Market Trends

🌡 VRF systems offer hotels simultaneous heating and cooling with two-pipe design, reducing installation complexity and costs. NoMad Los Angeles, a 241-room property, and Moxy Columbus, Ohio, a 150,000 square-foot building, installed Mitsubishi Electric CITY MULTI® VRF for space efficiency and operational cost reduction. CBRE's report emphasizes the financial benefits of high-efficiency HVAC systems, with VRF systems providing energy savings through modulated output based on demand. Hybrid VRF systems further enhance efficiency by combining refrigerant and water-based indoor distribution, suitable for hotels with limited space.

🍽 Indonesia's food and foodservice sectors are evolving rapidly, compared to the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. Key growth trends include digital adoption and innovation in packaged food and out-of-home dining. GlobalData's insights reveal shifts in consumer behavior, menu trends, and channel performance, with technology increasingly blurring retail and foodservice lines. This strategic session, tailored for Strategy and Insights professionals in FMCG and foodservice, provides actionable benchmarks for portfolio planning, channel strategy, and regional investment.

🏠 Opera Contemporary, a luxury furniture brand, furnished the sleeping area of Hilltop House, a private villa in Metro Manila, Philippines, curated by Moda Interni and Casa Licup. The master bedroom features a Dorothy bed with a green bouclé fabric headboard, 350 cm wide, and accommodates a 200x200 cm mattress. Additional pieces include the Fritz bench, Sophie armchair, and a Ø120-cm New Brian coffee table with Arabescato Vagli marble. Opera Contemporary highlighted bespoke Italian craftsmanship.

📺 May 13, 2025, Ben Wolff, co-founder of Onera and CEO of Oasi, discusses the evolving expectations of travelers on the Hospitality Daily Podcast. He highlights how providing immersive and participatory experiences can create deeper emotional connections and memorable guest experiences. The episode urges businesses to adopt these strategies to benefit both their operations and customers. For more insights, check out Ben's LinkedIn post and other episodes.

📖 May 12, 2025 - Ben Wolff, co-founder of Onera and CEO of Oasi, discusses his view of hotel development as an artistic endeavor rather than just a business venture. The episode encourages listeners to harness creativity to benefit their business and team. For further inspiration, the music for the show is crafted by Clay Bassford from Bespoke Sound, a company specializing in music identity design for hospitality brands.

🏨 Robert Mandelbaum, Research Director at CBRE Hotels, leverages over 80 years of hotel performance data to analyze changes in guest behaviors and service expectations. He emphasizes the need to comprehend the essential factors behind hotel success. Further insights can be found in the series including "Meet Robert Mandelbaum: The Man Who Turns P&Ls into Playbooks".

🏨 Robert Mandelbaum, Research Director at CBRE Hotels, discusses hotel industry profitability strategies amidst slowing revenue growth. He emphasizes the distinct performance of luxury versus economy hotels, the influence of location, and the effects of various operating models. More resources can be found at Hospitality Daily.

🎭 Launched in May 2025, 'The Power of Hospitality Podcast' by Jupiter Humphrey-Bishop features interviews with influential luxury hospitality professionals. Guests include a luxury event planner, award-winning mixologist, five-star hotel butler, head concierge, luxury champagne brand manager, and hospitality business owner. The podcast explores career journeys, success, and the emotional intelligence required in luxury hospitality. Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Jupiterluxuryhospitality.com, following Jupiter's 2024 Discovering Hospitality Blog on London's luxury venues.

🌸 From 1 May to 1 June 2025, Sketch in Mayfair, London, will host the 11th edition of 'Sketch in Bloom' celebrating Jane Austen's 250th birthday with floral tributes. Floral designers like Lucy Vail Floristry, Ricky Paul, and Rob Van Helden will create installations, while 200 copies each of "Pride & Prejudice" and "Emma" will be available as limited-edition Vintage Collector’s Classics. An Austen-inspired afternoon tea set costs £115 per person, and a 3 Michelin Star lunch menu is priced at £150.