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. 1d ago

    #324: How Boutique Hotels Can Stand Out & Thrive | with Jorgan von Stiening of Palisociety

    How do you scale a boutique hotel company without losing the creativity, personality, and local connection that make independent hospitality so special? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jorgan von Stiening, President of Palisociety, to explore the strategy behind scaling a successful boutique hotel company while staying true to its brand and guest experience. Jorgan shares his journey from accounting and hospitality consulting at Ernst & Young to joining Palisociety and helping the company grow from three hotels to a much larger portfolio across multiple brands and markets. He also breaks down Palisociety’s partnership with Design Hotels and Marriott Bonvoy, explaining how the company is using Marriott’s global reach and loyalty base while maintaining its independent identity. In this episode, you'll learn: How to scale boutique hotels without losing their identityWhy systems and SOPs are critical to independent hotel successThe business value of in-house design, marketing, and brandingHow Marriott Bonvoy is changing Palisociety’s customer acquisition strategyWhat major events like the 2028 Olympics could mean for Los Angeles hotelsThis episode is sponsored by Sip Tea: https://sip-tea-path.com/ Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HNlQ5NDIyJo Links:Jorgan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorganvonstiening/Palisociety: http://palisociety.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/324 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.

  2. 6d ago

    #323: Making Hotel Ownership and Commercial Real Estate Investing Accessible | with Davonne Reaves

    What does it really take to own a hotel, and how can more people gain access to hotel investing? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, Davonne Reaves, founder and CEO of The Vonne Group and Vesterr, shares her journey from working on the front lines of hospitality to becoming a hotel owner, investor, entrepreneur, and advocate for greater access to hotel ownership. Davonne explains how her grandmother’s hospitality influenced her career, what she learned at Hyatt Regency Atlanta, and how hotel consulting and asset management opened her eyes to the business of hotel ownership. She also shares why she created Vesterr to connect commercial real estate deal sponsors with investors. David, Steve, and Davonne also explore the growing role of AI in hotel investing—and why some parts of the acquisition process still require a human touch. Davonne shares candid advice for young entrepreneurs and women entering the industry: stay authentic, keep learning, find mentors, work hard, and never let someone else's “no” stop you. In this episode, you'll learn: What working in hotel operations taught her about ownershipHow to evaluate a hotel investment opportunityWhy the sponsor, location, brand, and operator matterWhere human expertise remains essential in hospitalityAdvice for aspiring hotel owners and young entrepreneursWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v4Ju_rdcVd8 Links:Davonne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davonnereavesVesterr: https://www.vesterr.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/323 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.

  3. Aug 25

    #322: Boutique Service, Authentic Design, and Cultivating Hospitality’s Future | David Bowd of Salt Hotels

    In this episode, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with David Bowd, co-founder and owner of Salt Hotels, for a candid conversation about hospitality, leadership, design, service, and the future of independent hotels. David shares how growing up in a small village in Staffordshire, England, and working in a local pub sparked his passion for hospitality. He also talks about leaving school at 16, discovering that the kitchen wasn’t for him, and building a career that would take him through some of the most influential lifestyle hotels in the world, including St. Martin’s Lane and Sanderson, as well as working alongside hospitality icons Ian Schrager and André Balazs. David explains why he founded Salt Hotels and the philosophy behind combining thoughtful design, personalized service, and a strong sense of place. He also shares why memorable hotels are ultimately created by people—not just beautiful spaces—and tells a powerful story about turning a hotel disaster into an unforgettable guest experience. In this episode, we discuss: The philosophy behind Salt HotelsWhy people and service create memorable hotel experiencesHow independent hotels can build visibility and commercial successAI’s role in hospitality and the importance of human connectionWhy every hotel should feel connected to its locationWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gB-NcS4Aj18 This episode is sponsored by Sip Tea: https://sip-tea-path.com/ Links:David Bowd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbowd/ Salt Hotels: https://www.salthotels.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/322 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.

  4. Aug 20

    #321: How Streamlining Procurement Can Help Hotels Thrive | with Jesse Messitte

    How can hotels make smarter purchasing decisions, control costs, and use technology to work more efficiently? In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jesse Messitte, Vice President of Strategy and Business Operations at Avendra International, for a great conversation about the world of hospitality procurement. Jesse shares his journey from working at Hyatt to spending more than two decades at Avendra, and how his background in data, technology, and hospitality shaped the way he approaches procurement. Jesse talks about his career advice for hospitality professionals who want to make the move from hotel operations into technology. It’s a practical conversation about procurement, technology, AI, and the behind-the-scenes work that can ultimately help hotels deliver a better experience for their guests. In this episode, you’ll learn: How group purchasing organizations help hotels reduce costs and improve purchasing performanceWhat hoteliers should consider when selecting procurement technologyWhy hotels should focus on business objectives before adopting new technologyThe best practices for creating consistent and efficient procurement processesWhether you're a hotel owner, operator, management company, or hospitality technology professional, this episode offers practical insights into making procurement more strategic and using technology to help hotels thrive. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xhOk-Xcmzrc This episode is sponsored by Avendra International: https://www.avendra.com/en/us/   Links:Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-messitte/ Avendra International: https://www.avendra.com/en/us/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/321 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.

  5. Aug 18

    #320: Hotel P&L Benchmarking & The Impact of the World Cup | with Jan Freitag & Amanda Hite

    In this special episode, David Millili sits down with industry leaders at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville to explore the latest trends shaping hotel profitability, benchmarking, revenue management, and mega-event performance. First, Amanda Hite, President of STR, shares how new P&L benchmarking capabilities within CoStar with STR Benchmark are helping hotel owners, operators, management companies, and asset managers better understand more than 100 revenue and expense line items. She discusses profit flow analysis, rising undistributed expenses, declining margins, asset profitability, and how AI-powered tools could help hoteliers identify the data that matters most for improving revenue and profitability. Then, Jan Freitag of CoStar breaks down the hotel revenue impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and explains why its impact was closer to 30 Super Bowls rather than the 104 suggested by FIFA's president. He explores ADR growth, occupancy trends, international versus local demand, match-day pricing, minimum-stay restrictions, and the lessons hotel revenue leaders can apply to future mega-events, including the Olympics.  In this episode, you'll learn: How P&L benchmarking can reveal opportunities to improve hotel profitabilityWhy rising undistributed expenses are putting pressure on hotel marginsWhat Could AI and Natural-Language Analytics Mean for the Future of Hotel Decision-Making?Why Did the World Cup’s Hotel Impact Differ from the Super Bowl?Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oepa3lq-EdU   Links:Jan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janfreitag/Amanda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawattshite/CoStar Group: https://www.costargroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/320 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.

  6. Aug 13

    #319: The Opportunity in Getting Hotel Tech Integrations Right | with Kelly Popp

    What happens when hotel teams have plenty of technology but still struggle to work from the same information? In this special HDC Nashville episode of The Modern Hotelier, David Millili sits down with Kelly Popp, Vice President of Business Development, Americas, at Access Hospitality, to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing hotel commercial teams today: the “toggle tax” created by disconnected systems and siloed departments. Kelly explains how fragmented tech stacks can make it harder for revenue, marketing, and commercial teams to make informed decisions—and why better integration is becoming essential as hotels move toward AI-powered technology. We explore what hotels need to get right before AI can deliver real business value, why clean and connected data matters, and how transparency can keep humans in control of AI-driven decisions. In this episode, they cover: Why disconnected tech stacks create silosThe importance of integrated hotel technologyHow EVO is changing the way hoteliers workWhy hotel content and personalization matterWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RgkxqJEWExo   Links:Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-popp-b5404a6/Access Hospitality: Hotels & Casinos Americas: https://www.theaccessgroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/319 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.

  7. Aug 12

    #318: From On-Property to Expedia to Hotel Technology | with Nick Farrell

    What happens when you combine hands-on hotel experience, OTA expertise, hospitality technology, and a test-and-learn mindset?  In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, David Millili sits down with Nick Farrell, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales at Phunware, to explore his journey from working on-property to Expedia and into the world of hospitality technology. Nick explains why hotels should embrace a test-and-learn mentality, how AI can turn guest data into actionable insights, and why technology should ultimately give hotel employees more time to focus on what matters most: creating meaningful human connections with guests. In this episode, you’ll learn: What working at Expedia taught him about distribution, digital marketing, and demandWhy a test-and-learn mindset is critical for hotelsHow AI and guest intelligence can transform the hotel experienceThe opportunities hotels are missing between check-in and check-outHow AI Concierge technology can personalize recommendations for guestsIf you're interested in hotel technology, AI in hospitality, guest experience, hotel revenue, hospitality innovation, hotel distribution, ancillary revenue, and the future of the hotel industry, this episode is a must-watch. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XXWIowhCp8Q  Links:Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nfarrell1/Phunware Hospitality: https://www.phunware.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/318 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. Aug 11

    #317: Navigating the Shifts Disrupting the Hotel Industry | with Kathleen Cullen

    The hotel industry is undergoing a major transformation—and hotels that continue operating the way they always have may struggle to keep up. In this episode, David Millili sits down with Kathleen Cullen, Executive Vice President of PTG Consulting, to unpack the major shifts disrupting hospitality today. From the rise of AI and changing distribution models to B2B discount stacking, revenue management, technology, and evolving sales strategies, Kathleen shares what hotel leaders need to understand to stay competitive. Kathleen explains why hotels must rethink how they approach revenue, sales, marketing, PR, distribution, and technology—and why profitability, not simply top-line revenue, should be the ultimate goal. She also discusses how AI is changing the way travelers discover hotels, why fast and accurate responses to RFPs are becoming critical, and how independent hotels can use their flexibility as a competitive advantage. In this episode, you'll learn: How B2B distribution and discount stacking are disrupting hotel ratesWhy AI is becoming a new audience hotel must be discoverable throughShould Hotel Leaders Prioritize Profitability Over RevenueThe hotels can rethink sales and RFP response strategiesWhy creating a unique hotel story and customer experience mattersWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uBEODwtL2xY Links:Kathleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-cullen-ptgconsulting/PTG Consulting: https://www.ptgconsulting.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/317 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.

See All (325)

Trailer

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
    325
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © David Millili & Steve Carran
  • Show Website
    The Modern Hotelier

You Might Also Like