The Modern Hotelier

David Millili & Steve Carran
  • 4.9 (44)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

Each episode we discuss industry trends, talk about new technologies, and speak to industry experts. All so that you, The Modern Hotelier, can succeed in a new age of hospitality.

  1. 4h ago

    #293: A System that Actually Delivers Personalization & Improves the Guest Experience | with the Alliants Team

    Recorded live from HITEC, Steve Carran sits down with the Alliant leadership team—CEO Tristan Gadsby, SVP of Customer Experience Andrew Pirret, and CRO Alberto Santana—to explore how technology is transforming the guest experience while keeping hospitality at its human core. The conversation dives into Alliant's collaboration with Les Clefs d'Or, where concierge professionals are embracing AI and modern technology to enhance personalized service. Tristan shares how technology can make hospitality professionals "superhuman" by automating routine tasks and allowing them to focus on meaningful guest interactions. Alberto discusses the untapped opportunity hotels have to better understand why guests are traveling, using a compelling World Cup travel scenario to illustrate how hotels can move beyond generic upsells and create memorable, emotionally connected experiences. The team also explores the importance of recognizing every guest on a reservation—not just the primary booker—and how doing so unlocks deeper personalization and increased revenue opportunities. Andrew explains why digital wallets and contactless check-in technology have reached a tipping point, making travel smoother for guests while helping hotels overcome staffing and operational challenges. The discussion also highlights how Apple Wallet integrations are changing the way travelers manage their stays and interact with hotel brands. Finally, Tristan shares how Alliant is leveraging agentic AI, guest data, and contextual intelligence to create smarter recommendations for guests and more efficient workflows for hotel teams. From AI-powered morning briefing agents to hyper-personalized guest engagement, the future of hospitality is becoming more connected, intelligent, and guest-centric than ever before. In this episode, you'll learn: How concierge teams are embracing AI without losing the human touchWhy understanding a guest's reason for travel matters more than everThe hidden revenue opportunities in identifying all guests on a reservationHow digital wallets are reshaping the hotel guest journeyThe role of agentic AI in delivering personalized hospitality at scaleWhy data quality is the foundation of successful AI initiativesWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pREGBac4jyA Links:Tristan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristangadsby/Alberto on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrsantana/Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-pirret/Alliants: https://www.alliants.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/293 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    15 min

  2. 11h ago

    #292: Connecting Data to Elevate Guest Experiences | with Jeff Bzdawka

    In this special HITEC edition of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jeff Bzdawka, CEO of Hapi and a Hall of Fame inductee in hospitality technology. Jeff shares his unique journey from aspiring dentist to hospitality technology leader, reflecting on the experiences that shaped his career across Hyatt, Pegasus, TravelClick, Noland, and now Hapi. The conversation explores the evolving relationship between hospitality and technology, with a deep dive into what it truly means for hotels to be AI-ready versus AI-enabled. Jeff explains why clean, connected, and actionable data is the foundation for successful AI adoption, the challenges of achieving the industry's long-sought 360-degree guest profile, and how hotels can leverage technology to create more personalized guest experiences. They also discuss operational automation, payment processing innovations, the importance of data normalization, and the future of hospitality technology as the industry moves from AI experimentation to real-world implementation. Plus, Jeff shares insights from the HITEC show floor, leadership lessons from his Wisconsin roots, and his vision for the future of guest experience. Key Topics Covered:  The intersection of hospitality and innovation  Why hotels must focus on data before AI  Payment automation and reducing operational friction  HITEC trends and the future of AI in hospitality  Leadership, culture, and industry transformation Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4Dg2iO2DW3M Links:Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffbzdawka/Hapi: https://www.stayhapi.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/292 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    23 min

  3. 1d ago

    #291: Making Revenue Management Accessible to All Sizes of Hotels | with Anthony Vita

    In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Anthony Vita, VP of Global Partnerships at Revenue Analytics, to explore how modern revenue management is becoming more accessible to independent hotels and boutique operators. Anthony shares his unconventional journey from e-commerce and luxury interiors into hospitality tech, and how that experience helped shape his perspective on data, pricing, and automation. The conversation dives into the launch and expansion of Climber in North America, and how it’s aiming to level the playing field between small independent properties and large hotel groups through affordable, intelligent revenue management tools. In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why Climber is expanding into North America to support independent hotel operators  How Revenue Analytics is working to democratize revenue management tools that were once only available to large hotel chains  Why many independent hotels still rely on spreadsheets and “gut instinct” for pricing—and what’s changing  The importance of partnerships across PMS, CRS, and hospitality tech ecosystems in scaling revenue solutions globally  How accessibility and affordability are shaping the future of revenue management for small and mid-sized properties Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3vbrnUkyHaA Links:Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitaanthony/Revenue Analytics: https://www.revenueanalytics.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/291 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    10 min

  4. 1d ago

    #290: The Hospitality Platform Improving the Guest Experience | with Will Gilbert

    In this special episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Will Gilbert, Co-Founder of Bodhi, live from HITEC, to explore how hospitality technology is rapidly transforming hotel operations, guest experience, and revenue performance. Will shares how Bodhi has achieved 10X growth since last October, and why the company is positioning itself not just as a product vendor—but as a true hotel operating platform designed to unify fragmented systems across the hospitality ecosystem. The conversation dives deep into how Bodhi is helping hotels deliver measurable ROI through its powerful ROI calculator, which links operational improvements directly to revenue impact, guest satisfaction, energy savings, and operational efficiency. Rather than bolting on features or claiming AI hype, Will explains Bodhi’s philosophy of building a purpose-built, fully integrated platform that improves over time and delivers tangible business outcomes. From housekeeping optimization and valet integration to work order management and predictive insights, Bodhi is redefining what “platform” really means in hospitality tech. The discussion also covers:  Why most hotel “platforms” are actually disconnected products  How guest experience issues directly impact revenue and ratings  The importance of data security, including SOC 2 Type 2 compliance  What’s next for the future of hotel operating systems Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BF9nGmpAU-k Links:Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-gilbert-0348586/Bodhi: https://www.gobodhi.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/290 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    8 min

  5. 2d ago

    #289: Helping Hotels Fight Predatory OTA's | with Tim Major

    In this special HITEC edition of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Tim Major, CEO of Operto, to explore how AI is transforming hotel marketing, direct bookings, and operational efficiency. Tim shares how Operto One's autonomous AI agents help hotels combat predatory OTAs, improve direct booking performance, and optimize visibility across both traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered search experiences. The conversation dives into the role of agentic AI in hospitality, the balance between automation and authentic guest service, and how hotels can leverage AI without adding complexity to their existing technology stack. Key topics include:  How AI agents protect hotel brands from predatory OTA practices  Increasing direct bookings through automated search and GEO optimization  The future of agentic AI in hospitality operations  Real-world success stories from hotels using AI-driven solutions  Preparing hotel websites and content for AI-powered search platforms Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/zGLo-TaAMyk Links:Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majortm/Operto: https://operto.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/289 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    11 min

  6. 2d ago

    #288: Hotel Technology that Makes Your Staff More Effective | with Ryan King

    In this special HITEC episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Ryan King, SVP of the Americas at Shiji, live from the Shiji Cafe and Marketplace on the trade show floor. The conversation dives deep into how hospitality technology is evolving—and where it’s still falling short. Ryan shares insights from over a decade of attending HITEC and explores the industry’s ongoing struggle with fragmented, siloed systems across PMS, POS, spa, and operations. While hotels rushed to adopt tech to solve staffing shortages, many ended up with disconnected tools that fail to deliver a unified guest experience. In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why many hotels still struggle with fragmented, siloed technology—and how it impacts the guest experience  How rushed tech adoption during staffing shortages created operational inefficiencies instead of solving them  What it really means to “meet the guest where they are” and how these changes hotel operations in practice  How mobile and on-the-floor service models can increase speed, upsells, and guest satisfaction  Why cloud-based systems are key to connecting PMS, POS, spa, and other hotel platforms  The growing importance of clean, unified data in an AI-driven hospitality landscape Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qIkt3mlnx1U Links:Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-king-11083842/ Shiji Group: https://www.shijigroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/288 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    18 min

  7. 6d ago

    #287: How Aimbridge is Preparing for Hospitality's A.I. Future | with Eric Ettlin

    In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Eric Ettlin, Senior Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Digital at Aimbridge Hospitality, one of the largest hotel management companies in the world. Eric shares his journey from early digital marketing roles in finance to leading global brand and digital strategy across hundreds of hotels. He discusses what it takes to scale marketing across complex, multi-brand hotel portfolios and how third-party management differs from traditional brand-side hospitality roles. The conversation dives deep into the evolving hospitality landscape, including how Aimbridge balances brand standards, owner expectations, and guest experience. Eric also breaks down the creation of Second Wave, Aimbridge’s in-house marketing powerhouse, and how it enables faster, more agile marketing execution across its portfolio. In this episode, you’ll discover:  How Eric transitioned from finance and e-commerce into hospitality leadership  What it takes to scale marketing across 1,000+ hotels and multiple global brands  Why third-party hotel management creates unique marketing challenges and opportunities  How Aimbridge’s “Second Wave” team is redefining in-house hospitality marketing  The rise of AI in travel planning and how it’s changing SEO into GEO Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i_MR_lr1OVk  Links:Eric on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericettlinAimbridge Hospitality: https://www.aimbridgehospitality.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/287 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    35 min

  8. Jun 16

    #286: How Hotel Uniforms Impact the Guest Experience & Employee Performance | with Mia Liu

    What role do uniforms really play in shaping a hotel’s brand experience, and why are they often overlooked despite being one of the first things guests notice? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran are joined by Mia Liu, Creative Director of Drape & Stitch, a fashion-forward uniform brand redefining what hospitality teams wear and why it matters. Mia shares her journey from growing up in China with a passion for fashion and design, to building an international career across design, production, sourcing, and marketing. With deep experience across the fashion and activewear industries, she eventually founded Drape & Stitch in 2022 to bring a more modern, functional, and brand-aligned approach to hospitality uniforms. The conversation explores how uniforms are often overlooked in hospitality despite being one of the first visual touchpoints for guests. Mia breaks down why hotels should treat uniforms as part of the overall brand experience—not just an operational necessity—and how comfort, durability, and storytelling all play a critical role in shaping guest perception. The episode continues with deeper industry questions, including:   The most common mistakes hotels make when selecting uniform vendors  Why luxury hospitality is moving away from generic uniform programs  How design details can reflect a hotel’s architecture, history, and identity  Real examples of custom uniform storytelling from luxury properties like Fairmont Washington, DC and Waldorf Astoria  Why comfort and functionality are just as important as aesthetics in modern uniform design From fabric innovation to brand storytelling, this episode reveals how uniforms are becoming a strategic part of hospitality experience design—and why the future of hotel branding may start with what your team wears. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_YHLxYzRvWc This episode is Sponsored by Drape & Stitch: https://drapeandstitch.com/  Links:Mia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-l-b07ab326/ Drape and Stitch: https://drapeandstitch.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/286 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

    24 min
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4.9
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

Each episode we discuss industry trends, talk about new technologies, and speak to industry experts. All so that you, The Modern Hotelier, can succeed in a new age of hospitality.

Information

  • Creator
    David Millili & Steve Carran
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    294
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © David Millili & Steve Carran
  • Show Website
    The Modern Hotelier

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