Hotel Operations

🎾 Mews CEO Matt Welle shares six lessons from Wimbledon for hoteliers: flawless service under pressure, anticipation of guest needs, balancing tradition with modern expectations, importance of behind-the-scenes teams, handling emotional highs and lows, and perfecting first impressions. Wimbledon, founded in 1877, embraces tradition and innovation. Hoteliers should automate tasks and enhance guest experiences through strategic preparation and thoughtful service. These elements can boost guest satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue.

🏨 Sarah Dinger, Executive Vice President of Franchise Operations at My Place Hotels and Chair of AHLA’s ForWard Advisory Committee, discusses career growth in hospitality. She emphasizes embracing uncomfortable opportunities and mentorship for professional development. The episode provides insights on women's leadership in the industry. 🎧 Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound enhances the experience. Share with your team to implement strategies and enhance your hospitality business.

📚 Sarah Dinger, Executive VP of Franchise Operations at My Place Hotels, highlights the impact of training and development on guest satisfaction and business growth. Her team employs a dedicated group to visit properties regularly, ensuring consistent quality and excellence. Investing in people fosters guest loyalty and long-term success. This innovative approach benefits the business and those it serves, underscoring the importance of continuous development in the hospitality industry.

🏨 Sarah highlights the importance of team empowerment in building a successful brand. She emphasizes collaboration, relationships, and focusing on guest experiences, stating that clean, comfortable rooms, and good guest experiences are crucial for hospitality. This philosophy originates from Ron, the founder of Super 8. Josiah notes the connection between marketing and operations, with Sarah, formerly a director of marketing, asserting that brand success depends on people, culture, and interactions, not solely on marketing activities.

🏨 Sarah started with My Place in 2012 as the first employee, working alongside founders Ron and Ryan Rivett. The company, with over 40 years of hospitality experience, opened its first property in Dickinson, North Dakota, followed by Minot, ND and Cheyenne, WY. My Place's mission is rooted in "welcome, build, and serve," emphasizing authentic guest interactions and adaptable best practices. Training and connecting with front-line staff are prioritized to ensure exceptional service. Sarah highlights the importance of genuine human connection in hospitality.

🛏 A hotel bed setup impacts brand perception. This guide, authored by Vanshikha Dhar and published on July 14, 2025, on the Hotelogix Blog, provides styles, cleaning tips, and readiness insights to impress guests. The article is found at https://blog.hotelogix.com/hotel-bed-making/.

📈 In 2025, small hotels in Thailand face challenges like higher guest expectations and competition. Cloud PMS systems are essential for efficient management. Hotelogix, priced at ~$4/room monthly, offers OTA sync, mobile access, and a free demo. Alternatives include eZee Absolute ($31–60), Ace Hotel System, OASIS PMS ($20–35), Cloudbeds ($50–120), and RMS Cloud ($50–90). These systems, suitable for various hotel sizes, promise easy setup and local support.

📍 The ibis Paris Tour Montparnasse hotel, located in the Montparnasse district near France's busy train station, maintained strong performance due to strategic location and brand recognition. Acquired in 2019, it underwent significant renovations but stayed operational. Despite a 2020 drop in occupancy, it rebounded with rates over €100. EXTENDAM achieved over 10% IRR on its sale, reflecting successful asset management. EXTENDAM also sold other properties in Paris, Grenoble, Saint-Étienne, and Valence in 2024.

🍴 Bret Thorn, since 1999, is a senior food & beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News in Brooklyn, NY. Educated at Tufts University (BA in history, 1990) and Le Cordon Bleu (1986), he covers F&B trends, wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), and won a 2006 journalism award. He's been active in the industry since 1989, having worked in Thailand and for ABC News. Thorn contributes to various publications and authored entries in major food encyclopedias.