Market Trends

🏡 London-based design studio Tatjana von Stein created the interior for Làlia, a private members' club in Palma, Mallorca, collaborating with local practice Gras Reynès Arquitectos. The club, set in a historic townhouse, spans four levels and includes workspaces, a restaurant, bar, gym, and event spaces. The design pays homage to local Mallorcan colors and incorporates a jewel-toned palette with artisanal elements like velvet banquette seating from Textil Bujosa. Local artisans crafted bespoke elements, such as pyrolave lava stone tables and Binissalem stone sinks. The renovation repurposed original features like reclaimed tiled flooring and marble fireplaces, emphasizing local materials and sustainability.

📝 On September 2, 2024, customer service expert and author Micah Solomon featured in an episode sharing insights on creating memorable customer experiences. He discussed the three levels of customer service, the practice of idiosyncratic mystery shopping, and the importance of language and prompt greetings in handling complaints. Solomon's background includes managing a manufacturing company and co-authoring with a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company member, drawing from his detailed-oriented childhood experiences. The principles of customer service were highlighted as broadly applicable due to their foundation in human nature understanding.

🎭 L'Abysse Monte Carlo, a 90-square-metre restaurant located in Hôtel Hermitage, Monaco, showcases a design inspired by the Seto Inland Sea archipelago and Japanese prints. Chef Yannick Alléno and sushi expert Yasunari Okazaki offer a Franco-Japanese culinary experience. Designer Laurence Bonnel and Rowin Atelier incorporate materials such as marble, travertine, wood, ceramics, and velvet, with a color palette featuring coral, indigo, and pink. Art installations like William Coggin's Coral Wall add to the ambiance.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, hosts the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn". He wrote for The New York Sun from 2005-2008. Previously, Thorn spent five years in Thailand writing for Manager magazine and Asia Times. A graduate of Tufts University (1990) and Le Cordon Bleu Paris (1986), he won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Inducted into the Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014, Thorn lives in Brooklyn, NY. Contact him at [email protected] and follow on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

💸 Over 87% of GDS hotel reservations in 2024 are for business travel, surpassing 2019's peak. GDS connects over 600,000 travel agents to real-time hotel availability. Hotels with 40+ rooms located near business hubs, airports, or tourist spots are ideal for GDS listings. Evaluating factors like target demographic, location, demand, GDS fees, and technical capabilities is crucial in deciding if GDS is suitable for a property.

🍚 Soy Cowboy, a Pan-Asian restaurant, opened in Arlington, Texas inside the Loews Arlington hotel. Ben Berg of Berg Hospitality Group, a key figure in the Texas dining scene since 2015, established the restaurant with a unique concept focusing on shareable dishes. Soy Cowboy avoids the typical "hotel restaurant" feel by providing a separate entrance and aiming for a standalone fine dining experience. The team adapts service to accommodate convention crowds and Dallas Cowboys gameday visitors, striving for full fine dining service without sacrificing quality or speed. Despite operational challenges, it has received high service ratings on OpenTable.

🏨 In the August 26, 2024 episode of the Hospitality Daily Podcast, Staypineapple Hotels leaders Dina Belon (President), Mike Hirschler (Chief Growth Officer), and Casey Barks (Vice President of Marketing) discuss their career journeys. Belon highlights the role of her design background in leadership, the brand's "elegant whimsy" aesthetic, and her philosophy of kindness with efficiency. Hirschler reflects on his early passion for hospitality, career challenges during COVID, and the importance of cultural fit. Barks offers insights into the contrasts between city and resort hotels, PR during the pandemic, and Staypineapple's brand personality. The episode explores the PATH water bottle initiative and Belon's decision-making process.

🏡 Mirzoyan Studio renovated a two-bedroom Stalinka apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine, transforming it into a rental property with reflective surfaces and built-in oak furniture. The historical building's structural integrity influenced the careful planning and preservation of its character. The main living space now combines the living room and kitchen, separated by a wooden shelving unit, with stainless steel kitchen finishes. Mirrored closets and broken marble from a local supplier enhance the entryway and bathroom. Despite war-related construction delays and budget cuts, the project emphasized durable design and local materials.

🏠 YSG Studio renovated a seaside home in Byron Bay, Australia, with retro 1970s-inspired interiors. YSG director Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem designed period details like a sunken lounge, chrome additions, and a geometric patterned floor titled Checkmate. The kitchen was doubled in size, featuring a wooden screen and circular island. Vintage Italian dining chairs were reupholstered in chartreuse velvet, and terracotta pavers were laid in a grid pattern in living areas. Custom and vintage furniture pieces, including a Cassina Soriana chair, adorn the home.

🏩 Ernest Lee, Chief Commercial Officer at citizenM, highlights the significance of partnerships and collaborations in a podcast episode dated August 23, 2024. He discusses citizenM's approach to creating unique experiences, engaging target audiences, and leveraging resources efficiently. Lee also details a partnership with Yes Theory, a content creation team with nine million YouTube subscribers, showcasing the alignment with citizenM's brand mission. The episode is supported by Sojern, emphasizing the importance of building profitable guest relationships.