s fake hotel listings to Hilton and Marriott’s push into wellness and experiential travel. They also dive into Google’s $10 million acquisition of Spirit Airlines’ data, the growing value of data and AI in travel, and what automation means for the future of hotel operations. Richard also shares his vision for Spire Hospitality, the importance of the owner-operator model, and why, even as AI transforms the industry, genuine human connection, hospitality, and personalized guest experiences will remain at the heart of the business. In this episode, you’ll learn more about: Airbnb partners with Lark Hotels OYO takes bookings for fake rooms Hilton launches Signia Restore & Marriot's Luxury Collection Unveils Expeditions Google buys Spirit Airlines data for $10 million What's new at Spire Hospitality Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oKdibg8m2z4 Links: Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-sandoval-434234184 Spire Hospitality: http://www.spirehotels.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/325 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

September 1, 202641 min

#324: How Boutique Hotels Can Stand Out & Thrive | with Jorgan von Stiening of Palisociety

How do you scale a boutique hotel company without losing the creativity, personality, and local connection that make independent hospitality so special? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jorgan von Stiening, President of Palisociety, to explore the strategy behind scaling a successful boutique hotel company while staying true to its brand and guest experience. Jorgan shares his journey from accounting and hospitality consulting at Ernst & Young to joining Palisociety and helping the company grow from three hotels to a much larger portfolio across multiple brands and markets. He also breaks down Palisociety’s partnership with Design Hotels and Marriott Bonvoy, explaining how the company is using Marriott’s global reach and loyalty base while maintaining its independent identity. In this episode, you'll learn: How to scale boutique hotels without losing their identity Why systems and SOPs are critical to independent hotel success The business value of in-house design, marketing, and branding How Marriott Bonvoy is changing Palisociety’s customer acquisition strategy What major events like the 2028 Olympics could mean for Los Angeles hotels This episode is sponsored by Sip Tea: https://sip-tea-path.com/ Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HNlQ5NDIyJo Links: Jorgan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorganvonstiening/ Palisociety: http://palisociety.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/324 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

August 27, 202648 min

#323: Making Hotel Ownership and Commercial Real Estate Investing Accessible | with Davonne Reaves

What does it really take to own a hotel, and how can more people gain access to hotel investing? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, Davonne Reaves, founder and CEO of The Vonne Group and Vesterr, shares her journey from working on the front lines of hospitality to becoming a hotel owner, investor, entrepreneur, and advocate for greater access to hotel ownership. Davonne explains how her grandmother’s hospitality influenced her career, what she learned at Hyatt Regency Atlanta, and how hotel consulting and asset management opened her eyes to the business of hotel ownership. She also shares why she created Vesterr to connect commercial real estate deal sponsors with investors. David, Steve, and Davonne also explore the growing role of AI in hotel investing—and why some parts of the acquisition process still require a human touch. Davonne shares candid advice for young entrepreneurs and women entering the industry: stay authentic, keep learning, find mentors, work hard, and never let someone else's “no” stop you. In this episode, you'll learn: What working in hotel operations taught her about ownership How to evaluate a hotel investment opportunity Why the sponsor, location, brand, and operator matter Where human expertise remains essential in hospitality Advice for aspiring hotel owners and young entrepreneurs Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v4Ju_rdcVd8 Links: Davonne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davonnereaves Vesterr: https://www.vesterr.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/323 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

August 25, 202645 min

#322: Boutique Service, Authentic Design, and Cultivating Hospitality’s Future | David Bowd of Salt Hotels

In this episode, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with David Bowd, co-founder and owner of Salt Hotels, for a candid conversation about hospitality, leadership, design, service, and the future of independent hotels. David shares how growing up in a small village in Staffordshire, England, and working in a local pub sparked his passion for hospitality. He also talks about leaving school at 16, discovering that the kitchen wasn’t for him, and building a career that would take him through some of the most influential lifestyle hotels in the world, including St. Martin’s Lane and Sanderson, as well as working alongside hospitality icons Ian Schrager and André Balazs. David explains why he founded Salt Hotels and the philosophy behind combining thoughtful design, personalized service, and a strong sense of place. He also shares why memorable hotels are ultimately created by people—not just beautiful spaces—and tells a powerful story about turning a hotel disaster into an unforgettable guest experience. In this episode, we discuss: The philosophy behind Salt Hotels Why people and service create memorable hotel experiences How independent hotels can build visibility and commercial success AI’s role in hospitality and the importance of human connection Why every hotel should feel connected to its location Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gB-NcS4Aj18 This episode is sponsored by Sip Tea: https://sip-tea-path.com/ Links: David Bowd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbowd/ Salt Hotels: https://www.salthotels.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/322 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

August 20, 202630 min

#321: How Streamlining Procurement Can Help Hotels Thrive | with Jesse Messitte

How can hotels make smarter purchasing decisions, control costs, and use technology to work more efficiently? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jesse Messitte, Vice President of Strategy and Business Operations at Avendra International, for a great conversation about the world of hospitality procurement. Jesse shares his journey from working at Hyatt to spending more than two decades at Avendra, and how his background in data, technology, and hospitality shaped the way he approaches procurement. Jesse talks about his career advice for hospitality professionals who want to make the move from hotel operations into technology. It’s a practical conversation about procurement, technology, AI, and the behind-the-scenes work that can ultimately help hotels deliver a better experience for their guests. In this episode, you’ll learn: How group purchasing organizations help hotels reduce costs and improve purchasing performance What hoteliers should consider when selecting procurement technology Why hotels should focus on business objectives before adopting new technology The best practices for creating consistent and efficient procurement processes Whether you're a hotel owner, operator, management company, or hospitality technology professional, this episode offers practical insights into making procurement more strategic and using technology to help hotels thrive. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xhOk-Xcmzrc This episode is sponsored by Avendra International: https://www.avendra.com/en/us/ Links: Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-messitte/ Avendra International: https://www.avendra.com/en/us/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/321 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

August 18, 202619 min

#320: Hotel P&L Benchmarking & The Impact of the World Cup | with Jan Freitag & Amanda Hite

In this special episode, David Millili sits down with industry leaders at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville to explore the latest trends shaping hotel profitability, benchmarking, revenue management, and mega-event performance. First, Amanda Hite, President of STR, shares how new P&L benchmarking capabilities within CoStar with STR Benchmark are helping hotel owners, operators, management companies, and asset managers better understand more than 100 revenue and expense line items. She discusses profit flow analysis, rising undistributed expenses, declining margins, asset profitability, and how AI-powered tools could help hoteliers identify the data that matters most for improving revenue and profitability. Then, Jan Freitag of CoStar breaks down the hotel revenue impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and explains why its impact was closer to 30 Super Bowls rather than the 104 suggested by FIFA's president. He explores ADR growth, occupancy trends, international versus local demand, match-day pricing, minimum-stay restrictions, and the lessons hotel revenue leaders can apply to future mega-events, including the Olympics. In this episode, you'll learn: How P&L benchmarking can reveal opportunities to improve hotel profitability Why rising undistributed expenses are putting pressure on hotel margins What Could AI and Natural-Language Analytics Mean for the Future of Hotel Decision-Making? Why Did the World Cup’s Hotel Impact Differ from the Super Bowl? Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oepa3lq-EdU Links: Jan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janfreitag/ Amanda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawattshite/ CoStar Group: https://www.costargroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/320 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

August 13, 202611 min

#319: The Opportunity in Getting Hotel Tech Integrations Right | with Kelly Popp

What happens when hotel teams have plenty of technology but still struggle to work from the same information? In this special HDC Nashville episode of The Modern Hotelier , David Millili sits down with Kelly Popp, Vice President of Business Development, Americas, at Access Hospitality, to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing hotel commercial teams today: the “toggle tax” created by disconnected systems and siloed departments. Kelly explains how fragmented tech stacks can make it harder for revenue, marketing, and commercial teams to make informed decisions—and why better integration is becoming essential as hotels move toward AI-powered technology. We explore what hotels need to get right before AI can deliver real business value, why clean and connected data matters, and how transparency can keep humans in control of AI-driven decisions. In this episode, they cover: Why disconnected tech stacks create silos The importance of integrated hotel technology How EVO is changing the way hoteliers work Why hotel content and personalization matter Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RgkxqJEWExo Links: Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-popp-b5404a6/ Access Hospitality: Hotels & Casinos Americas: https://www.theaccessgroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/319 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

August 12, 202638 min

#318: From On-Property to Expedia to Hotel Technology | with Nick Farrell

What happens when you combine hands-on hotel experience, OTA expertise, hospitality technology, and a test-and-learn mindset? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, David Millili sits down with Nick Farrell, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales at Phunware, to explore his journey from working on-property to Expedia and into the world of hospitality technology. Nick explains why hotels should embrace a test-and-learn mentality, how AI can turn guest data into actionable insights, and why technology should ultimately give hotel employees more time to focus on what matters most: creating meaningful human connections with guests. In this episode, you’ll learn: What working at Expedia taught him about distribution, digital marketing, and demand Why a test-and-learn mindset is critical for hotels How AI and guest intelligence can transform the hotel experience The opportunities hotels are missing between check-in and check-out How AI Concierge technology can personalize recommendations for guests If you're interested in hotel technology, AI in hospitality, guest experience, hotel revenue, hospitality innovation, hotel distribution, ancillary revenue, and the future of the hotel industry, this episode is a must-watch. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XXWIowhCp8Q Links: Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nfarrell1/ Phunware Hospitality: https://www.phunware.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/318 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.