Ellen Meyer - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 2

2 min

“Best of Breed”: Stayntouch CRO on Specialization and Innovation

📈 Bill Fanning, CRO of Stayntouch, spoke at HITEC 2025 after Stayntouch was named Hotel PMS of the Year by TravelTech. Stayntouch, known for its mobile-based PMS launched 10 years ago, manages over 1,200 integrations with an open API. Fanning highlighted AI's role in speeding market entry and improving sales support, mentioning tools like Staircase. Future products will include AI-assisted solutions for predictive analysis and virtual hotel assistants, with announcements expected later this summer.

2 min

Tech Talk: International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame Inductee Luis Segredo on Driving Innovation

🏨 Luis Segredo, CEO of Hapi and Data Travel, LLC, was inducted into the 2025 International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame at HITEC. Over the past six months, the number of hotels using Hapi doubled, partly due to innovations initially developed for Wyndham and IHG. Segredo plans to expand Hapi's adoption across hotel groups, focusing on simplifying processes for hoteliers. He emphasizes relationships based on integrity and fair play and advises against exploiting others for success.

3 min

Heeding Good Advice: hihotels’ Franchisee-led Advisory Council Nudges Owners Toward Greater Success

🏨 Chris Guimbellot, president & CEO of hihotels, highlighted the Advisory Council's impact since its 2023 establishment at AAHOA's meeting in New Orleans. The council, featuring owners from three hihotels brands, Sabre Hospitality Solutions executives, and Guimbellot, meets quarterly via videoconference to optimize franchisee operations and strategies. They've implemented programs like Best of the Best, rewarding quality and guest satisfaction; WhatsApp groups for efficient communication; and HighHub, an educational and operational portal. These initiatives balance franchisee independence with brand evolution, without enforcing stringent standards.

6 min

The Lifestyle Life: Andrew Casperson on Moving Into Upscale, ‘Authentic’ Hospitality

📈 Andrew Casperson, promoted to President of Coury Hospitality, envisions doubling the company's portfolio from 22 hotels and 43 F&B outlets in 2024 to nearly double in 2025. Coury Hospitality, with origins in the mid-'80s, recently established Concert Hospitality LLC in 2024 to manage traditional and lifestyle brands. Casperson, starting his career at a Holiday Inn in Burlington, Massachusetts, became GM of a 100-room hotel at 25 and later held VP of Operations role at Omni, overseeing half its portfolio. He credits mentors Dave Johnson, Tina Edmundson, and Mike Deitemeyer with shaping his career, emphasizing revenue-driving lifestyle elements and emotional rewards in hospitality.

3 min

View From the Top

📌 Sloan Dean, President and CEO of Remington Hospitality, chose the hotel industry over a career at Home Depot. After a rapid ascent, including roles in revenue management, M&A, and development, he became CEO of Remington in late 2019, just before its acquisition by Ashford Inc. in January 2018. Under his leadership, Remington advocates a 10-20% annual growth rate, manages over 140 hotels across 26 brands, and is a top-five franchise operator for Hilton and Marriott in North America. The company focuses on full-service and lifestyle hotels primarily in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Dean is expanding into the Caribbean and Latin America, with 14 hotels in development and expectations to exceed 20 by next year. Despite challenges like doubled insurance costs since 2019 and a 50% rise in labor expenses, Dean forecasts a 1.5-2.5% revenue growth domestically, with higher gains in sunshine states (3-6%) and lower performance in cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and Minneapolis.

5 min

Wise Beyond His Years: AGA CEO Armaan Patel on His Path in the Industry Since His Very Early Start

🏨 At just 20 years old, Armaan Patel, CEO of AGA Essentials, oversees a portfolio of over 25 hotels in Los Angeles. Co-founding AGA Hotels four years prior with cousin Yash Desai at age 16, Patel aims to address the needs of Gen Z travelers. Their first brand, Erth Inn by AGA, launched in 2020 and broke performance records within three months. Patel, also a student at Chapman University, aspires to expand AGA Essentials to more than 50 hotels globally and encourages young people to pursue hospitality careers.

4 min

Good Housekeeping: Best Practices for Attracting and Retaining Housekeeping Staff

🚿 Housekeeping is crucial in hotels for guest satisfaction, especially post-pandemic, as noted by Prateek Kumar of Copford Capital Management. Hospitality leaders, including Kumar, Island Hospitality CEO Gregg Forde, Hospitality of America CEO Ben Campbell, and The Scottsdale Resort & Spa's Brian Hanus, discussed staff retention and training. They emphasized the importance of a supportive culture, effective onboarding, and training programs. Techniques for retention include ergonomic tools, balanced workloads, internal development programs like Pathways, and opportunities for cross-training. Leaders stress the importance of respect and inclusivity in fostering a positive work environment.

6 min

Rethinking the F&B Model: Profit-enhancing strategies from the front lines

🍕 Hoteliers, including Steve Palmer of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group with 35 restaurants, are reimagining the traditional food and beverage model to boost profitability. Palmer's hotel restaurants aim to resonate with the local community and have managed to generate 50% of the revenue in four hotels. Guy Reinbold from Meyer Jabara emphasizes profitability through banquet catering which offers the highest return. Jack Paul of Twenty Four Seven Hotels adopts a "beverage forward" model for higher ROI. To reduce labor costs and waste, executive chefs like Ysaac Ramirez of Drift Hotels utilize cross-utilization of ingredients and serve smaller portion sizes. Menu engineering and technology play roles in cost management, with software like Margin Edge assisting in controlling expenses. Hospitality leaders suggest flexible staffing approaches, like employing part-time students and cross-training employees, to adjust to fluctuating occupancy and F&B demands.

2 min

F&B Coping Strategies: 5 Approaches to Saving Time, Labor, and Costs

📍 F&B leaders address challenges like labor shortages and cost hikes by revamping traditional hotel restaurant models, focusing on profits, and adopting efficient solutions. Steve Palmer of Indigo Road Hospitality Group aims for "aggressively profitable" restaurants by pinpointing revenue drivers like catering banquets. Jack Paul from Twenty Four Seven Hotels leverages purchasing power through partnerships, while food vendors assist with prepared ingredients. Menu streamlining by Drift Hotel Palm Springs minimizes cost and waste. Flexible staffing is recommended, aligning part-time staff with demand and cross-training. Technology plays an evolving role, with tools like Margin Edge and POS systems aiding cost management, but the human touch in hospitality still holds significant value.

6 min

Living the Dream: Spire COO Dawna Comeaux on Her Own Hospitality Way of Life

🏨 Dawna Comeaux, Spire Hospitality COO, shifted from accounting/finance to hospitality after a "magical" Marriott wedding experience. Graduating from the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College, she joined Harvey Hotel Company, which became Bristol Hotels & Resorts, growing to over 140 properties. In her 30-plus-year career, Comeaux has held leadership roles in sales, operations, and catering. She transitioned to Prism Hotels, focusing on cost efficiency in foreclosure situations, and then to The Archon Group, where she helped expand from 25 to over 250 hotels. Currently, with Spire Hospitality for six years, she maintains a hands-on approach and believes in a balanced focus on team environment, guest connection, community partnership, brand representation, and investor returns.

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