Hotel investors are decidedly optimistic

This week, we’re celebrating positive momentum in hospitality. U.S. hotel investors are decidedly optimistic and AI is leading the way in streamlining everything everywhere all at once (particularly tracking costs in real time). We’re also listening in on a conversation with Godfrey Hotels creator John Rutledge and his insights on why boutique brands are thriving. But first: ahead of The White Lotus' Season 3 debut, here's what one writer had to say about her stay at the hotel where the show was primarily filmed.

Boutique brands: sitting pretty. Why are smaller, independent properties thriving? John Rutledge, founder of Oxford Capital Group and creator of the Godfrey Hotels, has a few thoughts on the subject.

Business optimism is on the rise. Based on current economic conditions, higher-end hotels are expected to drive industry performance.

Personal growth on the go. The podcast space is booming. If you’re looking to add new ones into your rotation, here are 39 hospitality podcast options. 

Los Angeles is open for business. At the ALIS conference held last week, Visit California and the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board shared that hotels, restaurants and venues remain fully operational and are “eager to welcome visitors.”

Golf packages are solid revenue drivers. Pickleball may be all the rage, but golf-inclusive experiences are still a premium draw for resorts.

'Every inch of the property is a playground for guest experiences'

Rising from executive vice president to COO to president in less than two years, Andrew Casperson has been making waves at Coury Hospitality. Here, he shares with Mint Pillow why partner relationship building and championing the guest experience are key to managing independent lifestyle hotels. -Jennifer Glatt

Choosing a management company means relinquishing all control—true or false, and why?

False. While you do need to trust your management company’s expertise and allow them to spearhead your operations, maximum impact comes when hotel owners and management companies are true collaborators. At Coury, we prioritize building strong relationships with our partners. They trust our approach and ability to deliver operational excellence and exceptional guest experiences and grant us the autonomy to do so, while we trust their vision for the essence of the property and work to bring it to life.

At what point should a hotel owner outsource operations to a management company?

The best time to outsource operations to a management company for a new hotel is in the development phase. Having an expert management team involved from day one is a game-changer for success in the early days, and will set the stage for the long-term growth and profitability of the property. However, it's never too late for an owner to consider outsourcing operations. If an owner of an existing property isn’t seeing the results they should be, or if they feel like they can do more, it’s time to consider a management company. The hospitality industry faces unique challenges that make it very easy to fail if you don’t have expert partners.

How can boutique/independent hotels stand out?

The benefit of independent, lifestyle hotels is that you have more autonomy to create a truly unique property with diverse offerings that stand out, and both understands and speaks to the local community and travelers. At Hotel Vin in Grapevine, Tex., for example, over 50% of our marketing focuses on food and beverage, with 80% of that effort dedicated to our beverage program. Given that 80% of our guests are locals, we’ve tailored our marketing efforts to resonate with the local community, emphasizing the educational and experiential nature of our wine and spirits offerings.

 How do you maximize revenue at your managed properties, especially when demand is low?

Today’s traveler craves unique experiences and unforgettable memories. At Coury, two of our most important pillars to maximize revenue are “activating every inch” and leading with F&B. We believe that every inch of the property is a playground for guest experiences. We turn unused storage rooms into hidden speakeasies, host wine dinners and chef-led pasta-making classes, themed pop-up bars, or live music in our restaurants. We also emphasize our F&B programs—we like to say that we are “restaurants with rooms,” rather than hotels with restaurants—with creative beverage menus focused on wine and spirits education and world-class culinary experiences. When the local community is engaged and coming together into a restaurant or a bar inside of a hotel, that’s how we know our execution is on point.

Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Above: The lobby at Hotel Vin. (Courtesy of Coury Hospitality)

The boutique hotel media maverick

Brandon Berkson founded Hotels Above Par during the pandemic while on furlough, driven by a desire to support boutique hotels during the hospitality industry’s darkest hours. With a career that began as a bellboy at a boutique hotel in San Francisco and later took him through travel PR roles in London and NYC, Berkson had the industry expertise to spot a major gap in the media market. He launched a publication focused on boutique hotels and boutique travel—delivering digestible content, with every article under 800 words, tailored specifically for Millennials with short attention spans overwhelmed by information in a hyper-connected world.

Berkson also recognized that Millennials primarily consume news first on Instagram, so he merged editorial with social media. By enlisting a roster of celebrated travel journalists to write articles that went live across a trifecta of channels—Instagram, website and newsletter—he effectively targeted his digital-first, 25-44 audience.

Hotels Above Par has since evolved from a fun Instagram page keeping wanderlust alive during the lockdown, to a full-fledged media company with over 400,000 total readers. The platform has become a go-to for those, like Berkson, who are obsessed with boutique hotels and prefer them over hyper-commercialized mega-resorts.

Berkson has also partnered with leading brands, from Audi to Destination Toronto, and is gradually rolling out a booking platform, further expanding the ways he connects his audience to the boutique stays they are looking for when planning a trip.

Hybrid spaces are hot

Want to know where hospitality design is headed in 2025? Interior designers say they’re “seeing a shift away from conventional, compartmentalized hotel layouts toward more fluid, purpose-driven spaces.” Lobbies are not just for checking in anymore. Eat, drink, work or socialize (or better yet, do them all at once!). Industry experts identify eight design trends for hotels in the year ahead, including “accessible luxury,” holistic wellness and mindful consumption.

Why it matters: Every single aspect of the guest experience is influenced by a property’s design. "Making luxury available to everyone means a hotel visit will be more than time well spent—it’s an experience to connect with,” says Joanna Breda, design director, IA Interior Architects. Personalized service opportunities, health-forward amenities and elite fitness areas—complete with well-designed sauna and steam rooms? Check us in immediately. (Hospitality Design)

Show me the money

Hotel technology solution provider Reeco secured $15 million in its latest funding round. The company has been developing an AI-driven procure-to-pay platform specifically designed for the hotel industry to streamline back-of-house operations including receiving, inventory and accounts payable.

Why it matters: Tracking costs in real time could be transformative, potentially improving profit margins and operational efficiency. Hoteliers are taking notice. In less than two years, the Israeli-based company, with U.S. headquarters in Miami, has achieved an 800% adoption growth rate. (Hotel Technology News)

What are your intentions?

To assess the climate and sentiment for hotel investment in 2025, CBRE conducted its second annual U.S. Hotel Investor Intentions Survey in Q4 2024. Looks like people are feeling optimistic, "with 94% of those recently surveyed by CBRE expecting to maintain or increase their hotel investments in 2025, compared with 85% last year."

Why it matters: In a word: returns. More optimistic total return prospects were cited by 19% of respondents as a primary reason to increase their hotel allocations; another 19% cited price adjustments. On the independent hotel front, investors appear more “bullish" on these gems, with 14% expecting to acquire them this year vs. 10% last year. (CBRE)

Leveling the playing field

Can AI give women in hospitality a boost? Hertelier contributors seem to think so. According to academics from the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Miranda Kitterlin-Lynch and Dale Gomez, AI can benefit women in hospitality, paving the way for a more equitable industry and helping hotels thrive. Authors posit that AI can reduce bias and promote inclusivity in hiring and empower women to expand their skill sets to grow their careers.

Why it matters: AI could be a pathway to inclusion. “As AI reshapes the industry, it provides women with tools and opportunities to break through long-standing barriers and succeed in leadership and tech-driven roles,” they say. Democratizing data-driven decision making, elevating customer interaction roles and automating routine, physically demanding or administrative tasks can create a work environment that is less taxing and more fulfilling. And that’s something we can all get behind. (Hertelier)

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