In this episode of Suite Talk, hosts Jade Evans and Declan Wale are joined by Samantha Van Exter, Head of Hotels at Montcalm Collection, for a thoughtful conversation on what luxury hospitality looks like today, and where it’s heading next.

With more than 25 years of experience across Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Samantha shares her journey from growing up in a hospitality family in Cape Town to leading one of London’s most design-led hotel collections. She unpacks Montcalm’s philosophy of sensitive luxury, where intuition, empathy and clarity matter more than excess, and explains why making guests feel “seen” is the true marker of great service.

From leadership and culture to AI, sustainability and wellness, this episode explores how hospitality leaders can balance operational excellence with human connection, and why kindness and curiosity remain powerful competitive advantages.

✅ Growing up in a hospitality family and finding a career through service

✅ Defining “sensitive luxury” and why intuitive service matters more than opulence

✅ How guest expectations have shifted from formality to comfort and familiarity

✅ The small details that create memorable guest experiences

✅ Building strong partnerships rooted in sustainability and shared values

✅ Leading teams through change with clarity, empathy and communication

✅ Using AI to remove friction and create more time for human connection

✅ Why wellbeing and wellness are shaping luxury hospitality in 2025

✅ Developing future leaders through curiosity, openness and mentorship

Whether you lead a boutique hotel or a multi-property portfolio, this episode offers grounded insights on delivering modern luxury through people-first leadership and thoughtful service.

🎧 Listen now to hear the full conversation with Montcalm Collection’s Samantha Van Exter.

Read more episodes and hospitality insights at https://thehotelmagazine.co.uk/

1. 00:00 - Introduction & Opening
2. 01:47 - Early Life in Cape Town
3. 04:00 - Discovering the Power of Hospitality
4. 07:26 - Montcalm Mayfair & Design Philosophy
5. 08:53 - Sensitive Luxury Explained
6. 13:28 - Evolution of Guest Experience
7. 18:20 - Partnerships & Sustainability
8. 20:20 - Overcoming Industry Challenges
9. 23:58 - The Future: AI & Sustainability
10. 30:30 - Leadership & Legacy

📩 Like, comment, and subscribe to stay up to date on leadership, design and innovation in hospitality.

🔗 Learn more at https://montcalmcollection.com/ and https://thehotelmagazine.co.uk/.

In this candid leadership conversation, Foxhills Managing Director Tej Walia joins hosts Jade and Declan to unpack how a modern country club and resort can feel like a thriving village. From “accidental hotelier” to MD, Tej shares the mindset, investments and people-first practices behind Foxhills’ growth.

With a major multi-million pound redevelopment completed and more on the way, this episode explores how to balance shiny new facilities with relentless attention to basics, and why culture, training and community are the true differentiators.

Tej doesn’t sugarcoat it. He talks staff retention and promotion from within, the realities of post-pandemic hiring, and why AI should power the back office so teams can spend more time with guests. He also reframes wellness for today’s guest — from Pilates and paddle to a well-earned cocktail with friends.

Key topics include:

✅ The “accidental hotelier” journey and Atithi Devo Bhava — guest as God

✅ What makes Foxhills feel like a village and how that shapes service

✅ Redefining wellness for business, members and families

✅ Investing in facilities while never dropping the basics

✅ Staff retention at scale, training, and promoting from within

✅ AI as a facilitator for better human service

✅ Mentoring, mental health, and making hospitality a chosen profession

Whether you lead a hotel, club or resort, this episode offers practical lessons on culture, consistency and community that you can apply right away.

🎧 Listen now to hear the full conversation with Foxhills MD Tej Walia.

Read more episodes and hospitality insights at Hotel Magazine.

00:00 – Tej’s origin story and the principle of Atithi Devo Bhava

00:42 – Introduction and career highlights to date

01:41 – Three things people may not know about Tej

02:54 – What makes Foxhills a “village” for members and guests

04:01 – Inside the Pavilion family building and estate facilities

05:17 – Hospitality as a lifestyle, not just a job

07:35 – Balancing community feel with national events and tournaments

08:43 – A broader definition of wellness that meets guests where they are

10:33 – Lessons from major refurb and development projects

14:04 – Staff retention, perks and why familiarity matters to members

16:28 – Training that sticks and promoting supervisors from within

18:57 – Trends to watch and why “bleisure” fits Foxhills

19:56 – Where AI helps — and where only people will do

22:21 – Commuting, work rhythms, and family support

24:42 – Quick-fire: habits, myths, first impressions

25:39 – AI: threat or opportunity

27:27 – A favourite hotel and early career foundations

28:29 – Mentors then and now — and mentoring others

31:54 – Leading millennials and Gen Z with open feedback

33:02 – Learning to support mental health at work

34:37 – Nurturing talent with clear pathways and the “Passport” program

35:54 – Hotelier Hall of Fame pick — Tej’s mum

37:12 – What Tej is doing to better the industry

39:01 – The biggest frustration and the promise of hospitality as a profession

40:25 – Career highlights and hosting major events

42:25 – Tej’s definition of hospitality today

📩 Like, comment, and subscribe to stay up to date on leadership, wellness and innovation in hospitality.

🔗 Learn more at Foxhills Club & Resort and Hotel Magazine.

In this energising leadership conversation, The Mandrake General Manager, Eljesa Saciri, joins,Tom and Declan to explore how a 34-key boutique property can feel larger than life. From law student to bar back to GM, she shares how tenacity, curiosity and people-first leadership power an avant-garde hotel where art, nightlife and deep restoration live side by side.

This episode is produced in partnership with Agilysys, helping hotels bring guest, spend and operations together on one platform so teams can understand the whole guest journey and drive smarter revenue decisions.

The Mandrake is not just a stay. It is an experience. Think two bars, two restaurants, a new members’ club and Dharmā, the world’s first immersive spa with an Origin Pool designed for full sensory reset. By day guests restore. By night they lean into the darker, playful side with DJs and performances. Through it all, service remains human and precise.

Key topics include:

✅ The boutique GM journey and owning your difference

✅ The art-led vision behind The Mandrake and its private collection

✅ Sexual wellness and safe, expert-led programming

✅ Dharmā immersive spa and the Origin Pool experience

✅ Building team energy and psychological safety on every shift

✅ Commercial acumen without losing the human touch

✅ Community work, mental health advocacy and empowering women in hospitality

Whether you lead an independent hotel or a branded property, this episode offers practical ideas on culture, programming and leadership that create memories from moments.

🎧 Listen now to hear the full conversation with The Mandrake’s GM, Eljesa Saciri.

Read more episodes and industry insight at Hotel Magazine.

00:00 – What hospitality means to Eljesa, creating memories from moments

00:41 – From studying law to the first female GM of The Mandrake

01:39 – Three things you did not know about Eljesa

02:43 – Inside The Mandrake: bars, restaurants, members’ club and greenhouse

03:18 – World’s first immersive spa and the new members’ club

03:47 – “I always said I would run it”

04:49 – The art-led vision and founder Rami’s personal collection

05:24 – Learning the building and its stories

05:35 – Sexual wellness at The Mandrake Salon with expert-led sessions

07:16 – First month as GM and the transportive feel of the hotel

07:46 – The all-encompassing experience: dark and light, last Friday package

08:35 – Late-night DJs and performance, then sleep and restore

08:53 – Breakfast on Jurema Terrace and restoration in Dharmā

09:53 – The Origin Pool: multi-sensory reset and ancient rituals with modern tech

11:19 – Early life as a refugee and seeking powerful female role models

14:04 – The pivot from law to hospitality and the first big break

15:28 – Ten years of rapid progression: asking questions, knowing where you fit

17:53 – Keeping it fun as a leader and setting the energy for the team

19:23 – Doing every job, leading from the floor

19:44 – Partner break: Agilysys on unified platforms and revenue clarity

23:01 – Being labelled “difficult,” age and leadership, proving commercial acumen

25:44 – Why luck meets hard work and being seen at the right time

26:08 – Community impact: women’s shelters, mental health and schools outreach

29:22 – Transparent leadership: open P&Ls, late-night support, umbrella mindset

30:48 – Learning from poor management to lead differently

32:24 – Two changes to fight for: women in leadership and real allyship

33:24 – Barriers to change and why women must champion women

34:29 – Mentors who changed the trajectory

35:58 – Midnight fox fiasco and the realities of GM life

37:29 – What has changed in a decade and why difference now leads

38:01 – Why you have to experience The Mandrake to understand it

38:40 – Career highlights: Acorn 30 Under 30 and a team award that mattered

40:08 – Quick fire: essentials, favourite cities, Hall of Fame pick, travel musts

42:17 – Question for the next guest

42:40 – Definition of hospitality: changing lives, not saving them

📩 Like, comment and subscribe to stay up to date on leadership, creativity and wellness in hospitality.

🤝 This episode of Suite Talk is in partnership with Agilysys.

🔗 Learn more about The Mandrake and Hotel Magazine.