No Vacancy Live!

Steven Moore, CEO at Actabl, says you shouldn't need to log in to answer your owner's question. 💬 Altitude, Actabl's new product, lets you have conversations with your data instead of clicking through dashboards and pulling reports. 📊 Instead of logging in, finding the right sheet, and comparing — "What were my labor expenses last two weeks?" takes a conversation. 👥 The payoff: get property managers off screens so staff can focus on what only they can do — physical interaction with guests and the building. 💰 The goal is profitability (down from pre-pandemic levels) without sacrificing guest or associate experience. The tools that do that create lower turnover and better engagement. From HITEC. #NoVacancyNews Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Denise Walker, CIO at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, started her career on a TRS-80. Thirty years later, she told me AI is the first technology she's never had to explain to anyone — people already see why it matters. 🏨 Smaller hotel companies can move faster than legacy chains that placed big AI bets last year, before pricing models and guest expectations shifted again. 🔐 Fear keeps guest data handled right and security practices tight — Walker calls it a good fear. 🛎️ Starwood wants AI to feel invisible, the way good technology always has. You don't think about water coming out of a pipe. ⚙️ Code written by AI still needs the same quality checks a floor full of developers used to run by hand. Catch the full conversation from the show floor at HITEC. #NoVacancyNews 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.

Hotel operators don't lack AI options. They lack a clear way to evaluate them. At HITEC, I talked with Shannon McCallum, VP of Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas, about the HFTP AI Collective and how operators can make smarter decisions around AI tools, robotics, chatbots, reporting, and vendor partners. 🤖 Robotics came up, from food prep to concierge support. 📊 Back-of-house reporting came up as a more realistic starting point for some hotels. 🏨 Resorts World Las Vegas already uses AI and chatbots, and Shannon says agentic AI comes next. 🛎️ Resorts World Las Vegas handled more than 459,000 AI-driven interactions last year across 3,506 rooms and three brands. Shannon also made a practical operator point: guests still need choice. Some want technology. Others want a person. #NoVacancyNews covered this at HITEC with support from Unifocus. Check them out at unifocus.com for labor solutions built for hospitality. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

I'm at HITEC in San Antonio today and tomorrow, and I talked with Stephen Katsirubas, CIO of Pursuit Collection, about AI that's already doing real work for guests and operators. Pursuit has a lot more going on than rooms and room nights. They're dealing with lodging, attractions, retail, boating, gondolas, sky trams, and all the guest questions that come with those experiences. Stephen isn't talking about AI in some vague "future of hospitality" way. He's talking about using it now so guests get faster answers and teams spend less time buried in the same basic questions. One example got my attention: Pursuit cut call volume by more than 30% in one area by helping guests get answers about hours, parking, pet rules, and other basics before they need a person. Thanks to 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.

On No Vacancy, I talked with Charif Zahrane, Managing Partner at M7 Services, about the hotel technology mess sitting underneath the AI conversation. Everybody wants to talk about AI. Charif wants hotel operators to look at what sits below it first. Data. Infrastructure. Security. System connections. The unsexy stuff that decides whether the shiny new tool actually works or turns into another headache. That's where this conversation gets useful. Hotel operators can't just throw AI on top of messy systems and expect magic. They need a cleaner foundation, a better understanding of what they're connecting, and partners who understand how hospitality actually runs. Charif also gets into why the old "break-fix" IT model doesn't match where hotels are headed. This one's for anyone trying to figure out what hotel tech should look like before AI makes the whole thing even more complicated. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed? Text HOTEL to 66866.

At last week's NYU IHIF, I talked with David Duncan, President and CEO of First Hospitality, about where hotel investment still works when new construction rarely pencils. That's the part of the market I keep hearing more about: not shiny new projects, but existing hotels where the right capital, brand strategy, operating discipline, or management change can unlock something better. David has a useful view on that because First Hospitality now plays on both sides of the equation: investment and operations. In this conversation, we got into why more opportunities may come from assets that need work, why development still feels difficult, and how First Hospitality thinks about growth when every deal has to earn its way forward. We also talked about new markets, talent, culture, and why entering a city as an operator takes a lot more than running the numbers from a spreadsheet. Thanks to Actabl. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit actabl.com. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed? Text HOTEL to 66866.

At last week's NYU IHIF, Glenn Haussman talks with John Schultzel, Chief Growth Officer at Olympia Hospitality, about drive-to demand, shrinking booking windows, rate discipline, destination marketing, and how hotels can stay close to guests without losing the human side of hospitality. Olympia operates across New England, up and down the East Coast, and as far west as Colorado, giving John a clear look at different market patterns. He sees continued opportunity in drive-to leisure markets, even when broader economic stress makes travelers more cautious. Drive-to demand can hold up when travelers still want a getaway but rethink distance or transportation Short booking windows make pricing discipline harder when hotels watch pace late in the week Creative packages beat panic discounting when travelers make last-minute decisions Hotels need stronger destination marketing because guests often choose the place before they choose the property Weather should change the message, not kill the opportunity AI can help marketing teams move faster while still keeping the human side of hospitality intact Thanks to Actabl. 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.

During last week's NYU IHIF, I spoke with Ryan Rivett of the Rivett Organization and Brian Quinn, Chief Development Officer at My Place Hotels, because Brian's new role points to something bigger than a personnel move. Brian matters in this story because My Place is moving into its next phase with the Rivett Organization's broader platform behind it: ownership, operations, construction management, technology, engineering, design, and franchise development. That combination separates My Place from a lot of franchise organizations. Developers aren't only hearing about a flag. They're hearing from a company that still owns hotels, operates hotels, develops hotels, and understands the parts of the process that can overwhelm owners and investors. 🏨 My Place Hotels has roughly 125 franchises and is moving into what Ryan called its next phase of growth 🛠 The Rivett Organization brings construction management, technology, engineering, and design into the development conversation 📍 Ryan sees opportunity in smaller and underserved markets where other brands may miss stability and value 🤝 Brian Quinn adds a key commercial engine as My Place takes that platform to market 📈 Extended stay demand remains strong with consumers and developers, giving the brand a timely growth story This is why I wanted them both in the conversation. Ryan could explain the platform behind My Place, and Brian could speak to how that platform now gets translated into development growth. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Hamilton Princess doesn't compete like a typical resort. The property leans on 140+ years of history, a museum-level art collection, and a luxury guest who keeps traveling even when the economy gets noisy. Glenn Haussman and Dr. Producer Suzanne Bagnera talk with Diarmaid O'Sullivan, Director of Sales & Marketing at Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, about how the hotel differentiates and keeps repeat business strong. 🎨 The art collection creates an arrival moment you don't get at most beach resorts 🏨 The property uses heritage + service to attract a luxury audience that stays active through economic swings 🏢 Meetings stay meaningful here, including reinsurance and high-privacy groups 🛫 Airlift keeps the destination in play, with added routes and seat growth from the Northeast 🌊 Experiences go beyond beaches, including wild swimming and cave exploration 🛂 U.S. pre-clearance makes the trip home smoother for U.S. travelers Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. 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.

Seventy-three percent of new vacation ownership purchases now come from Gen Z and millennials. That changes the pitch, product strategy, and member experience conversation for every company in vacation ownership. During ARDA Spring Conference, I spoke with Gordon Gurnik, COO of Hilton Grand Vacations, about younger buyers, points-based flexibility, AI, and the experiences HGV builds around ownership. 🎟 HGV runs about 3,800 member experiences a year, so ownership means access, not just more space 🏎 At Elara in Las Vegas, HGV brings F1 into the owner experience with viewing areas, concerts, food, and beverage 🎤 Chef dinners, wine tastings, baseball suites, and private concerts create moments members may not arrange on their own 🤖 AI opens a path toward more personal recommendations, especially in markets like Las Vegas where too many choices can overwhelm a trip 👨‍👩‍👧 Points-based ownership helps younger buyers adapt as their families, schedules, and vacation habits change Gordon also talks about why hospitality keeps people hooked: travel, food and beverage, construction, marketing, sales, entertainment, and the moments when guests create memories right in front of you. Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from #NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

During NYU IHIF, Hilton debuted Undergraduate by Hilton, a brand-new conversion product aimed at university markets where a full Graduate Hotel may not fit. Jenna Hackett, SVP, Global Leader, Lifestyle Brand Management at Hilton, joined me for a conversation about how Undergraduate by Hilton connects with Graduate Hotels while giving owners a more affordable, scalable conversion option. 🎓 Graduate Hotels brings bespoke, university-adjacent storytelling across more than 35 locations 🏨 Undergraduate by Hilton gives Hilton a growth path across hundreds of additional university markets 🔁 Owners can use the brand for conversion and new-build opportunities 🎨 Hilton created a playful university feel and gave owners room for local color through artwork, paint, and design details Jenna also talked about Hilton's broader conversion momentum, including Curio Collection, Tapestry Collection, and Outset Collection. University markets keep creating opportunity, and Hilton sees more room for growth. Watch the full conversation on #NoVacancyNews.

7.2 seconds behind the bar can cost about $1.1M a year. That's how Tobin Ellis, a 30-year bar industry veteran, thinks about bar design: eliminate problems before they happen, then let the team sell more with fewer steps. 👀 Quick test: nonstop walking behind the bar kills selling time and guest connection 🍸 Quick test: "order → disappear → return" kills second rounds 📏 Tobin builds "Zero Step" stations so bartenders stop running laps ⏱️ Tobin measured 7.2 seconds of waste per bartender and tied it to about $1.1M/year on one rooftop bar 🏨 Use the timing: conversions and PIPs give owners the best window to fix the bar correctly 📚 Start cheap: Bar Design Essentials Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. 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.