Bashar Wali

🏨 Hotels, over 30 years, equated loyalty with transactions, using points and tiers rather than genuine recognition, leading to a transactional, not loyal, relationship. Independent hotels, like John Sutton's Journey, focus on genuine guest understanding, not just data collection. Loyalty should be about recognition and care, not just points. Sutton, previously from a $10B tech firm, promotes hospitality's original promise: making guests feel known. Points attract; care retains.

🛌 Hotels embracing doorless bathrooms as a design trend face criticism for prioritizing aesthetics over guest comfort. Katie Deighton from The Wall Street Journal highlights this issue, noting that many hotels sacrifice privacy for style. Designs like glass walls, freestanding tubs, and inadequate lighting compromise guest experiences. This aesthetic-first approach leads to increased complaints, as guests struggle with privacy and comfort. Effective design should prioritize guest needs, ensuring functionality and comfort over mere visual appeal.