Hotel News Now

STR's Jesper Palmqvist joins the podcast for his monthly check in on Asia Pacific hotel performance and news. This month's discussion includes the highs and lows in Thailand, along with the varying trajectories seen in China and Japan.

The Sonesta International Hotels brand family was born from hotel ownership but has gone a years long transformation to be one of the top franchising companies in the hotel industry. Chief Development Officer Brian Quinn joins the podcast to talk about how they're steering that growth while maintaining and owner-first mindset.

Deloitte Transportation, Hospitality and Services Research Manager Maggie Rauch joins the podcast to unpack the company's summer travel trends report. She talks with CoStar News' Stephanie Ricca about how people are spending their summer vacations and how much money they're spending on them. 

American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Rosanna Maietta joins the podcast to talk about the top issues for the hotel industry's largest advocacy and lobbying group, including how they're working to get industry priorities in budget legislation currently in front of Congress.

CoStar News' Stephanie Ricca and Sean McCracken share their insights from attending this year's NYU IHIF. 

STR's Jesper Palmqvist joined the Hotel News Now podcast to discuss hotel performance in Hong Kong year to date along with other trends in the Asia-Pacific region.

On the latest episode of the Hotel News Now podcast, CoStar Group's Colin Sherman talks about how the extended-stay sector is performing.

In this podcast interview, Woodmont Lodging's Michael Blank talks to HNN's Bryan Wroten about 'the little guy' in the hotel industry, hotel owners with small portfolios, and how they're navigating the current environment.

IHG Hotels and Resorts is on a mission to double its Hotel Indigo portfolio and opening boutique-style, uniquely-designed hotels around the world. 

In this episode, STR's Jesper Palmqvist speaks with CoStar News' Trevor Simpson about the latest hotel performance trends in the Asia-Pacific region.

In this episode, cybersecurity, privacy and hospitality attorney Robert Braun from JMBM talks about an online invasion of privacy lawsuit filed against Accor and how it comes down to the use of tracking pixels on websites.

Mitch Patel, CEO and founder of Vision Hospitality, joins the show to talk about the slew of challenges he's facing as a hotel developer and operator amid uncertain market conditions. He also explains what's happening in leisure travel, including his prediction on how things will shake out. 

John Schultzel, chief growth officer for Maine-based Olympia Hospitality, sits down with Hotel News Now's Stephanie Ricca to talk about how stories power independent hotels. He updates listeners on the company's growth strategy in university towns and shares his take on today's travel trends. 

HNN's Bryan Wroten and Terence Baker go over the discussions held at the 2025 International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA in Berlin, noting on the overall optimistic mood as hoteliers figure out strategies for potential global economic disruptions. 

STR's Jesper Palmqvist joined the HNN podcast to discuss hotel demand trends in Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand.

Hotel News Now's Natalie Harms and Dan Kubacki discuss their takeaways from the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Rob Brandenberg, general manager of the 1 Hotel Seattle, joins the HNN podcast to discuss the imminent opening of the 1 Hotel Seattle in April.

In this episode, PM Hotel Group's Joseph Bojanowski and CoStar News' Jonathan Lehrfeld talk about how the latest decisions by the Trump administration on federal agencies is affecting the Washington, D.C. hotel market. 

On this week's episode, STR's Jesper Palmqvist discusses Singapore's performance so far in 2025.

In this episode, Mandarin Oriental's Tiffany Cooper talks about how the luxury hotel guests want less opulence and more connections and experiences that are authentic to the locale. 

In this episode, STR's Amanda Hite talks about the factors at play in the latest U.S. hotel industry forecast and how hoteliers are managing the stabilizing challenges in front of them. 

In this interview at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, BWH Hotels President and CEO Larry Cuculic talks about the way he's challenged his team to be more effective and efficient to drive revenue to hotel owners, which will in turn help the company achieve it's goal of hitting 5,150 hotels in five years.

HNN's Bryan Wroten and Sean McCracken provide their thoughts and takeaways from the American Lodging Investment Summit 2025 in Los Angeles.

Japan was one of the hottest countries for tourism demand in 2024, and so far into 2025, it seems unlikely that will change. But are there any signs on the horizon of a cool down? STR's Jesper Palmqvist joins the podcast for our monthly check in on the Asia Pacific region

In this episode, HNN's Stephanie Ricca, Sean McCracken and Bryan Wroten discuss the predictions the team made back in January 2020 of what the hotel industry would be like in 2025.

In this episode, Karl McElligott, food and beverage director at Olympia Hospitality, talks about the growing popularity — and number of options — of mocktails and other zero-proof drinks that give guests more options when dining or having a night out.

While the availability of financing will be better for hotel investors and developers, borrowers who are willing to get more creative on how they finance deal are most poised for success, according to Peachtree Group's Greg Friedman. 

Hotel News Now's Stephanie Ricca invites Hertelier founder Emily Goldfischer to the podcast to discuss travel trend buzzwords taking over social media, and whether or not they have staying power. From me-moons to hurkle-durkling, Ricca and Goldfischer share real data driving these trends, plus plenty of laughs about the absurd words travel marketers dream up. Find more about Goldfischer and Hertelier at www.hertelier.com.

The Waldorf Astoria New York has been closed since 2017 to make way for a massive renovation and reimagining of the historic property. Managing Director Luigi Romaniello joins the podcast to talk about how that process has gone and what he believes will get guests most excited after reopening in Spring 2025.

Mark Laport founded Concord Hospitality Enterprises in 1985, making 2025 their upcoming 40th anniversary. He and Concord Chief Operating Officer Will Loughran join the podcast to discuss how the Raleigh, North Carolina-based company has grown incrementally over four decades to roughly 150 hotels.

Highlights from across the Hotel News Now podcast network in November.

In HNN's monthly check-in on the Asia Pacific region, STR's Jesper Palmqvist highlights some of the markets that are currently exciting hoteliers, and some that are generating more concern.

On the eve of Thanksgiving in the U.S., CoStar's Emmy Hise joins the show to talk about what hoteliers can be thankful for.

In this episode, labor attorney Andria Ryan outlines the likely changes to U.S. labor laws and rules under the incoming Trump administraiton.

Truist Securities' C. Patrick Scholes joined the HNN podcast to recap third-quarter earnings calls from hotel brands and publicly traded real estate investment trusts.

Prism Hotels & Resorts founder Steve Van discusses the ins and outs of his former company's acquisition by Aimbridge Hospitality in 2021 and how that decision was more emotionally charged than he expected.

Former Chesapeake Hospitality and Remington Hospitality executive W. Chris Green joins the podcast to talk about the recent wave of mergers and acquisitions involving hotel management company and how he navigated a deal himself.

News editor Sean McCracken recaps some of Hotel News Now and CoStar News' top stories and podcasts from October.Stories featured in this podcast include:Six months in, Aimbridge's CEO focuses on hotel owners and building relationshipsTell Me More: Data fuels '25 travel trends around hotel restaurants, off-the-beaten-path destinations and set-jettingDallas developer opens two new luxury hotels in Texas, CaliforniaThe Upgrade: Serviced apartments attract hotel developer, brand attentionJoint venture will buy former Hôtel Saint-James & Albany in Paris

STR's Jesper Palmqvist and Matthew Burke join the podcast to discuss the latest across the Asia Pacific region, including whether recent stimulus efforts -- and the Golden Week holiday -- will help spur a travel rebound in China.

CoStar's Emmy Hise and Randyl Drummer join the HNN podcast to discuss why Seattle is in a better position than many other West Coast markets.

HNN's Bryan Wroten and Trevor Simpson share their thoughts and what they heard from second full day of the Lodging Conference 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona.

HNN's Bryan Wroten and Trevor Simpson share their takeaways from the first day of the Lodging Conference 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. 

In this episode, Hilton's Jess Petitt speaks about the company's 2025 Trends Report, which calls 2025 the "year of the travel maximizer" as travelers want to get the most out of their trips.

STR's Jesper Palmqvist joins the HNN podcast to talk about varying degrees of performance across the Asia Pacific region, the impacts of sporting events from F1 in Singapore to the Australian Football League, and takeaways from recent headlines like Oyo's pending acquisition of G6 Hospitality and China's new stimulus package.

Preparing for hurricane season is a year-round job, and HVMG's Jamison Conrey joins the HNN podcast to talk about how his company works to best prepare properties and employees for storms.

In this episode, Pyramid Global Hospitality's Patrick Berwald talks about how creating value and quality experiences in food and beverage set hotels apart from the competition as well as Pyramid's Purple Mynt concepting program.

Cade Watanabe, president of Unite Here Local 5 in Hawaii and co-chair of a ongoing national campaign that lead to more than 10,000 hotel workers striking over Labor Day weekend joins the Hotel News Now podcast to discuss why hotel workers are walking off the job and why they believe providing workers with better pay and working conditions is vital to "save our industry."

In this episode of the summer demand series, Michael Darrow, general manager of the Squire Resort at the Grand Canyon, BW Signature Collection, talks about normalizing demand levels and how extra offerings entice guests seeking new experiences to stay longer. 

In this interview, Kampgrounds of America President and CEO Toby O'Rourke talks about the growing popularity of camping due in large part to the growing number of options available to travelers.

In this episode, STR's Jesper Palmqvist digs into the changing patterns of Chinese inbound and outbound travel.