Hotel Interactive Radio Show, This Week in Hospitality

You may know Teresa Strasser from her time on the Adam Carolla radio show and from TV’s The List. She’s also a family travel expert for Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ consumer facing youmustetripping.com website. Glenn’s always loved her wit and willingness to exploit herself, but mostly her children, for a good laugh that delivers practical information and the truth about our shared human experience. You’ll learn all about what family’s really want from a hotel experience and how you can better appeal to all types of families. You’ll love and laugh with this show as Glenn tries to keep up with her hysterical stream of confidence.

Never a fan of the restaurants, Glenn chats with Marco and admits he feels connected to the brand when it’s in hotel form. It’s a tough thing to admit, but when you have a company that really knows its essence and how to relate to its customers you get a winning product and a unique experience. That’s what a great hotel company is all about and in this show you’ll learn all about how it appeals to its customers and where it’s going. And boy are they going. You won’t believe how much this company is expanding. We reveal how!

In this episode Glenn speaks with the President & CEO of Outrigger Resorts David Carey. They discuss: The company’s incredible 68 year history and how it’s founder created modern Hawaii tourism How the company straddles continents and appeals to varied groups of people How they fit into the Hawaiian market and their expansion plans throughout Asia/Pacific How the company has embraced sustainability in an organic way Much Much more

They discuss: Overall success of Red Roof, RevPAR Index growth Launch of Red Roof PLUS+ and the upscale economy segment Listening to customers and implementing those ideas into product design Delivering meaningful customer service. Discussing the company’s growth strategy in detail, including Canada, Brazil and Thailand. And how these executives found success in the hotel business.

Technology and knowhow have conspired to reinvent how you ensure your hotel is getting the best price for every room, every single day of the year. To help us through this new paradigm Glenn speaks with two leaders from Duetto, which provides revenue strategy solutions for the industry in a wholly new way. They are Patrick Bosworth, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder and Marco Benvenuti, Chief Analytics and Product Officer and Co-Founder. They have a wide ranging discussion about the history of setting property pricing, how it’s changed and why and what you need to do about keeping up the latest techniques. Missing this podcast means missing out on your profit potential. Listen today!

We learn about the history of the company, why management companies seem to have exploded on the scene during the past 15 years, and what it’s like growing up in the business and how the hotels industry has changed over time. Plus, they discuss staying sharp with your business acumen during this unbelievable record breaking time. We don’t want you to get lazy now!

To help us discover that excellence within you, we have Matt Woodruff, SVP Brand and Guest Excellence of Hospitality Ventures Management Group. They talk about creating the ultimate guest experience by imbuing an attitude of excellence in their associates which leads to better customer service. It’s a lot more complicated than just an attitudinal shift by creating the ‘excellence’ mindset. It’s completely different than being ‘good’ and we share how you and you

At some point he realized while design is great, ownership is where people are finding the most success. We learn how he started with small slices of ownership investment and how he is building a major property portfolio. He’s even bringing a major Chinese hotel brand here to the United States, a very interesting strategy we haven’t seen before. They also discuss how to keep creative and how to keep pushing yourself so you never rest on your laurels, giving back through charitable efforts and more.

The guys chat about many issues including the state of extended stay and how Marriott is emphasizing its extended stay brands such as TownePlace Suites, ensuring guests are empowered to keep their home routine while on the road, embracing new technology such as mobile check in and how to keep customer service up to par in this new world. Very informative chat where you are sure to learn much more than expected.

To Larry Broughton there is a severe leadership gap in the hotel business and we explore the reasons why. But he also has an answer and in this wide ranging podcast we talk about leadership and what that really means. Beyond that we dissect American society to better understand how our psyches and life experiences mold our attitudes and points of view when it comes to our professional careers. We also talk about why grit is so important and how Larry coming from an army Green Beret background shaped the way he does business. He’s also the founder of yoogozi.com, a site dedicated to making you a better leader. This is a truly fascinating interview that not only gives insight to an amazing hospitality professional, but provides a great examination of the human condition.

They talk about so many topics in this free flowing conversation it’s a great ride listening to it all come together. Topic include: The effectiveness of humor in advertising, successfully mastering humor to break through advertising clutter, utilizing microsites to enhance branding, finding the right way to connect with your guest through marketing, debunking the myth of the millennial traveler while also deciphering how to earn their future business as they age, the company’s new Del Sol construction prototype, and most importantly we hear Wayne’s journey to the CEO position and the skills he developed to get him there.

Camelback is a major ski area and they’ve been upping the summer fun quotient too. So we took opportunity to speak with Michelle Wescott, Director of Group Sales on how the new property will change the area’s dynamic for both families and meetings. Mind you this is no ordinary hotel, but houses the largest indoor water park in the northeast United States as well as a host of other indoor and outdoor amenities. So we chat with Michelle about all sorts of topics such as how to attract families to your hotel and what’s hot in group meetings when it comes to a new era of team building events. So much to learn from in this one. Plus, Glenn survived zip lining which was certainly not expected.

This wide ranging interview covers the state of their brands, the rapidly changing face of economy/budget hotels, what consumers really want and we get a better understanding of the man himself with some great tips for career minded people to find success in this business.

To understand the philosophy about the company’s new direction, we spoke with Bruce Haase, CEO and Mike Varner, SVP Brand Strategy and Marketing. The share all the info you need to know about why they made the big change, how it affects current hotels and the reason they feel this move is great for owners and customers. And of course we learn about the genesis of their newest and more upscale brand Woodspring Suites Signature. This is an amazing conversation about brand and consumer behavior evolution you don’t want to miss!

In fact he has Ron Pohl, SVP Brand Management; Mike Muir, VP North American Development and the developer of the first ever vib Richard Morello of Rebuild Miami Edgewater. Miami is a great place for the brand to debut and we get into all the specifics of the brand and why Rebuild Miami Edgewater has confidence this brand will deliver strong returns.

Glenn chats with Red Lion CEO Greg Mount and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Bill Linehan about their just closed deal to buy the GuestHouse International and Settle Inn portfolio, which will add 73 hotels to the company’s portfolio. But more important transforms the company from a regional player to a national powerhouse. They also discuss the new RL Hotel concept and many of the other exciting things going on throughout the organization.

So this week Glenn is chatting with HM Bookstore founder Rick Tomjenovic, who also happens to be a Partner in Tri-Star Hotel Group (http://www.tristarhotels.com) who’s in charge of operations and more. Rick is a guy who totally gets the importance of a well-trained team and wants to empower others to find new heights of success. In fact, he started HM Bookstore (www.hmbookstore.com) to give hoteliers the tools they need for success. They have amazing materials hoteliers can use to make sure their employees are the best at what they do. He’s joined by Pamela Barnhill, president and COO of InnSuites Hospitality Trust (NYSE: IHT) with 2 divisions, InnSuites Hotels & Suites which is her Owner/Operator group and InnDependent Boutique Collection (www.ibchotels.com), a group of 20,000 independent hotels. Pamela is not only a strong believer in training and customer service but also uses HM Bookstore with her team. The two groups have a new partnership, which they discuss too.

He’s chatting with Rajiv Trivedi, La Quinta’s Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer all about the new Del Sol prototype, the first of which is about to open. And to share his thoughts on the opening we also have the owner of that very hotel Mike Patel on the show too.

He’s chatting with the legendary Bruce Ford, SVP Business Development with Lodging econometrics about pretty much everything hotel industry related. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and there is a possibility you will learn something.

The guys really get into and talk about the fundamental changes coming to a hotel near you. Using the new concept they created along with Red Lion, we get a deep dive into the future of lodging. From how guests will use a hotel to ways owners can make more money, it’s all part of one of the most fascinating interviews you’ll hear all year.

So far it’s just in New Jersey and Nevada so Glenn tracked down Lawrence Vaughan who runs the online gaming site Real Gaming. Born out of the locals favorite South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, the guys talk all about this interesting aspect of the hospitality industry. Very educational and quite an interesting look at a facet of the industry that hasn’t been discussed much.

During the chat they break down $7.1 billion ski-industry and what that means for tourism in a top ski town. Additionally, Bill also shares his marketing expertise with us revealing how a city can come together as a collective to all find success. Did you know that Park City is the biggest ski resort in the USA after Vail Resorts bought Park City Mountain Resorts (PCMR) for $182.5 million this Sept. and announced they’ll connect Canyons Resorts and PCMR to form a 7,000-acre+mega resort. And did you know Park City is home to the Utah Olympic Park, the venue for several events during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and Sundance Film Festival. Approximately 45,000+ visitors spend on average a total of $63.9 million during this 10-day period (happening every January), making this world-renowned destination an expert in hosting major events in the tourism industry. You are going to find inspiration here and how to make successes in your market too

But he is super happy because he had the chance to line up two great interviews with amazing Hilton executives. First up is Jim Holthauser, EVP Global Brands for Hilton Worldwide. Jim also happens to be one of Glenn’s all-time favorite industry people and they have a great conversation on the state of travel today and how Hilton wants to overall up the experience quotient at its hotels through technology. It’s all about turning a transaction business into an experiential one. Then Glenn speaks with Mark Nogal, Regional Head, Focused Service Brand Management Europe, Middle East & Africa about Hilton Garden Inn expanding around the world. But even cooler is they chat about cultural differences that must be recognized as brands like HGI expand around the world. Great lesson and a fun listen too.

This week he’s at Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas and dives in deep with Assistant General Manager Gary Scott. We all know Hard Rock set the stage for cool Las Vegas when it first opened back in the mid-1990s. And we also know it expanded in a huge way by opening up new towers and an expanded casino. But ack! They did it just as the Great Recession destroyed the economy. Management fell, ownership changed a couple of times, management changed up again and now the property is looking to get its mojo back. Their execs are looking to become the champion of cool once again in Sin City. They’re already doing it with cool residencies such as Kiss, but there are many massive changes in store for this modern classic. . Since we recorded this interview the property announced a Journey residency this spring. Let’s get some tickets and meet up there! Scott shares how he sees the future of the property, how it’s going to make its core 45 year old plus clientele happy and how Hard Rock will again rule in Las Vegas. You’re going to love this interview because it’s honest and really shows these guys have the knowledge, wherewithal and gumption to make this property, well, Rock!

As a kid of the 80s, Editor-in-Chief Glenn Haussman grew up to the sounds of bands like Journey, Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi. Not all were amazing, but for good or bad they all got seared into his brain. So when he had the chance to interview a couple of guys from the cast of Rock of Ages (http://rockofagesmusical.com), which takes place in a Los Angeles music club in 1987, he doffed his mullet and parachute pants and knew it was hammer time. So this week Glenn chats with Troy Burgess, who plays club owner Dennis and Robert Torti, who plays the villain Hertz, in a great conversation focusing on the show, the 80s, what it’s like to be a star in a show in Las Vegas and much more. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but most importantly you’ll think back to the decadent decade and say to yourself, what was I thinking?

This week we’re once again in Vegas and talking food. Editor in Chief Glenn Haussman sits down with one of the most preeminent restaurateurs and industry influencers, Elizabeth Blau. (http://elizabethblau.com/) Now you may not know her name but she has influenced food across the country in a very real way. She owns restaurants in Las Vegas with partners such as Rock and Roll Chef Kerry Simon (Palms Place) and Cake Boss Buddy Valastro (Ventian/Palazzo) plus several of her own including the highly rated Honey Salt. She just reopened the famed Rainbow Room in NYC, and worked with many major hotel companies like Marriott and Ritz-Carlton and bigboy food chains like TGIFridays and IHOP. The show focuses on her story, current food trends and empowering you all out there how to make more money from your food. This show is a can’t miss experience and perfect to play at your holiday party. Christmas carols can wait!

Editor in Chief Glenn Haussman sits down with owner Michael Signorelli to chat about how the restaurant still remains relevant and incidentally delicious all these years later. We also hear great stories from the past regarding, Elvis, The Rat Pack and many more. Even Mario Andretti races his way into this tale. We’re also joined by Kevin Ball, who’s not just Corp. VP - Purchasing & Strategic Sourcing with American Casino & Entertainment Properties (you know the Stratosphere, right? It’s these guys) but also a huge fan. Then Bruce Ford of Lodging econometrics joins and everyone discusses what is right and wrong with modern Las Vegas and what the future beholds.

So when Editor in Chief Glenn Haussman was last in Vegas he sat down and chatted with him in what became one of the best interviews of the year. He has amazing perspective and has also just finished his tenure as Chairman of Meeting Planners International’s Board of Directors so he has amazing perspective. Really fun and fast paced conversation you’re guaranteed to love.

MGM Resorts International has a massive number of rooms on the Las Vegas Strip comprised of properties such as Bellagio, Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Aria and many more. With so many city sized properties in one place it’s amazing they can keep properties fully stocked. From bars of soap to bottles of booze anything and everything that is used or consumed must be sourced, ordered, paid for and delivered. And it’s up to the procurement department to make sure it all goes smooth. In this episode Editor-In-Chief Glenn Haussman chats with Mark Stolarczyk, VP of Global Procurement at MGM Resorts International to learn about how his team makes that happen. This is one show you want to miss and you’ll hear great inside stories not just about how they do it, but suppliers can get the inside track to get their products considered.

That would be Atlantic City. The city’s casino business is being decimated and in this episode we share with you the real reasons that precipitated the closure of a third of the city’s casinos. While we do feel bad about all those job losses, this market had decades to ensure the city’s vibrancy and frittered it away for easy money. So we examine what went wrong and how they should have taken a page from Las Vegas, a gaming town that continually and expertly reinvents itself.

Management companies have been around for decades, but after the Great Recession there was a sharp jump in the number of these companies as hotels looked for more profits.We chat with someone who has been in the business for decades and is a master hotelier. We’re talking about Bill DeForrest, President and CEO of Spire Hospitality. In the business for 35 years he shares stories from his career, what a long standing management company can do to a hotel’s bottom line and empowers YOU to be more successful with some amazing career advice.Visit them at http://www.spirehotels.com

In today’s show we learn all about this different approach to hospitality from the President and CEO of BridgeStreet Global Hospitality, Sean Worker. Sean had plenty of experience in the traditional hotel world before switching to this specific nice. You’ll hear about how this business work, why it’s successful, what are consumers’ expectations and what does this trend mean to your business. Get more information on BridgeStreet Global Hospitality at: http://www.bridgestreet.com/.

This week Glenn chats with Vantage Founder, President and CEO Roger Bloss to fully understand what the deal means to his company, hoteliers and the competition. We also get an update from Bloss on other stuff going on in the company and get his insight on some other stuff his company is working on and where he sees opportunity. Get more information on Vantage and the acquisition: www.vantagehospitality.com We go deep with this show to give you folks amazing insight.

First up is Judy Christa-Cathey, VP, Focused Service Brand Marketing, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Hotels. This is a great interview focusing on how people are wasting away their lives doing chores rather than spending time with family. We take a deep look at a new survey tied around Hampton’s Embrace Your Weekend Self campaign and how they are tying the survey to a great new marketing campaign that encourages people to take a special quiz determining the city that they should visit. Try the “What’s Your Ideal Weekend Getaway?” quiz and see where you should go next weekend. Then we chat with Bill Duncan, global head, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton to go over Home2’s and discuss Homewood’s expansion, the extended-stay market and new initiatives Hilton is rolling out for the brands on the consumer side.

http://www.hotelinteractive.com/goto.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hotelinteractive.com%2futility%2fplayer.aspx%3fcomp_id%3d62135%26audio_url%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.hotelinteractive.com%252fmedia%252fradio%252fEpisode_1

So for this week Glenn chats with John Yazbeck, Director of Sales and Marketing of the rebranded Wyndham New Yorker Hotel and we take you through what it’s like running a hotel through such a big project and how to position a hotel for a bright new future. It’s a very interesting and detailed chat you’ll find fascinating.

Here’s the scoop: Editor in Chief Glenn Haussman is in New York City getting set for the NYU Hospitality Conference and is chatting with Brice Ford of Lodging Econometrics. They talk about the state of the hotel industry, have some laughs and provide you with pointers on how to leverage the current lodging landscape. They also chat about trends and the North American hotel development pipeline.

Wogernese and his team are doing what the big brands have found elusive; building a brand focused on small town America. The all new construction brand and its sister conversion brand Boarders Inns and Suites are exploding and it’s amazing to us just how quick these folks are growing. Best part is the company never expected to see the success they had. In fact, they only did this company because people were demanding it. How could that be? We expose the ingredients of the secret sauce in this all American interview perfect for the Independence Day holiday weekend.

Of course he can’t do a show like this on his own so he gathered some of the crew together to make this show special. We have Mark Viola and back after some absence Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics. The guys chat about cultural differences in The Mediterranean, the true meaning of opulence and why do they seem to have it figured out in this part of the world. Then of course they cover the global hotel scene giving you incredible insight into the global new construction pipeline. Expect to laugh and learn with this episode.

So this week he chats with partner Rob Weakley about how Rose. Rabbit. Lie. is reinventing a trifecta of offerings by injecting more experience into meals and entertainment. We explore how this venue is going to again change the rules of Las Vegas while proving that creating something that is bigger and costs more money is inherently more impressive. Rose. Rabbit. Lie is akin to a Grateful Dead show, you never know what you are going to see and every experience is different. What are they doing? How are they pulling it off and why do they serve seven different types of ice cubes. This show gets to the bottom of these questions while showing you how to enhance your experience offerings.

They all explore what it takes to develop a new hotel that consumers crave and hotel developers find profitable. We also talk about maximizing space to increase sales throughout different day parts, creating the extended stay guest experience and a lot more than you ever expected.

First up we speak to Jon Gray, the VP/ General Manager of The Linq, a brand new district linking – of course – the Flamingo and The Quad with major new shopping, dining and entertainment options such as that massive new 550-foot tall observation reel. Glenn apologizes for being so effusive but sometimes he gets giddy when seeing a project that just makes so much sense! Here you’ll learn the history of the project and how it’s playing into current consumer trends. Then Glenn hoofs it over to Las Vegas’ ‘newest’ hotel, The Crowell. Which is opening in phases through Memorial Day. The former Bills Gambling Saloon is now a 188-room luxury hotel and we learn all about this getting smaller strategy in a city formally known for bigger is better. But smaller is smarter these days and we learn all about how this hotel plays into the latest trends from VP/ General Manager Karie Hall. We also get Hall’s insight on what it’s like to be a female executive in the male dominated casino business and she gives amazing insight on how to not get caught under that glass ceiling.r You won’t want to miss this one!

Since they’re at such an historic hotel, they decided to chat with Doug Browne, President of Peabody Hotels & Resorts as well as General Manager of the property. Lot’s of great stories here from Doug, who has seemingly met everyone there is to know; presidents, entertainers and even Oprah. Plus we take a look at the company’s new strategy of going asset light and pursuing management deals rather than ownership positions. Oh yea, we even find out what’s the deal with the ducks.

In the case of downtown Las Vegas, there has been a burst of new cultural centers, restaurants and bars that are turning this area into a true urban environment. And when mixed up with new casino resorts such as Downtown Grand, it’s had the effect of reenergizing and transforming this part of town into something very different than what you see on The Strip. To show you how far downtown has come we chat with Seth Schorr, the CEO of Downtown Grand (http://www.downtowngrand.com) about how they turned the ailing Lady Luck casino into an exciting new urban oasis that’s more like the Meatpacking District or Williamsburg in New York than a typical Las Vegas Casino. They discuss what it took to transform the property, how they expect to flourish, who they’re targeting and how and also how critical it is to be a part of the downtown community.

First up Mark speaks with Bob Cote with Tanque Verde Ranch. Bob and Mark talk about life on the ranch and discuss the ranch’s rich history. They also talk about the positive impact the ranch has on families and create long lasting memories. Of course all wouldn’t be complete without a discussion about the ranches amazing cuisine. Then he’s on to… Executive Sous Chef Jesse Hansen for the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. Jesse discusses what made him become a chef and the focus of “Proof" the cool and hip restaurant on the property and also discuss future food trends.

So for the April 11, 2014 show we start off with an interview with Hung Luk, COO of the Lam Group, a premier New York City hotel development company. Masters at creating new properties in the country’s hottest hotel market their next may prove to be a masterstroke. That project is of course the much anticipated Virgin Hotel New York. Not yet going vertical we get a sneak peek into the future and chat with Hung about this project their overall New York strategy. Then Glenn chats sustainability with JoAnna Abrams, CEO of Mindclick, whose business focuses on helping hotels become environmentally focused. We’re not talking the easy stuff like LED light bulbs or washing sheets less. Nope, Abrams company focuses on every single element that is made for a hotel and helps suppliers make their products more environmentally friendly, which in turn makes hotels happier and healthier for the guest. To share a great success story we bring in Dave Lippert, VP Procurement, Architecture & Construction with Marriott to use them as an example of how these companies working together are changing the nature of the hospitality sustainability.

So for the March 28, 2014 show we chat with Joel Eisemann, Chief Development Officer, The Americas and Jennifer Gribble, Director, Head of Americas Holiday Inn Express Brand, IHG. The prototype is the result of extensive consumer research, the participation of existing Holiday Inn Express owners and IHG. So what is the prototype all about? How did all these groups come together to create a hopefully successful product? Listen and learn all about how the property costs about the same as the existing prototype, how they changed the lobby to activate it and how the guestroom is changing to adapt to consumer behavior. Did someone finally add enough outlets to the guestroom as well as other overdue concepts? Listen and learn.

We find out how an automotive parts supplier got into the casino business, what makes him tick, how he is doing his part to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, his relationship with Vantage Hospitality’s Lexington Legacy Collection and plenty more. If you want to hear a great story about a regular conquering the Las Vegas casino scene against the big boys you’ll love this interview.

So for the February 21, 2014 show they are all about spas. Why? This Four Seasons has the system’s largest spa and boy is it amazing. Focused on wellness and healing, it has everything people need to learn how to live a richer, better life. Damien Craft, Spa Director, shares his secrets to creating amazing spa experiences that will wow in house guests and help boost local business. And no, Glenn and Mark did not get any spa treatments while there. But they sure wish they did because this place is amazing.

In this show they talk anything and everything about designing Best Western Hotels. You learn all about how hotels are designed differently for various brand designators and all about their in house design team. And then Glenn and Amy discuss the new extended stay prototype and how Best Western will be creating a vignette presenting the concept at the upcoming HI Connect Design show on April 2-4 in Nashville, TN. Lean more about HI Connect Design www.hiconnectdesign.com

For today’ show we have two great segments. First up is David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western International. Kong has been shaking up him brand for the past few years by introducing descriptors to clearly define its myriad hotels for consumers. Now they’re looking to debut a brand-new extended stay product, which is already getting many inquiries even before plan are finalized. Plus we get into the state of the brand and where it’s headed. Get a sneak peak at the new extended stay concept at the upcoming HI Connect Design, which will debut during this prestigious event. Register here. Then we get the scoop on the state of the industry with PKF. Glenn chats with Mark Woodworth, President of PKF Hospitality Research, an affiliate of PKF Consulting USA and ack Corgel, Robert C. Baker Professor of Real Estate and Director of Graduate Studies for the Baker Program in Real Estate, who also serves as Senior Advisor to PKF Hospitality Research. If you like the numbers and want a crystal ball into the years ahead this interview will give you what you need to succeed during the next few years.