Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality

Hospitality.FM
Hospitality.FM
  • 5.0 (82)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality, a Skift Podcast, where we unlock the secrets behind the world's most successful hotel and hospitality brands. Hosted by industry expert Katie Cline, each episode features exclusive interviews with top executives, seasoned leaders, and trailblazing innovators in the hospitality world. Together, they reveal the strategies that drive guest loyalty, enhance customer experiences, and set their brands apart in a competitive market. Whether you’re a seasoned hospitality professional or aspiring to break into the industry, Katie will distill each conversation into actionable steps that you can implement in your own business. Tune in weekly to elevate your hospitality game and achieve your own 'suite' success. Presented by Lodgify and ⁠Bilt⁠.

  1. 16h ago

    Why This Founder Believes Every Hotel Should Think Like a Media Company

    On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Brandon Berkson, founder of Hotels Above Par, a boutique publication reaching more than half a million readers, as well as the creator of Mexzine. Brandon shares how getting furloughed during the pandemic led him to launch the brand, why his background in hotel PR gave him an unexpected advantage, and what he would do differently if he were building a media company from scratch today. They also explore why newsletters may be one of the most valuable tools hospitality brands can invest in, how to turn social media followers into an audience you actually own, and why finding a specific niche can be more powerful than trying to appeal to everyone. Brandon also explains why likes matter far less than shares and conversations—and how listening to those signals can help brands create content people actually want to consume. Plus, Katie and Brandon discuss the resurgence of print and in-person experiences, the difference between an audience and a true community, and why responding to a single DM or email can be one of the most powerful ways to build long-term brand loyalty. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:37 Meet Brandon Berkson 01:13 Bellboy Beginnings 03:33 Wild Hotel Stories 05:06 From PR to Founder 07:40 Hotels Above Par Explained 10:10 ManyChat Social Funnel 11:52 Building During the Pandemic 15:02 Taking the Leap 18:23 Newsletter-First Media 20:39 Niche Media Playbook 22:06 Journalists and Storytelling 23:42 Two-Way Community 24:20 Engaging Readers Everywhere 25:12 Sudden Viral Growth 26:49 Analytics Over Opinions 27:53 Packaging Content Right 29:19 Pushing Past Cringe 31:11 Why a Print Newspaper 33:47 Building Real Community 38:44 Hotel First Impressions 40:08 Best and Worst Stays 43:17 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Brandon:⁠ ⁠⁠Brandon's LinkedIn⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-berkson-642621b3 Hotels Above Par Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://readhotelsabovepar.com/ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Why This Founder Believes Every Hotel Should Think Like a Media Company

  2. Aug 13

    The Man Behind Hospitality’s Top Events on the Biggest Threat to AI

    As artificial intelligence gets better at answering questions, analyzing data and automating work, the things it can’t replicate—bringing people together, building relationships, telling stories and making someone feel genuinely seen—could become more valuable than ever. On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Alexi Khajavi, Group President of Hospitality and Operational Real Estate at Questex, where he oversees an international portfolio of some of hospitality’s leading media platforms and live events, including The Hospitality Show and NYU IHIF. After a career spanning online travel, launching an airline in Central America, hospitality, real estate and events around the world, Alexi has built a career around connecting people. He shares why getting the right people in the room matters more than ever, how to make the most of industry events, what the best networkers and speakers do differently, and why the relationships built in those rooms can ultimately lead to some of the biggest opportunities in business. The conversation also explores the forces shaping hospitality today, from changing travel behavior and the return of midscale hotels to labor, AI and the growing importance of storytelling. Alexi shares why simply delivering data is no longer enough, what hospitality can teach other industries about making people feel valued and why, in an increasingly AI-driven world, the most powerful thing hospitality has going for it might be its humanity. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:36 Meet Alexi Khajavi 01:34 Career Path to Questex 06:15 Global Citizen Mindset 10:54 Starting an Airline in Costa Rica 15:11 Learning Spanish 16:54 Favorite Places 19:01 Industry View 23:41 Conference Overview 26:38 How to Win at Events 33:49 Why NYU IHIF Matters 37:47 Industry Optimism vs Reality 39:44 Travel Is Still Essential 41:41 AI Questions Outpace Answers 43:40 Human Connection at a Premium 46:11 Labor and Politics 50:39 Surprises from the Stage 53:38 Building Stage Confidence 57:41 Proust Questionnaire 01:02:19 Last Three Questions 01:07:20 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Alexi:⁠ ⁠Alexi's LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexihuntleykhajavi Questex Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://questex.com/ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    The Man Behind Hospitality’s Top Events on the Biggest Threat to AI

  3. Aug 6

    The CEO of a 100-Year-Old Hotel on What You Should Never Preserve

    How do you keep a 100-year-old hotel relevant in a world that's constantly changing? On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Tom Prescott, President & CEO of Seaway Hotels Corporation and steward of the iconic Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables, as the National Historic Landmark celebrates its centennial. Tom shares what it really takes to operate one of America's most historic luxury hotels—from balancing preservation with innovation to investing millions in the guest experience without sacrificing the property's identity. Along the way, he reveals why great hospitality isn't about preserving everything—it's about knowing what to let go of. Tom also reflects on growing up in a family hospitality business, why he intentionally built his career elsewhere before returning, and how those outside experiences shaped his leadership style. Together, Katie and Tom explore the value of challenging "the way we've always done it," the rise of independent luxury hotels, why consistency matters more than perfection, and what every business can learn from a brand that's successfully evolved for 100 years. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:36 Meet Tom Prescott 01:23 Family Roots in Hospitality 02:16 Working with Dad 05:40 Fresh Ideas and Culture Shift 07:10 Biltmore History  10:13 Running a Historic Hotel 15:49 CapEx and Guest Experience 20:50 Miami Boom and Competition 24:33 Hard vs Soft Brands 30:09 Owner, Operator, Steward 32:16 The Next 100 Years 37:21 Kids and Succession 44:47 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Tom:⁠ ⁠⁠The Biltmore Hotel Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://biltmorehotel.com/ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    The CEO of a 100-Year-Old Hotel on What You Should Never Preserve

  4. Jul 30

    How Two Founders Made Impossible Reservations Possible

    On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Mena Barakat and Sarah Goldring, co-founders of ResX, a New York-based reservation exchange platform that’s changing the way people access some of the hardest-to-book restaurants. What began as an Instagram page where two friends shared reservations they could no longer use has grown into a thriving technology platform with more than 150,000 users—all without raising venture capital. In this episode, Mena and Sarah share the unlikely origin story behind ResX, why they deliberately spent years doing everything manually before building an app, and how staying incredibly close to their customers helped them create a product people genuinely wanted. They also discuss the changing economics of restaurant reservations, the influence of social media on dining culture, and why they're on a mission to make dinner feel spontaneous again. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:39 Meet the founders of ResX 01:29 Company Origin Story 03:06 Launching on Instagram 04:26 Building Community  06:24 What Restaurants Thought 07:40 Monetization 09:17 Bootstrapping 10:46 Going Full Time 12:20 Building a Team 14:17 Valentine’s Day Rush 16:29 Why Reservations are Hard 19:12 Co-Founder Dynamics 21:20 Hardest Moments 24:12 Future Vision 26:52 Rapid Fire 37:08 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Mena and Sarah:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mena on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mena-barakat/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-goldring/ ⁠ResX Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.resx.co/ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    How Two Founders Made Impossible Reservations Possible

  5. Jul 23

    Inside One of the World's Most Remote Luxury Hotels

    On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Kurt Berman, General Manager of Eleven Deplar Farm, a 13-room ultra-luxury adventure lodge on Iceland’s Troll Peninsula. Kurt is also the founder of Wild Hospitality and Wild Wander. With more than three decades of experience leading iconic properties across the Maldives, Seychelles, Thailand, the Caribbean, and now Iceland, Kurt shares why true luxury has far less to do with marble bathrooms and white-glove service than most people think. Together, they explore the realities of operating in some of the world's most isolated destinations, from sourcing everyday items and adapting to unpredictable weather to creating unforgettable guest experiences that couldn't happen anywhere else. Kurt also shares his philosophy that the greatest luxury isn't extravagance—it's removing decision fatigue and allowing guests to be fully present. You'll also hear the incredible story of how Kurt met his wife (a helicopter pilot), what it was like raising a son across six countries, and why some of the most memorable hospitality moments come from embracing the unexpected rather than trying to control it. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:37 Meet Kurt Berman 02:21 Remote Luxury Myths 04:52 Heli-Ski Season 06:10 Career Highlights 06:56 Seychelles Love Story 08:15 Difficult Requests When Remote 11:11 True Luxury Defined 16:58 Raising Global Kids 22:01 Where is Home? 24:12 Surprising Destinations 25:35 Slovenia Travel Dreams 26:00 Deplar Farm Origins 29:05 Outposts and Adventures 31:20 “Wellbeing” Beyond the Buzzword 34:02 Iceland Tourism 37:14 Culture and Hospitality Styles 40:11 Why Adventure is Luxury 49:09 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Kurt:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kurt on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtberman/ Eleven Deplar Farm Website⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://elevenexperience.com/lodge-destinations/iceland/eleven-deplar-farm Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Inside One of the World's Most Remote Luxury Hotels

  6. Jul 16

    The Truth About the World Cup Hotel Boom

    On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with one of the industry's most trusted data experts, Jan Freitag, National Director of Hospitality Analytics at CoStar, to separate hype from reality. Together, they unpack all things World Cup—from returned room blocks and evolving booking patterns to what the tournament actually meant for hotel occupancy, room rates and performance across host markets. But this conversation goes far beyond the World Cup. Jan explains why the best hotel owners learn to ignore headlines, how to distinguish signal from noise, and what current hotel performance tells us about the broader U.S. travel market. He also shares why successful operators make decisions based on long-term trends rather than emotion—and why that mindset may be one of the biggest competitive advantages in hospitality. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:37 Meet Jan Freitag 01:43 Jan’s Career Path 03:54 World Cup Data Headlines 08:25 Booking Windows 10:27 Room Blocks and Cancellations 14:10 Industry Health 16:58 Luxury and Experience Spending 19:47 RevPAR Explained 23:07 Margins and Cost Pressures 25:56 Buying and Building Hotels 29:48 Risk Perception 30:48 Luxury Costs 31:51 Financing Small Boutique Hotels 33:42 What Makes Hotels Win 35:48 Misreading Data 37:08 Short Term Rentals Shift Demand 39:39 Hotel Brands Adapt 43:06 Generations Shaping Travel 46:00 AI in Hospitality 51:11 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Jan:⁠ ⁠⁠Jan on LinkedIn⁠⁠: linkedin.com/in/janfreitag Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  7. Jul 9

    The Hospitality Secrets That Built America's #1 B&B

    On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Marco DiDomizio, hospitality strategist, real estate broker, consultant, and coach at InnAdvisors. Before advising hotel owners across the country, Marco spent nearly a decade transforming the Candleberry Inn on Cape Cod from a dated bed and breakfast into the #1 inn in the United States according to both Travel + Leisure and TripAdvisor. Together, they unpack the strategies that helped Marco command higher nightly rates, create unforgettable guest experiences, build a fiercely loyal customer base, and ultimately sell the business at the top of its game. Whether you own a hotel or dream of purchasing your first hospitality asset, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on creating a business guests can't stop talking about. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:38 Meet Marco DiDomizio 01:29 From Finance to Running a B&B 03:38 Choosing Cape Cod 06:57 Finding the Candleberry Inn 08:07 Renovation Vision 09:22 Guest Experience 13:13 Funding the Deal 16:21 Renovations That Pay 17:52 Valuation and Appraisals 21:19 Leaving Corporate Behind 23:02 Websites and Content Marketing 27:40 Romance vs Reality 28:21 When Guests Become Friends 29:17 Staffing and Culture 30:09 Winning Awards 32:54 Why They Sold 36:06 Owner vs Operator 38:51 InnAdvisors 41:51 Deal Green Flags 43:52 Advice for Aspiring Owners 50:05 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Marco:⁠ ⁠Marco on LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-didomizio-mba-837873/ ⁠Inn Advisors Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://innadvisors.com/ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    The Hospitality Secrets That Built America's #1 B&B

  8. Jul 2

    140 Years. Four Generations. Inside One of America’s Last Great Family Resorts.

    On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Bob Beach, fourth-generation steward of Basin Harbor, one of America’s last great family-owned resorts. Now celebrating its 140th season, the lakeside Vermont property has remained in the same family since 1886—a remarkable feat in an industry increasingly dominated by global hotel brands. Bob shares the incredible history of the resort, from his great-aunt Ardelia Beach’s bold decision to purchase the property in the 1880s to the unexpected tragedy that brought him back to the family business after he’d planned to leave for good. He also reflects on leading the resort through family ownership transitions, evolving guest expectations, and the COVID-19 pandemic, when Basin Harbor came closer than ever before to losing everything. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lodgify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bilt⁠ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Suite Success 00:37 Meet Bob Beach 01:36 Dirty Dancing Vibes 04:33 Ardelia’s Founding Story 08:21 Lake Champlain Shipwrecks 11:08 Hotel Life 13:20 Bob Joins the Business 18:15 Hospitality Lessons 21:20 Stewardship 25:00 Kids Camp 27:11 Staying Independent 28:12 Cottages Built to Last 29:42 Studless Construction Secrets 30:54 Retrofitting and Expanding 34:12 Modern Upgrade Mindset 34:54 Becoming the Historian 37:36 Maritime Museum Origins 39:50 COVID Crisis and Comeback 44:17 Family Turning Point 48:01 Staffing Realities 52:38 Suite Summary ⁠Connect with Bob:⁠ Basin Harbor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/basin-harbor/ Basin Harbor Resort Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.basinharbor.com/ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suite Success Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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About

Welcome to Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality, a Skift Podcast, where we unlock the secrets behind the world's most successful hotel and hospitality brands. Hosted by industry expert Katie Cline, each episode features exclusive interviews with top executives, seasoned leaders, and trailblazing innovators in the hospitality world. Together, they reveal the strategies that drive guest loyalty, enhance customer experiences, and set their brands apart in a competitive market. Whether you’re a seasoned hospitality professional or aspiring to break into the industry, Katie will distill each conversation into actionable steps that you can implement in your own business. Tune in weekly to elevate your hospitality game and achieve your own 'suite' success. Presented by Lodgify and ⁠Bilt⁠.

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