No Vacancy with Glenn Haussman

From October 2025   Recorded live at the Southern Lodging Summit this past August as part of the keynote luncheon, Mitch Patel, President & CEO of Vision Hospitality Group, sat down with Glenn Haussman to share his journey from a single $3,000 investment to leading one of the most respected hotel companies in the U.S. In this conversation, Mitch explains: Why operational excellence and team culture are the true foundations of success How Vision Hospitality keeps growing even when the market tightens What "building a brick house" really means for long-term profitability How to inspire the next generation to find purpose in #hospitality  

Quite frankly we're scared about this one. Fortunbately the iconic Dorraine Lallani is back to bring class to this mess of a happy hour show. Glenn, Craig and Suzanne are a bit scared for the quick return of Pink Pony Club founder Patty Jefferson because they're worried they don't have what it takes to horse around.

Conversions still beat new construction in a lot of markets right now, so I wanted to get specific on what Bruce Ford sees across the Americas pipeline. I talked with Bruce Ford (SVP, Lodging Econometrics) about where projects are moving, where they're stalling, and what owners/operators/investors should watch in Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S. for #NoVacancyNews. Here's what we cover:

We're exploring maximizing hashtag#hotel Customer Journey opportunity!!!! To kick off this 6-part Customer Journey series, I wanted to start at the top: why this matters now and how leadership turns better service into an actual company-wide plan. We'll be focusing on how CoralTree Hospitality is leveraging tech to connect with customers. In Chapter 1, I talk with Tom Luersen, President of CoralTree Hospitality, about why CoralTree spent a year building this strategy and how they are thinking about customized guest experiences at scale. Here is what we cover: ·       Why CoralTree made the guest journey a priority now ·       Why they spent a full year building buy-in instead of rushing rollout ·       How they built a real plan (not a one-time initiative) ·       Standards of Care vs. standard procedures ·       How they balance technology with high-touch service ·       Why continuous improvement matters as guest behavior changes Next week: we get into the operational backbone - empowerment, trust, and team culture. Want to follow the full series week by week (and catch any chapters you miss)? Subscribe to the hashtag#NoVacancyNews newsletter by texting HOTEL to 66866. Thanks to Unifocus for supporting this series. Unifocus, technology that drives value. Visit Unifocus.com.

Puerto Rico rainforest on one side. Ocean on the other. A 607-acre resort in the middle. I talked with Chris Sariego, COO of LionGrove, at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar about how they used a $70 million reinvention to reposition the property around eco-experiences, expand amenity appeal, and keep more spend on-property.

To kick off the week, I wanted a hard look behind the numbers. We hear a lot of takes—so what's real and what's not? I called our buddy Bruce Ford (SVP, Lodging Econometrics) to pressure-test World Cup demand, international travel, and the conversion-brand land grab for the hashtag#NoVacancyNews crowd. Here's what we put numbers on: ⚽ 2026 World Cup: 48 teams across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada

A speakeasy bar with an actual vault door sits off the casino floor at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. I walk in, meet Michael "Mac" MacDonnell, Vice President of F&B & Entertainment with LionGrove, and we turn it into a "quick chat" that somehow includes popcorn in a martini. #NoVacancyNews

Black Desert Resort shows what "demand drivers" look like when you actually build them. Today we look at Modern luxury on #NoVacancyNews I walk the property with Nicholas Gold, Managing Director, in Ivins (greater St. George / greater Zion), Utah.

Hotels train teams to spot human trafficking and other suspicious activity. Training alone doesn't solve the handoff problem. #NoVacancyNews I talk with Georgine Muntz (CEO) and Patty Jefferson (Chief Revenue Officer) at Visual Matrix about building reporting into the workflow so staff can act fast without leaving their job to go hunt down a manager.

I'm recording this from a hotel room because that's where I live now. I keep hearing "AI" in every hotel conversation, so I pulled in Kevin Duncan, Executive Vice President, Product at Cendyn to talk about what actually works—especially at the front desk. 

Wahlburgers cleans up the messy parts of growth so quality stays non-negotiable.  I'm in Las Vegas with Randy Sharpe, CEO, President, and board member of Wahlburgers. He breaks down what he changed, what he cut, and how he plans growth without letting the brand drift.

This week I attended CoralTree Hospitality's Leadership Forum at Black Desert Resort and spent time with Andre' Fournier, Chief Commercial Officer, about what this event should accomplish once people go back to their hotels on hashtag#NoVacancyNews. Andre explains why CoralTree brings its leaders together, how the company onboarded more than 100 new leaders this year, and how Affinity Teams share real-world ideas across properties. We also talk about why CoralTree puts owners and operators in the same room and what that changes at the property level. We cover:

At CoralTree Hospitality's Annual Leadership Forum, I talked with Tom Luersen, President of CoralTree Hospitality, for hashtag#NoVacancyNews about what the company expects leaders to do once everyone leaves and goes back to their properties. We get into why they bring people together in the first place, how they use Affinity Clubs to keep projects moving, and how they track progress without turning it into theater. We also talk about how they set direction early in the year and where AI, the hashtag#guestjourney, and talent development fit into day-to-day operations. We cover:

Friday Night Audit: the minisode where karma finally collects… with teeth. #NoVacancyNews   Craig Sullivan and Dr. Producer Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED join me for happy hour storytelling starting with "four time zones in one day" and ends with me getting bitten by something, I never even saw. After 200+ episodes of me slinging insults, I consider this a performance review from the universe.  

A $70M reinvestment only matters if guests feel it. I'm in Puerto Rico at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar with Andro Nodarse-Leon, CEO of property owner Lion Grove, for #NoVacancyNews. Andro walks through how the team rethought this 30-year-old resort around how people actually spend time on property—what they do, where they go, and why they stay. Andro explains how the rainforest, beach, and golf course influence design and programming, and how the rebuild touches sustainability, wellness, and operations—not as buzzwords, but as decisions that change guest flow. We also talk F&B strategy: variety, authenticity, local sourcing, and how you build experiences that keep guests engaged from morning through night. We cover:

Luxury doesn't mean more steps. It means fewer problems before guests even notice them. Suzanne "Dr. Producer" Bagnera, PhD, and I spoke with Mourad Essafi, General Manager of Impression Isla Mujeres (a Hyatt all-inclusive), on #NoVacancyNews about what ultra-luxury actually looks like when you stop adding layers and start removing friction. Mourad talks about how his background in sales and operations shapes the way he runs the resort, why the arrival experience starts before guests ever reach the island, and how small operational decisions change how people actually feel about a stay. We also get into what "endless privileges" really means in practice, why convenience often beats opulence, and how guest feedback turns into real changes on property. We cover:

Most hotels want F&B to drive more revenue. A lot of them still make it harder than it needs to be for guests to actually order. Narda Malakzad and Andrea Laderman, co-founders of Goldi, joined me on #NoVacancyNews to talk about something most hotels underestimate: how dietary needs, allergies, and food preferences quietly kill both guest experience and check size. We talk about what actually happens when guests don't know what they can eat, why people avoid asking questions, and how that friction shows up in lower spend and fewer repeat visits. We also get into how a simple, personalized menu experience changes behavior in the dining room and simplifies things for servers and kitchens at the same time. We cover:

This episode of #NoVacancyNews looks at how a hotel management merger came together — the conversations, timing, and decisions that led up to it. I spoke with Len Wolman, Chairman & CEO of Waterford Hotel Group, and Bob Habeeb, Founder & CEO of Maverick Hotels and Restaurants, about how their relationship developed, how long the process took, and what needed to line up before they moved forward. They explain what they focused on early, why they chose not to rush, and how owner needs and operational realities shaped their decision. They walk through the steps as they happened, without wrapping the story in theory or hindsight. We cover:

The gap between luxury hotels and everyone else keeps getting wider — and ignoring it won't make it shrink. Suraj Bhakta, CEO & Chief Legal Officer of NewGen Advisory, and I spoke on #NoVacancyNews about what's driving that divide. More important, we talked through actionable insights owners outside the luxury segment can actually implement. Suraj and I get into why upper upscale and #luxury continue to separate from the pack, how price sensitivity hits other segments harder, and why relying on rate alone only goes so far. We also talk through practical ways owners are looking beyond RevPAR and starting to think about total revenue without taking on massive capital projects. We cover:

Food and beverage does more than fill seats — it creates memories, reasons to return, and stories guests take home. That's the focus of this episode of #NoVacancyNews, filmed across Resorts World Las Vegas. I'm joined by Josef Wagner, Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage at Resorts World Las Vegas, for a walk-and-talk look at how a modern integrated resort uses F&B to drive engagement beyond gaming. Josef shares how Resorts World approaches pop-ups, immersive lounges, celebrity chef partnerships, and venue flexibility — all with the goal of giving guests something new to experience every visit. From rooftop mixology activations to food hall experimentation and live entertainment integration, this conversation shows how F&B becomes a strategic growth engine, not just an amenity. What stood out to me is how intentionally the team tests ideas before locking them in. Pop-ups act as real-time focus groups, allowing the guest — not a spreadsheet — to decide what stays. We cover:

Most hotels look good. That's not the problem. The harder part is giving people a reason to stay longer, spend more, and remember why they were there in the first place. In this episode of #NoVacancyNews, I talk with Alexis Readinger, Founder of Preen, about food-and-beverage design and how often hotels get it almost right — and why "almost" usually isn't enough. Alexis and I get into why so many hotel restaurants and bars start to feel interchangeable, how that happens, and what gets lost when design decisions don't start with a clear point of view. We talk about experiential dining, design trends, capital choices, and why solid food alone doesn't save a space that doesn't quite work. This interview was supposed to happen in person at ALIS Design. We ended up doing it remotely, which is pretty on-brand for how plans tend to go.

What hotel owners and investors are doing matters more than what gets said on stage. In this episode of No Vacancy, Glenn Haussman connects with Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, as he reports from ALIS in Los Angeles. Bruce shares what he's seeing in the data and hearing in off-the-record conversations. The discussion focuses on how owners weigh new development versus conversions, how capital continues to move, and what influences decision-making as the industry looks toward 2026. Topics include: • How owners compare new development, conversions, and recapitalization • Where cost pressure continues to affect returns • How AI conversations sound more practical than speculative • Why certain asset types keep attracting investment • How labor and operating costs affect large hotels • Why portfolio reshaping and consolidation remain on the table Sponsored by Unifocus — technology that drives value. Learn more at Unifocus.com.

This Day 3 ALIS update focuses on what the data shows — not predictions, not sentiment. In this episode of No Vacancy, Glenn Haussman connects remotely with Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, who is on the ground at ALIS in Los Angeles. Bruce walks through current pipeline data and how it lines up with conversations happening at the conference. The discussion stays focused on pipeline mix, renovation volume, brand activity, and where capital continues to move across markets. Topics include: • How conversions and renovations show up across the pipeline • Where midscale brands appear most frequently in current data • What renovation volume looks like compared to prior cycles • How brand consistency factors into development discussions • How financing conditions shape development decisions • Which markets continue to show momentum Sponsored by Unifocus — technology that drives value. Learn more at Unifocus.com.

Regional casino resorts don't win anymore by adding square footage — they win by designing experiences that keep guests longer and spending more. That's the focus of this episode of #NoVacancyNews. I'm joined by Kelly Devine, Principal and Partner, and Emily Marshall, Principal and Interior Design Leader at HBG Design, and guest host Dr. Suzanne Bagnera to talk about the evolution of regional gaming resorts and what operators should be paying attention to right now. We use Gun Lake Casino Resort in Michigan as the case study, breaking down how design decisions directly affect length of stay, guest behavior, operational efficiency, and profitability. This isn't about pretty spaces for Instagram — it's about building resorts that actually perform. What stood out to me is how intentionally HBG starts with operations first. They design the engine before the body, which explains why these projects drive measurable business results instead of just visual impact. We cover:

Hotel loyalty gets talked about a lot. This conversation focuses on how it actually works. For this #NoVacancyNews, I spoke with Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance, about what loyalty looks like when you stop chasing vanity metrics and start paying attention to repeat behavior, engagement, and direct bookings. Chris explains how GHA approaches loyalty across a global portfolio of independent brands — where cooperation matters more than competing for attention and where repeat stays tell you far more than raw membership numbers. We recorded this conversation during ALIS in Los Angeles. Chris made the trip in from Dubai. I got snowed in on Long Island, where I'm still slightly bitter days later, watching conference badges from afar and missing hanging with everyone. We cover:

I'm still not at ALIS — snowstorms and airlines had other plans — but that doesn't stop the conversation. This episode of #NoVacancyNews brings Day 2 coverage straight from Los Angeles. Our roving reporter is Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, reporting live from ALIS while I hold down the Haussman Resort Pool Club & Smokehouse under about 10 inches of snow. Bruce and I talk through what keeps coming up in conversations right now — not panic, not optimism, but a sense that the industry has landed on a plateau and hasn't figured out the next move yet. We cover:

When rooms, tech, and amenities start to feel the same, hotels lean on food and beverage to differentiate — and that's the focus of this episode of #NoVacancyNews, recorded during ALIS. I'm joined by Phil Colicchio and Trip Schneck of Colicchio Consulting, talking from Los Angeles while I deal with snow back home. We talk about the pressure hoteliers feel around food and beverage right now — rising costs, operational stress, and the need to make restaurants work financially without turning them into generic hotel outlets. What stood out to me is how directly they connect F&B to experience. Hotels use tableside service, presentation, fire, buyouts, and flexible programming to give guests a reason to choose one property over another. We cover:

As markets mature, they begin to specialize. That's something we're seeing more in extended stay and this episode of #NoVacancyNews shows the next stage of evolution when hotels borrow from apartment living and do it thoughtfully. I'm joined by Kate Thompson, Director of Commercial at Sage Hospitality Group, to talk about The Ann Savannah—an apartment-style hospitality concept built for guests who want independence without giving up service. The Ann offers fully equipped kitchens, multiple bedrooms, longer stays without daily intrusion, and a host-driven service model instead of a traditional front desk. At the same time, it still works for one-night stays, groups, and business travelers who want space and flexibility. What stands out is how intentional the operation feels. This isn't about removing service—it's about delivering it when guests actually want it. We cover:

I didn't make it to ALIS this year thanks to a snowstorm — and Delta taking our pilot as we were boarding!! But we're not letting 2,500 miles get in the way of a little #NoVacancyNews content. Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, is reporting from ALIS while I shovel snow back at the Haussman Resort Pool Club & Smokehouse. Bruce and I talk #hotel franchising trends right now:

In TV we'd call this a filler episode. Craig is in Hawaii and we're sure he wants to be elsewhere. Plus we have no guest. Glenn claims he has some stories though while Suzanne shakes her head in disbelief. Tune and find out!

Building franchise relationships isn't about brand standards — it's about listening, flexibility, and time in the field. That idea sits at the center of this episode of #NoVacancyNews. I'm in Massachusetts at the global headquarters of Sonesta International Hotels, talking with Phil Hugh, Chief Development Officer. Phil walks through how stepping into the CDO role pushed him out of the office and onto the road for roughly 60 days, visiting properties, meeting with owners, and seeing firsthand what it actually takes to operate hotels across the economy, midscale, and upscale segments. What comes through clearly is how Sonesta has changed how it shows up for owners — from flattening its organization to putting real focus behind Americas Best Value Inn, refining its portfolio, and structuring franchise agreements around long-term success instead of short-term wins. We cover:

Luxury shows up in the small moments, not the marble — and that idea sits at the core of this episode of #NoVacancyNews. I spent time with Christophe Baraton, General Manager of Shutters on the Beach, to talk about what hospitality looks like when you lead from the property level instead of a spreadsheet. Christophe runs a 30-year-old beachfront hotel with deep roots in its local community, long-tenured team members, and guests who return because they feel known. We talk about leadership during crisis, how Shutters became a refuge for locals during the Los Angeles fires, and why anticipation—not opulence—defines modern #luxury. What stood out to me is how clearly he connects culture to results. When employees feel cared for, guests feel it immediately. We cover:

Hotelier and comedian Alex Coury returns to join Glenn, Craig and Doctor Producer Suzanne to kick off the weekend with a hilarious (they wish) happy hour.

Hotel food & beverage doesn't fail because of trends — it fails when concept, design, and execution never fully line up. On #NoVacancyNews, I'm joined by Ami Alexander, Managing Partner at Barrel Aged Management, to talk about how #hotel #restaurants actually get built, refreshed, and kept relevant over time. Ami's background spans luxury hotels, global restaurant groups, and lifestyle brands, including time with Hakkasan, Sydell Group, Montage, and Pendry. That perspective shapes how she thinks about storytelling, training, and why hotels can't afford to treat F&B as an afterthought. What stood out to me is how often restaurants get compromised long before they open — furniture chosen too early, kitchens designed without the menu in mind, or concepts forced to fit an already built box. We cover:

Hotel food & beverage only works when culture, consistency, and leadership line up — and that's exactly what this #NoVacancyNews conversation explores. I'm joined by Greg McGowan, Regional Director of Food & Beverage for Kolter Hospitality and Executive Chef at Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale, recorded on site in South Florida. Greg's path through country clubs, hotels, and leadership roles gives him a grounded view of what actually keeps F&B teams strong over time — especially in high-volume, full-service environments where turnover, burnout, and guest expectations collide. We talk about:

I did this one from the 66th floor Alle Lounge at Resorts World Las Vegas, with Shannon McCallum, VP of Hotel Operations, about how the property continues evolving four-plus years after opening. Resorts World operates more than 3,500 rooms across three brands --  Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords -- all under one roof. That scale forces real decisions about technology, guest choice, and efficiency — especially when different guests expect very different experiences. Shannon walks through how the team thinks about:

Beverage has moved from a supporting role to a real revenue driver in hotel F&B, and that shift isn't accidental. #NoVacancyNews I'm joined by Adrian Biggs, Director of Advocacy at Bacardi, to talk through what their latest global trends report reveals about how — and when — guests are actually drinking. This isn't guesswork. Bacardi builds this report using global ambassador insight, consumer research across multiple countries, and real operator behavior. The result is a clearer picture of where beverage demand is heading and how hotel bars can respond. What stood out most to me is how timing, intentional drinking, and experience now matter as much as what's in the glass. Afternoon drinking is rising, cocktails are getting lighter and more deliberate, and guests expect bars to deliver something worth remembering — not just something strong. What we cover:

Because it's STILL the holidays, I'm rerunning something that still makes me smile — episode one of Friday Night Audit. This show started in 2021, smack dab in the middle of COVID, when a lot of us in the hotel business felt disconnected, stuck at home, and spending way too much time on video calls. We also missed the best part of conferences: hanging out at the bar afterward, talking shop, telling stories, and laughing at how completely cuckoo this business can be. So we built Friday Night Audit to feel like that moment. The idea was simple: hotel people as real people, having a drink, reacting to the week, and letting the conversation go where it goes. No scripts. No polish. Just the kinds of conversations that usually happen after the badges come off. Early 2026 marks five years of the show, and we'll hit 200 episodes in February, right around that anniversary. And yes, it still feels a little ridiculous considering how this all started. This first episode sets the tone immediately, with me and Craig Sullivan, joined by our first-ever guest Kate Burda — who shotguns a beer. Producer Dave also makes his presence felt early, adding strong insulting power as we figure this show out in real time and clearly have way too much fun doing it. Highlights from episode one:

This week, as I look back on podcasts that mattered to me over the last 10 years of No Vacancy and Rouse Media, I'm sharing some episodes that reflect where the industry — and all of us — actually were at the time. This one is difficult, but important. It's one of the first live shows we ever did, recorded just before COVID shut everything down. At that point, we were still learning what this virus was, how it spread, and what it might mean for travel and hotels. I went live on LinkedIn with Anthony Melchiorri and Dr. Primas, a New York–based physician with deep experience in travel health. Anthony had known Dr. Primas since 1991, going back to his days at The Plaza, and we brought him on because we needed expert insight — not speculation. Within 48 hours of this episode airing, I lost almost my entire business. That wasn't unique to me — far from it. We all experienced loss. That's part of why this episode stands out. It captures the exact moment before everything changed. I'm rerunning this not to relive it, but to document it. It's a snapshot of what the hotel industry was thinking, fearing, and trying to understand in real time. In this episode:

Everyone talks about FIFA 2026 like it's a guaranteed win for hotels. The reality is more complicated. I connected with Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics to look at the actual hotel development, renovation, and conversion activity tied to FIFA host cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — and to answer a question hoteliers ask every time a mega-event comes to town: Should you really build for this? On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce breaks down where hotels are being added, where renovations matter more than new builds, and why most smart owners don't bet long-term strategy on short-term events. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What we cover: ⚽: Why FIFA doesn't drive hotel demand the way many people assume

I spoke with Allen Rolleri about his family's experience dealing with multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable form of cancer. The Rock Out Myeloma fundraiser takes place January 15, raising funds to support families facing the financial realities that come with long-term treatment. On #NoVacancyNews, Allen explains what the diagnosis meant in practical terms, how quickly his family had to learn about the disease, and why costs outside of medical bills often become part of the challenge. The conversation stays focused on awareness gaps, everyday expenses people don't anticipate, and how support often comes in specific, practical forms. Topics covered:

Happy Holidays! In our 2025 sendoff show Glenn, Craig and Dr Producer Suzanne welcome Raj Chudasama and Sara Pinto of M1Intel. They seem nice enough so the crew thought it would be fun to get to know them over some happy hour cocktails and some laughs to kick off the holiday season Friday Night Audit style.

We got something cool for episode 1001! Props to Katie Cline at the Skift Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality podcast for this one. I joined an end-of-year roundtable with some of the most thoughtful voices in hashtag#hospitality media to reflect on what actually mattered in 2025 and what could reshape 2026. Huge thanks to everyone who brought real perspective (and disagreement) to the table:

Well… this happened. This is episode 1,000 of No Vacancy is live. What started as me, a mic, and no real plan (OK, the original plan was to dominate the universe, but that proved too ambitious) turned into a platform that somehow became part of how this industry talks to itself. This episode purposely short. No guest. No agenda. Just a pause to acknowledge the milestone — and the timing. In 2026, hashtag#NoVacancyNews turns 10, which makes this episode feel a lot like a major milestone with everything lining up. On hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I touch on how the show started, how it shifted from audio to video, and why consistency matters more than getting it perfect. Why this episode exists:

Everyone keeps asking the same question: Is hotel development slowing down? The global numbers say something very different — and far more nuanced. I checked in with Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics for a worldwide pipeline update that cuts through assumptions and looks at what's really happening across regions, segments, and timelines. On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce explains why room counts remain historically high, why developers deliberately push openings into later years, and why renovations and conversions now matter as much as ground-up construction. This conversation focuses less on hype and more on how capital actually behaves when markets tighten. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What the data actually shows:

Luxury no longer means chandeliers and thread count. It means connection, memory, and how guests feel long after checkout. I caught up with Robert Reitknecht at INSPIRE Luxury, hosted by the International Luxury Hotel Association, live from Resorts World Las Vegas. (Important context: this was my 10th day in Vegas, so expectations were appropriately managed.) On #NoVacancyNews, Robert explains how luxury hotels move from performative service to genuine connection, why frontline teams shape the guest story more than any design element, and how leaders must "lean into the brand" without losing authenticity. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Key Takeaways:

Some resorts talk about experiences — Westgate builds them at theme-park scale. I visited Westgate Vacation Villas with Jared Saft, Chief Business and Strategy Officer, to explore how this company evolved from 16 original units into a massive, guest-focused resort with 3,000 rooms, a full waterpark, a Chuck E. Cheese–powered arcade, an in-lobby movie theater, and a $120 million reinvestment underway. On #NoVacancyNews, Jared walks through how Westgate designs spaces for toddlers, teens, parents, and grandparents at the same time, how they turned nostalgia into a modern attraction, and how they're expanding into more than 40 new destinations in just seven months. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What you'll see on this tour:

Newport Beach looks luxurious from the outside — but its secret sauce is heart, identity, and a fiercely intentional brand strategy. On #NoVacancyNews, I teamed up with my Friday Night Audit partner-in-crime Craig Sullivan to talk with Gary Sherwin, CEO of Visit Newport Beach, about how one of America's most aspirational coastal cities keeps its charm, avoids the "sea of sameness," and delivers the version of Southern California people dream about. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Here's what we cover:

This week Dan Lesser, Co-Founder, President, & CEO at LW Hospitality Advisors shares some cockatils and laughs with Glenn, Craig and Doctor Prodcuer Suzanne.

Some management companies build hotels. Olympia Hospitality builds identity. I spoke with Sara Masterson (President) and John Schultzel (Chief Growth Officer) about how Olympia blends independent spirit, strong brand partnerships, and mission-driven hospitality across destinations like Nantucket, Boston, Winter Park, the White Mountains, and beyond. On #NoVacancyNews, Sara and John explain how they combine boutique creativity with brand-backed consistency, how they think about technology adoption, and why community connection is becoming the core differentiator in both luxury and branded hotels. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What we cover:

Corporate travel isn't easing back into old habits — it's reinventing itself, and hoteliers who cling to the past will lose business they didn't even know they were missing. I spoke with Lukasz Dabrowski, SVP of Global Supplier Relations at HRS Group, about why 2025 became the turning point for travel procurement and how 2026 will reward hotels that understand converged demand, Level 3 data, and real-time negotiation. On #NoVacancyNews, Lukasz breaks down why annual RFP cycles are disappearing, how "travel CEOs" use invoice-level data to renegotiate instantly, and what hotels must change to stay competitive as AI and real-time visibility reshape corporate buying behavior. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Key Insights: