What Will You Paint on Your Canvas?
Using painting metaphors, the author explores how hospitality professionals can approach new opportunities with strategic planning and creative execution.
By Gary Hernbroth, Founder, Training for Winners
General Management
From single property to scalable brand: lessons from a decade of growth at C-Hotels
C-Hotels Co-Owner Inge Decuypere shares ten years of scaling lessons, from centralization and data-driven decisions to deflagging from a major brand.
HSMAI Europe Launches UK Advisory Board to Strengthen Community, Insight, and Industry Leadership
Keith Butler of Radisson Hotel Group will chair the new board alongside two other industry professionals to strengthen UK hospitality networking and professional development.
You are Running from the Wrong Discomfort.
This leadership newsletter explores when discomfort signals growth opportunities versus the need to change environments in hospitality operations.
By Franck Desplechin, CEO Founder | F&B Expert, Cheffranck.com
Expert Views (8)
David Salcfas, General Manager, Hard Rock
The Hard Rock Hotel New York is clearly adapting to Gen Z’s modern view of luxury, shifting away from traditional extravagance and toward immersive experiences, personalization, creativity, and visually compelling spaces. The hotel delivers this through music‑infused amenities, rooftop social environments, bold design, and cultural programming that make the stay feel expressive and memorable.
Mark Lee, General Manager, Media One Hotel
I think we mustn't confuse luxury with lifestyle. Gen Z's are currently in the 14-29 yr old range and there will be an extremely small percentage of them with the financial clout to enter into the luxury segment. Either way, hotels need to be tech-savvy, from their marketing approach to their services & facilities on offer.
Javier Martinez, General Manager, Director of Operations, Hospitality Leader
Gen Z is reframing luxury. True luxury evolves to intention, cultural relevance, and emotional resonance, not by traditional symbols of status. They look for brands that know who they are, operate with purpose, and deliver experiences that feel crafted rather than standardized.The hotels that connect with this generation are those capable of offering high‑touch personalization with seamless, low‑friction operations, while staying authentic to their heritage.
Stop Making Resolutions. Start Building Results.
The author outlines a five-step framework for leaders to replace failed New Year's resolutions with actionable business plans that drive measurable results.
By Gary Hernbroth, Founder, Training for Winners
Leadership Is a Team Sport: What Hospitality Can Learn from the World's Greatest Athletes
What sport and hospitality have always had in common: it's never about the stadium or the hotel, it's about the team.
By Bernold Schroeder, International hotelier, entrepreneur, and mentor
The Strategic Value of Industry Awards Across the Business Lifecycle
The analysis examines how industry awards like Michelin stars provide different strategic value at various business stages, from early-stage visibility to potential creative constraints for established operators.
By Margarita Cruz, Associate Professor of Corporate Strategy and Entrepreneurship EHL Hospitality Business, EHL
The Future of Hotels Will Not Be Won by More Bookings, It Will Be Won by Better Thinking
The article argues hotels must shift from volume-driven to intelligence-driven growth, focusing on guest understanding and experience design rather than simply capturing more bookings.
By Are Morch, Digital Transformation Coach for Hotels, Are Morch, Digital Transformation Coach
Luxury vs. Ultra-Luxury Hospitality — Where the Line Is Actually Drawn
The article defines ultra-luxury as individualized, anticipatory experiences versus luxury's consistent standardization, with ultra-luxury achieving 2-3x ADR premiums.
By Ray Minias, Principal of REM Business & Hospitality Consulting, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
What Breaks When You Add Another Property
Explores how hospitality culture and guest experience quality deteriorate when expanding from one property to multiple locations without formal operating structures.
By Hideki Hayashi, Founder, Pulse Hospitality Group
Scaling Smart: How Independent Operators are Earning a Competitive Advantage
Independent hotel operators can compete with major brands by combining operational discipline with experience-driven strategies and local relevance.
By John Paul Nichols, President and CEO of Club Quarters Hotels, Club Quarters
Human X Summit: Pioneering the Future of Hospitality with Innovation and Humanity
EHL's HumanX Summit 2026 in Lausanne will bring together 600 participants to debate balancing technology with humanity in hospitality leadership strategy.
Newport to Bring ‘Living Hospitality’ to Life at 2026 Leadership Retreat
Newport's annual retreat brings together 200+ leaders for education on AI marketing, data analytics, and profit-first strategies while strengthening vendor partnerships.
GM: The CEO of the Hotel
Industry experts discuss how centralizing back-office functions allows hotel GMs to focus on leadership and business strategy rather than operational processes.
By Jason Q. Freed, Hospitality Data Evangelist, Otelier
President Trump’s Approach Keeps Aviation Running—Congress Should Follow
The organization calls for legislation guaranteeing TSA and air traffic controller pay during shutdowns after two disruptions in six months cost billions.
AHLA Statement on the passing of Kirk Kinsell
Former Loews Hotels CEO and IHG Americas President remembered for his leadership at AHLA and commitment to developing young hospitality professionals.
How's Business? A Reality Check from Miami Beach
Despite strong demand, Miami Beach operators face tightening margins due to misaligned policies and lack of coordination between tourism stakeholders.
The U.S. Hotel Industry is: Stable? Wobbly? Tilt! A “Current State Diagnostic”
A hotel consultant advocates for leaders to conduct regular "diagnostics" by listening directly to frontline staff to uncover operational challenges that financial data alone cannot reveal.
By Haydn Kramer, Consultant, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
A Room For The Night
The author uses Voyager 2's journey through space to reflect on hospitality's obsession with technology versus the fundamental human act of welcoming strangers.
By Mark Fancourt, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant, TRAVHOTECH