The Geography of Welcome | Bashar Wali
Humans keep trying to turn hospitality into an algorithm, then act surprised when it feels empty. I’ve spent a lifetime proving the opposite. Eighty eight countries. Forty nine states. Two…
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Bashar Wali
10 posts
Your Lobby Is the New Flagship
Fashion has embraced hospitality. It’s time for hotels to return the favor, strategically. Historically, hotel gift shops offered little more than emergency essentials and uninspired souvenirs. They were afterthoughts, rarely…
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Hoteling in the Aftershock
Q4 2025 – correction, divergence, and the quiet fight for survival. The post-pandemic boom has faded into realism. After two years of pent-up travel demand and record rates, the U.S.…
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Time’s Up on Checkout
Why hotels need to end the 11 a.m. rule and give guests 24 hours of their own time. The 11 a.m. checkout is a relic. Your stay should last 24…
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When Fashion Checks In
Why fashion houses are embracing hospitality and how to make the collaboration more than a logo on a lounge chair. Luxury fashion is stepping off the runway and into hotel…
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Hospitality: If You’re Not Having Fun, You’re Doing It Wrong
The hotel industry is not designed for the dispassionate or detached. It’s a world built for people who notice everything, who obsess over ambiance, who analyze lobby lighting and critique…
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Hospitality: If You’re Not Having Fun, You’re Doing It Wrong
The hotel industry is not designed for the dispassionate or detached. It’s a world built for people who notice everything, who obsess over ambiance, who analyze lobby lighting and critique…
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You Can’t Renovate Vibes: Why Culture Is the Real Hotel Upgrade
In a recent piece, I explored HBO’s The White Lotus as a satirical but surprisingly accurate reflection of today’s hospitality industry. The piece sparked a flood of responses—from current and…
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What The White Lotus Can Teach Us About Hospitality (And Guests Who Should Probably Just Stay Home)
Let’s get this out of the way: HBO’s The White Lotus is not a hospitality show. It’s a show about the rich behaving badly—on vacation. But that’s exactly why it…
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The State of the (Dis)Union: Early Q1 Signals and What’s Ahead in 2025
We’re only a few chapters into Q1, but the early pages tell a familiar story: ADR’s inching upwards, occupancy’s stalling, and costs are still throwing elbows. The industry’s clinging to…
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