FORWARD/26 Draws Record-Breaking Attendance, Showcasing the Future of Hospitality Leadership

The influence of women in the hotel and lodging industry took center stage as the AHLA Foundation brought its flagship annual leadership event back to Atlanta for FORWARD/26, convening hospitality professionals from across the country at the Signia by Hilton. With a theme centered on influence, the two days featured bold conversations, practical leadership insights, and high-impact programming for trailblazing executives and leaders, and early to mid-career professionals across different business functions. Together, these experiences elevated and empowered women while reinforcing the event’s role as one piece of a larger industry movement behind a more inclusive and dynamic future for hospitality leadership. While women continue to represent a large share of the hotel workforce, they remain underrepresented in executive leadership roles. The FORWARD initiative continues to address this gap by creating intentional pathways for advancement through mentorship, education, and community. “Our industry thrives when we invest in people and create opportunities for growth,” said Kevin Carey, President & CEO of the AHLA Foundation . “FORWARD/26 was designed to turn intention into action, giving women across the industry the tools, access, and networks they need to lead with confidence and wield their influence. This event brought together trailblazing executives, rising stars, and committed allies, creating the kind of dynamic exchanges and authentic connections that ignite real change.” “FORWARD has become a powerful force across our industry, bringing people together to support and elevate the next generation of leaders,” said Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association . “Seeing 1,000 talented professionals gathered in one room, committed to advancing themselves and others, reinforces that our industry’s present and future are in strong hands.” From the main stage to the 20 unique breakout sessions, the FORWARD/26 experience offered a vast selection of content led by 50+ speakers. Speakers included executives from across the industry, and select speakers from adjacent industries, including Bobbi Brown, Chief Creative Officer & Founder at Jones Road Beauty; Tiera Kennedy, Singer-Songwriter for Tiera Music; and Justin Knight President & CEO of Apple Hospitality REIT. Sessions included: ● A Cross-Industry Perspective on Leadership and Influence panel featuring Alicia Tillman, Delta Airlines Chief Marketing Officer, and Dagmar Boggs with The Coca Cola Company. The panel was moderated by Anu Saxena, President & Global Head of Hilton Supply Management and Chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees. ● Empower Hour: Negotiating Successfully as a Woman breakout session with Kathryn Valentine CEO, Worthmore Strategies. ● Own the Room: How to Talk So Your Audience Will Listen (And Act) conducted by Anna Goldsmith, Producer at TEDxPortsmouth. ● Leading With Influence panel discussing how influence shows up across a career—through mentors, advocates, and relationships that help shape confidence and leadership. ● Women Leaders on Hotel Ownership discussion with women leaders across ownership, operations, finance, development, and industry advocacy sharing what it’s really like to own, manage, and finance hotels. Beyond the main stage, the FORWARD/26 experience brought this year’s theme of influence to life with the Community Hub –

Grand Beach, MI — At Experiential Capital Group (ECG), we recently completed a comprehensive analysis of all 158 TripAdvisor reviews published for The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach. This was a full-dataset review, not a sample. What the data reveals is both exceptional and instructive: guests are not simply rating a hotel stay. They are describing an experience that they struggle to categorize using existing hospitality vocabulary — something between a retreat, a residential rental, and a boutique hotel — set on a wooded ravine property minutes from Lake Michigan. The result is the highest review volume and one of the strongest average ratings in the ECG portfolio. Performance Consistency Across Four Years The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach holds a 4.9 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor, with 96.8% of all reviews rated five stars and 98.7% rated four stars or above. That performance has held consistent from 2022 through early 2026 — across seasons, guest types, couples, families, and group travelers alike. The two sub-five-star reviews acknowledge specific and isolated concerns: one flags noise from other guests in a shared property environment; the other reflects a former guest's nostalgia for a previous ownership era. Neither points to a structural experience problem under current management. Both reviewers praise the property's physical quality, cleanliness, and amenity program even within their critical framing. A Setting That Does Substantial Work Location and natural setting are cited in 66% of reviews — and unlike an urban property where location means walkability and neighborhood access, Grand Beach guests are describing something closer to a sensory experience. The ravine, the wooded grounds, the proximity to Lake Michigan, and the feeling of genuine escape from city life (75 miles from Chicago) all appear as primary motivators. "The area was quiet and felt like we were truly getting out of the city." "The Neighborhood Grand Beach hotel is a great destination for family trips, friend getaways or a romantic vacation. The grounds are beautiful — it's set back in a wooded area just a short walk from the beach." "Who doesn't love waking up to deer in your back yard." Guests from Chicago, Indianapolis, and Detroit describe the 60-to-90-minute drive as a meaningful threshold — far enough to feel like an escape, close enough to be accessible for a two-night stay. That drive-market positioning, combined with a setting that delivers genuine natural immersion, makes Grand Beach a durable leisure destination rather than a convenience play. The Grand Beach area itself — quiet, residential, with nearby beach access, a local playground, and proximity to New Buffalo's restaurants and shops — is described repeatedly as a discovery. Guests who expect a generic beach town are surprised by the quality and character of the surroundings. The Apartment-Hotel Format Resonates at Every Guest Type The residential format — kitchenette, in-unit amenities, separate living spaces, in-unit washer and dryer — is cited in 46% of reviews and functions as the core product differentiator. The format performs across a notably wide range of guest archetypes:

Chicago, IL — At Experiential Capital Group (ECG), we recently completed a comprehensive analysis of all 82 TripAdvisor reviews published for The Neighborhood Hotel Lincoln Park since its first review in March 2022. This was a full-dataset review, not a sample. What the data reveals is both consistent and strategically clarifying: guests are choosing 2616 N. Clark Street not because it is the most conventional option in Chicago's North Side hotel market, but because it delivers something that market's standard inventory does not — a hotel-quality stay with a full kitchen, in-unit laundry, and separate living space, set inside one of the city's most walkable and neighborhood-distinct East Lincoln Park address. Performance Consistency Across Three Years The Neighborhood Hotel Lincoln Park holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor, with 87% of all reviews rated five stars and 94% rated four stars or above. That rate has held consistent from March 2022 through December 2025 — across seasons, guest types, and stay purposes. The handful of sub-five-star reviews are not indicative of systemic gaps. Friction points cluster around structural building characteristics — the absence of an elevator, mini-split HVAC learning curves, and weekend street noise from The Weiners Circle — none of which are amenity failures. In several cases, reviewers who acknowledge these factors still leave five stars, noting that the overall experience more than compensates. Neighborhood Identity Is a Primary Demand Driver Location is the most-cited theme in the review set, appearing in 76% of reviews. But the language guests use is specific in a way that matters strategically: they are not describing proximity to downtown Chicago. They are describing Lincoln Park itself — its zoo, its conservatory, its lakefront, its Clark Street retail corridor, and its residential character. "Great location in Lincoln Park, the trendy and hip side of Chicago. Plenty of restaurants serving good food and a variety of shops. A very nice place to walk around." "Our family was in town for a visit and truly loved being able to walk everywhere for many dining and beverage establishments, not to mention the beach, zoo and conservatory." "The location was absolutely perfect — walkable to Wrigleyville and surrounded by so many fun things to do." The Lincoln Park Zoo, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Wrightwood 659, DePaul University, Oz Park, and the lakefront trail all appear by name across the review corpus. Guests are not staying near a neighborhood — they are inhabiting one. For a leisure market increasingly shaped by travelers who want to live somewhere temporarily rather than simply sleep near it, this positioning is durable and difficult for a conventional hotel to replicate. The Apartment-Hotel Format Is the Product The residential format — full kitchen, in-unit washer and dryer, separate bedroom and living areas — is mentioned in 62% of reviews and functions as the central differentiator in the guest narrative. Reviewers consistently contrast it favorably with both traditional hotels and vacation rentals, landing on a description that is distinctly ECG's own. "It

This article was written by Deezen - Interior Design. Click here to read the original article

This article was written by Deezen - Interior Design. Click here to read the original article