Hotel Operations

📈 At Sunborn London, the PMS change process began in mid-2024, with a contract signed in early 2025 and implementation by May 2025. The change aimed to reduce operational fragmentation and improve efficiency, saving 4-5 staff hours daily by reducing check-in time by 2 minutes per guest. Automation, such as integrated payments and mobile housekeeping, enhanced workflows. The shift emphasized training and abandoning legacy processes, reducing inefficiencies and increasing guest engagement. Ventura highlights the importance of timely system updates.

Changing a PMS is one of the most disruptive decisions a hotel can make. It touches every department, every workflow, and often exposes how much of daily operations rely on…

🏨 Sean MacPherson revitalizes the Chelsea, an 1880s cooperative, preserving its history and unique blend of glamour and grit. The hotel, known for its cultural significance, housed icons like Bob Dylan and Andy Warhol. MacPherson retained original features, such as marble floors and staircases, and introduced "rich bohemian" design elements, mixing eclectic decor with historical scars. The Chelsea thrives on its imperfections, offering a vibrant, unpredictable atmosphere that defies modern hotel standards.

🏨 Sarah Peters, a hotel general manager since 2020, has led hotels in Indiana, Kentucky, and Colorado, with her team ranking in the top 6% for Marriott guest feedback in 2025. She oversaw The Ritz-Carlton's restaurants from 2013 to 2016. In 2017, she joined White Lodging, supporting hotel openings and advancing to general manager. Nominated for AHLA’s FORWARD ELEVATE program in 2025, Peters highlights the importance of diversity, inclusion, and female leadership in hospitality.

📚 Nathan Woods instructs businesses like insurance agencies and financial firms in "Unreasonable Hospitality," a concept traditionally outside their scope. These businesses are increasingly interested in hospitality training to differentiate themselves, unlike some in the hospitality sector who believe they already excel in it. Listen to Nathan's insights on the Hospitality Daily Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, for more on how non-hospitality industries are embracing this approach.

🏨 Kristie Rasheed, inspired by her love of travel, studied at the University of South Carolina's School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management. Starting as a reservations manager at Wild Dunes Resort, she spent 12 years there under mentors like Terri Haack. Now, she leads operations for over 40 hotels at Olympia Hospitality, culminating 25 years in the industry. In 2025, the hospitality industry saw gradual progress in women’s leadership, with expectations for continued diversity and inclusion in 2026.

📑 In 2025, the lodging industry saw increased female leadership across corporate teams, ownership groups, and advisory councils. Stephanie Kendrick, a brand leader at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, emphasizes the value of mentorship, citing influences like Sanjeev Raut and Rick Munson. Kendrick started in hospitality as a front desk agent in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She champions diversity initiatives and has guided brands like Days Inn and La Quinta. Prominent programs include Hospitality Hued and BOLD, fostering diversity and inclusion.

📖 Naomi Frost began her hospitality career at 18 in a small hotel in a town with under 7,000 people. She won Red Roof Inns’ Circle of Excellence Trailblazer award in 2023 and founded Frost Hospitality LLC that year. She led a hotel to exceed revenue records during the pandemic and created inclusive programs for leadership. In 2025, women advanced in lodging leadership roles, supported by initiatives like AHLA’s ForWard. Frost is optimistic about diversity in hospitality for 2026 and beyond.