Hospitality Daily

🎙️ Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation between our Founder, Juanjo Rodriguez, and Josiah Mackenzie, host of the Hospitality Daily Podcast. Listen in as they discuss the opportunities awaiting hoteliers as technology continues to advance in the industry and how it can be used to drive direct bookings. We could go on, but Juanjo says it best. Check it out ⬇️ #hospitalitytech #directbookings #personalization

let’s go! 🙌🏻🚀

Today, there’s a huge opportunity to leverage technology—especially AI—to boost your hotel’s performance from the very first interaction with guests. To explore this, I’m excited to share a #sponsored masterclass on driving direct bookings with Juanjo Rodriguez, founder of The Hotels Network. His expertise has helped more hotels succeed in this area than anyone else - more than 20,000 worldwide to date and quickly growing. 🎧 Listen to the Hospitality Daily Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts The big idea: Technology now empowers hotels to compete with OTAs and drive direct bookings like never before. "The future is already here; it’s just not evenly distributed - and that’s especially true with hotels." - Juanjo Rodriguez Why this matters: Direct bookings drive higher profit margins, give hotels more control over the guest experience, and build stronger guest relationships. Prioritizing direct channels helps reduce OTA commissions, capture valuable data for personalized service, and foster loyalty. In today’s fast-changing market, hotels focusing on direct growth can adapt quickly, boost revenue, and deliver tailored experiences that keep guests coming back. Learn about how your hotels can drive direct growth here now: 🎧 On the Hospitality Daily Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gqV-c7bp 📺 On the Hospitality Daily YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/gSxtvFsv

How do you balance delivering exceptional guest experiences with driving profitability? Can these two goals of hospitality businesses truly align, or are they always in conflict? Today, Leanne Harwood, the Head of Luxury and Lifestyle Brands for the Americas at IHG, shows us how it’s done there. 🎧 Listen to her now on the Hospitality Daily Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts The big idea: Providing exceptional experiences to guests and profits to owners/investors don't have to be mutually exclusive—they're actually "in harmony," Leanne says—but achieving this requires clarity from leadership, shared accountability, and smart investments. Why this matters: Generating profits is more important than ever in this economy and operating environment. The temptation can be to deliver profits through slashing budgets that affect the employee and guest experience, but that's short-sighted and ultimately hurts hospitality businesses. Want more on this? 🎧 Listen to the Hospitality Daily Podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gAEar4jg 📥 Get my recap with steps for putting this into action at HospitalityDaily.com ♻️ If you learned something here, repost it with your thoughts to help someone else! 👋 And if you're new here, I'm Josiah Mackenzie, and I invite you to follow this page (Hospitality Daily) for more stories like this I share each day

Great to meet up with Sébastien FELIX - listen to us talk about why your marketing needs to be more emotional here: https://lnkd.in/gAW2e8f5

let me know in the comments – would love to get your questions in!

Today, we get a look behind the scenes at what makes IHG Hotels & Resorts such a powerful force in hospitality today. Leanne Harwood is an influential hospitality leader currently serving as the Head of Luxury and Lifestyle Brands for the Americas at IHG and shares what she's seen and is seeing now. The big idea: Investing in your people is the key to delivering exceptional guest experiences and driving success in the hospitality industry. "You can have a stunning hotel but the worst guest experience. It’s the people that make the difference." Why this matters: A beautiful hotel is not enough in today's competitive hospitality landscape. It's how the people working there show up and act that makes the difference. Engaged staff are more likely to deliver true hospitality, which leads to satisfied guests and, ultimately, better returns for owners. As a hospitality leader, focusing on your team's development and well-being is crucial to creating a positive cycle of success for all stakeholders. In today's episode, Leanne discusses in detail the programs they've built and what makes them so effective for developing future leaders and hospitality talent. 🎧 Listen to Leanne talk all about this now on the Hospitality Daily Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gSp8QG_g ♻ Repost this with your thoughts to help someone else ➕ Follow Hospitality Daily here for more stories like this 📥 Get my daily email with stories like this at HospitalityDaily.com

The best hospitality is in the simple gestures - even in a luxury resort. Today, Leanne Harwood, IHG's Head of Luxury, shares a story that beautifully illustrates this point. During a recent visit to Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas in Grenada, Leanne experienced exceptional hospitality from the moment she arrived: "There was a Grenadian gentleman waiting for us with the biggest smile... drove us to the other side of the island, telling us all about his country, where he was from, the history behind it." This warm welcome exemplifies the first key lesson: embrace local culture. The experience continued at the resort: "We went through the amazing Six Senses welcome... We were all sniffing all of their different spices that they had so that we could understand what the country was all about." This sensory introduction highlights another crucial point: engage multiple senses. But what truly stood out was a personal gesture: "He'd picked up what my favorite spice was when I was smelling all these wonderful spices. And he'd organized it for it to be in my room waiting for me... I was just delighted that he'd gone to that extent to be able to do that." This experience underscores three more vital lessons: - Small touches matter: A simple, thoughtful gesture created a lasting impression. - Personalization is key: Paying attention to preferences creates a tailored experience. - Empower your staff: The driver's initiative shows the impact of empowering employees. Leanne's exceptional experience extended to departure, with a unique nutmeg-grating ritual, highlighting the final takeaway: create a cohesive experience throughout the stay. Remember, luxury isn't just about lavish amenities - it's about creating meaningful, personalized moments. Do you have a story of delightful small touches like this? Share it below in the comments - I'd love to hear it! 🎧 Listen to the Hospitality Daily Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to hear Leanne tell this story in her own words in more detail ♻️ If you learned something here, repost it with your thoughts to help someone else! 👋 And if you're new here, I'm Josiah Mackenzie, and I invite you to follow this page (Hospitality Daily) for more stories like this I share each day

I'm curious...

"The market may be struggling, but the reason we do so well at Reneson Hotels is the people and processes we have in place. If you please your guests, they’re not thinking about price next time they are in the area." - Scott Curran If you want to understand the top challenges and opportunities for making money with hotels, there are few better to learn from than our guest today, Reneson's Chief Operating Officer Scott Curran. The big idea: Empowering hotel staff and focusing on exceptional guest service is the key to driving revenue and profits, even in challenging times. By empowering your staff to delight guests and solve problems, you can escape the "commodity trap" and build a loyal customer base that is less sensitive to price. In a time when many hotels are struggling, doubling down on the fundamentals of great service can be the key to thriving. Why this matters: In today's tough operating environment, it's easy to get caught up in cutting costs and chasing short-term profits. However, as Scott has observed and shares, investing in your people and providing outstanding service is what truly sets hotels apart and keeps guests coming back - even today. Put this into action: • Give your staff the authority to do what it takes to achieve the goal of making guests "100% happy, 100% of the time." Make sure they know you will back them up. • Look for ways to use technology to enhance human connection and personalized service, not replace it. For example, use messaging tools that allow guests to connect with real staff members. • Proactively think about making challenging jobs, like housekeeping, easier and more manageable for your team. Small changes like ensuring carts aren't too heavy or that staff get adequate breaks can make a big difference. • Stay connected with staff at all levels - get to know them personally and give them direct access to you to ask questions and share feedback. Want more? 🎧 Listen to the Hospitality Daily Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts ➕ Follow Hospitality Daily here for more stories like this 📥 Get my daily email with stories like this at HospitalityDaily.com