23 January 2026 - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers

2 min

The Apology That Costs You the Return Visit

💬 Repeated apologies harm guest experiences more than helping them. Instead of over-apologizing, use the "Acknowledge, Pivot, Move Forward" framework to handle issues beyond your control. For example, if a restaurant is closed, suggest alternatives nearby. This approach reduces bad reviews by redirecting issues positively. If the problem wasn't preventable, acknowledge it without apologizing. Encourage your team with a simple, two-minute conversation to substitute apologies with constructive redirection, freeing them from undue weight.

1 min

Driftwood announces Carlos Rodriguez Jr. as CEO

🏠 Carlos Rodriguez Jr. has been appointed CEO of Driftwood Capital, succeeding his father, Carlos Rodriguez Sr., who co-founded the firm in 2015 and will continue as executive chairman. Over the past decade, Driftwood Capital has expanded significantly, managing approximately $3.5 billion in hospitality assets and over 80 hotels. The firm has more than $1 billion in projects under development and has participated in over $2 billion in loan originations.

1 min

Confirmed -> ChatGPT Checkouts to Take 4% Cut of Shopify Merchant Sales Remember, Google and Bing will not take a cut. Advantage Google (again): "Merchants’ products will be available for purchase… | Glenn Gabe

💸 Shopify merchants will incur a 4% fee on sales via ChatGPT’s checkout. Meanwhile, Google and Microsoft chatbot checkouts remain fee-free. This decision could potentially impact merchants' preferences for AI checkout tools. Additionally, this 4% fee is in addition to standard Shopify transaction fees, including payment processing costs.

1 min

#revenuerocks #digitalstrategy #hospitalitystrategy #revenuemanagement #aiforhotels | Right Revenue

💻 Join Harry Fielder from Umi Digital and the Revenue Rocks Podcast to explore the impact of AI and ChatGPT on hotel bookings. Discover what's genuinely shifting in the hotel industry and what’s just noise. Understand where AI fits in guest journeys, whether it poses a threat or an opportunity for smaller brands, and what hoteliers should focus on to safeguard bookings and profit margins. Perfect for boutique hotels and small groups aiming for clarity without the overwhelm.

1 min

Yesterday, we hosted our sold-out Skift Megatrends event in New York City, bringing together leaders from across travel, technology, hospitality, and media to examine the forces reshaping the… | Skift

📊 Yesterday, New York City hosted the sold-out Skift Megatrends event, highlighting travel industry shifts by 2026. AI and zero-click search are disrupting traditional models, shifting focus to generative engine optimization based on authority and relevance. OTAs remain important, but AI is changing trip planning. Live sports, music, and cultural events are boosting travel demand, with mega-events like the World Cup reshaping tourism strategies. Despite new travel tech innovations, access to demand remains a key growth challenge.

1 min

#hospitality #revenuemanagement #otastrategy #hoteloperations #distributionstrategy #hotelleadership #adr #occupancy #revpar | Suresh Kumar Sharma

📊 Booking.com boasts the highest booking volume but suffers from a high cancellation ratio. It's ideal for base volume generation and new hotel visibility. Expedia excels in higher ADR with fewer cancellations, suitable for quality revenues and business segments. Agoda, strong in Asia, provides fast last-minute pickups but lower ADR, perfect for distressed inventory. Choose Booking.com for volume, Expedia for revenue quality, and Agoda for last-minute optimization. OTAs should complement your revenue strategy, not compete.

1 min

HEI Assumes Management of Four Marriott-Branded Hotels in Orlando, Florida

🏨 HEI Hotels & Resorts acquired four Marriott-branded properties in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, Florida, with 1,590 rooms total. The portfolio includes the Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort and three Marriott Orlando Village hotels. The Sheraton, with 490 rooms, is undergoing renovations, featuring 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Nearby attractions include Disney and Universal parks. HEI aims to enhance performance and value through strategic management with L&R Hotels.

2 min

Hunter Advisors Brokers Sale of Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel

🏨 Hunter Advisors facilitated the sale of the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel, a 408-room establishment in Columbus, Ohio, from JW Marriott Family Enterprises to Whitestone Companies. The 22-story hotel includes 23,810 square feet of meeting space across 18 rooms. The deal, brokered by Robert Taylor and Sophia Pittaluga, highlights Columbus's economic and demand potential. Whitestone's acquisition marks their third investment in Columbus within the past 10 months, emphasizing their focus on upper-upscale urban hotels.

1 min

ChatGPT Ads – live 'in the coming weeks' Only on the free / lowest plan – so all of your overly-excited marketing folks will have to downgrade or use a secondary account. OpenAI are pretty clear… | Christian Watts

📰 ChatGPT Ads are set to go live in the coming weeks, exclusively on the free or lowest plan. OpenAI assures users that responses will remain unaffected by ads. Marketing teams might need to downgrade or use secondary accounts to access this feature. Ads will be seamlessly integrated above or below organic AI results. Expect a surge of interest from marketers eager to test this new ad feature as soon as it launches.

1 min

People are straight-up copying our OTA infographic — remixing it, reposting it, sometimes without a single tag or credit. No link back. No mention of 10 Minutes Hotel. Just taking the data and… | 10 Minutes Hotel

📊 10 Minutes Hotel's infographic on OTA data is being copied and shared without credit. The original dataset, valued in the thousands, is now available for free in a Google Sheet. They're launching a remix challenge: modify the data, change aesthetics, and add insights. Participants must tag "10 Minutes Hotel" and comment or DM with "Remixed!" The goal is to create the most vibrant OTA discussion on LinkedIn. Dataset link: https://lnkd.in/eTgybsYa.

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