This Week in Hospitality

By thisweekinhospitalityNews Business News

This Week in Hospitality episodes

April 21Inside the Vrbo Where George Washington Stayed — and the Operator Turning Savannah Into a Historic Luxury Destination
Connect with Corey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-jones-a66a004/
Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/
Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/
—
His tenant stopped paying rent. When he went to investigate, he found guest books, five-star reviews, and a listing on VRBO — for his own home.

That's how Corey Jones stumbled into vacation rentals. No business plan. No grand ambition. Just a house he couldn't sell in 2009, a tenant who saw an opportunity before he did, and a New York Times travel feature he never knew existed — about a property he owned.

That accidental beginning became Lucky Savannah, now one of the largest vacation rental management companies in one of the South's most beloved destinations, with over 400 properties across the city.

We sat down together in one of those properties — a three-story home built in the 1760s, the oldest masonry brick structure in the state of Georgia, where George Washington once stayed. It's been a colonial meeting house, a law firm, and now a meticulously restored luxury vacation rental that just won one of VRBO's top homes of the year.
In this episode, we explore:
How a rental gone wrong became a 400-property portfolio — and why saying yes to everything was the right move early on
What "historic luxury" actually means, and how Corey's team blends 18th-century architecture with modern amenities
Why Savannah's hotel-first culture forced his team to operate at a higher standard from day one
How he's thinking about AI — including a dedicated budget line item for 2026
The case for casting a narrow net in an industry that rewards specialization
And why the operators who stayed disciplined through the post-COVID hangover are the ones getting the calls back

Fifteen years in, Corey hasn't expanded into new markets or chased the hotel trend. He's betting that going deeper — not broader — is how you win in the long run.
A special thanks to my friends at Expedia and the VRBO team for inviting me down to Savannah to capture Corey's story in person.

—

Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.

Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of Growth at Journey. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.
59 min
April 17 The Hotel Owner Squeeze, Six Senses Founder's Comeback, Wyndham's Grandma Gambit, and Coachella's Dirty Secret
The hotel industry is telling two very different stories right now — and this week, the squad unpacks both.

First up: a Skift deep dive exposes the brutal math crushing America's hotel owners. Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt are posting record profits while the people who actually own the buildings are hemorrhaging cash — franchise fees, loyalty fees, F&B fees, spa fees, stack an OTA commission on top and owners could be handing over 40% of revenue before paying a single employee. The panel doesn't hold back. Edwin calls it a deadlock. Ben calls it a hostage situation. Scott says the cracks show up the moment growth slows — and right now, they're everywhere.

Then: the man behind Six Senses is back. Bernard Baumgartner's new venture, Discover Collection, ditches OTAs entirely for a membership-based model with 32 villas in Oman and a bombshell incentive — travel advisors earn 12% commission on lifetime guest spend. It won't scale. That's the point.

Wyndham makes a surprise appearance with a genuinely clever social campaign — a $20K Route 66 road trip giveaway pairing grandparents with grandkids, comp stays at Days Inn and Super 8, full content documentation required. The most valuable guest isn't the highest spender — it's the best storyteller.

And Coachella? Ben drops a reality check. It didn't sell out in 2023. Random April weekends outperformed festival weekends at his Palm Springs hotel. Justin Bieber saved it this year. The takeaway: demand anchors are powerful, but they're lineup-dependent, not brand-dependent.
This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
05:12 — Story #1: Hotel Owners Get Crushed While Brands Cash In
26:46 — Story #2: Bernard’s Members-Only Hotel Bet
40:13 — Story #3: Wyndham’s Grandparent Route 66 Play
48:57 — Story #4: Coachella Became a Hospitality Engine
59:13 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 13 min
April 10 Why Direct Booking Isn’t Working, Hyatt’s Miss, and the New Rules of Demand
This week, Scott, Ben, and Zach discuss the growing disconnect between industry strategy and traveler behavior.
New data from Cloudbeds shows OTA share continuing to rise for independent hotels, even as operators double down on direct booking initiatives. At the same time, Hyatt tied executive compensation to improving direct channel performance—and failed to meet the target, underscoring how difficult the shift has become, even at scale.
In parallel, short-term rental data suggests demand has not weakened, but rather evolved. Travelers are taking longer to convert, prioritizing flexibility, and increasingly relying on platforms during moments of uncertainty.
And in the Caribbean, tourism reached record levels despite severe hurricane disruption—highlighting both the strength of global demand and the growing importance of long-term resilience.
Taken together, these stories point to a broader shift: success is no longer determined by capturing demand more efficiently, but by creating it earlier—and owning it before the booking ever begins.
This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
03:15 — Story #1: OTAs Gain Share as Direct Booking Push Stalls
27:02 — Story #2: Hyatt Ties Executive Pay to Direct Booking Goals
40:16 — Story #3: Caribbean Tourism Rebounds Despite Disaster Losses
45:06 — Story #4: STR Demand Isn’t Falling—It’s Delaying and Shifting
51:21 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 10 min
April 03 The Death of Hotel Discovery, The Rise of Food-Led Hotels, and Loyalty’s Identity Crisis
This week, the guys unpack a massive shift happening across hospitality — and what it means for who actually owns demand.

Hotel executives are finally admitting what’s been true for years: discovery is no longer happening on their platforms. It’s happening on social, in group chats, and increasingly through AI. If you’re not part of the inspiration phase, you don’t exist.

At the same time, food is stepping into the spotlight as a true demand driver—not just an amenity. From chef-led concepts to destination restaurants, hotels are betting big on F&B to differentiate, drive rate, and create relevance. But with thin margins and fierce competition, most will underestimate how hard it is to win.

And then there’s loyalty. New data suggests travelers care more about trust, recognition, and real value than price alone — exposing just how outdated many loyalty programs have become. Points aren’t enough anymore. Guests want to feel known.
We break down what all of this means for operators, brands, and investors—and why the hotels that win next won’t just distribute demand… they’ll create it.

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
06:39 — Story #1: Discovery Moved Upstream
32:16 — Story #2: Hotels Bet on Food as Identity
47:15 — Story #3: Trust Beats Price
56:01 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 6 min
March 27 Hilton’s New Power Play, Marriott’s Brand Explosion, and the Battle for Who Owns Demand
Hilton just rewrote the rules on growth—without buying brands. Marriott keeps flooding the market with more flags. And underneath it all, a bigger question is emerging: who actually owns demand in hospitality?

This week, we break down Hilton’s Yotel deal and what it signals about the future of “platformized” hotel brands, Marriott’s relentless expansion strategy (and whether guests even care anymore), and why distribution—not differentiation—is becoming the real battleground.

We also get into Four Seasons’ move into luxury yachts, Thailand’s push to own wellness travel, and how Netflix is quietly reshaping restaurant demand.
If you’re building, investing in, or operating hospitality, this episode is about one thing: control the guest—or rent them from someone who does.

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
02:06 — Story #1: Hilton’s Yotel Deal Turns Brand Into Distribution
27:18 — Story #2: Four Seasons Bets That Luxury Belongs at Sea
40:31 — Story #3: Thailand Makes Wellness a National Strategy
51:11 — Story #4: Netflix Is Now a Travel Demand Engine
01:04:37 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 14 min
March 20The Hotel Restaurant Comeback, Hyatt’s Big Pivot, Rosewood Rumors, and a Brutal Outdoor Hospitality Reality Check
This week in hospitality, three big shifts are colliding — and none of them are getting enough attention.
Hotel restaurants are no longer an afterthought. What was once a margin-draining “amenity” is now becoming one of the most powerful demand drivers a hotel can have. So what changed… and why are lenders suddenly bullish on F&B?

At the same time, Hyatt is making a major move into secondary and tertiary markets — a clear signal that distribution, not differentiation, is the game they’re trying to win. But does scaling faster come at the cost of brand soul?

And then there’s LOGE.

Once one of the most talked-about outdoor hospitality brands, it’s now facing a brutal reality — rapid expansion, rising costs, and the hard truth about scaling experience-driven stays.
We break down:
Why hotel F&B is becoming a growth engine (not a cost center)
Hyatt’s aggressive expansion strategy — and what it says about the market
What LOGE’s struggles reveal about outdoor hospitality
Why “manufacturing demand” is now the only strategy that works
And how hotels are losing (or winning) relevance faster than ever
If you’re building, investing in, or operating hospitality brands — this is the conversation you need to be paying attention to.
This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
06:26 — Story #1: Hotel F&B Shifts from Cost Center to Demand Driver
23:06 — Story #2: Hyatt Expands into Secondary Markets to Fix Distribution Gap
48:04 — Story #3: World Cup Demand Reality Falls Short of Industry Expectations
01:07:46 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 17 min
March 13 OpenAI Pulls Back, Airbnb Stalls, and Travel’s New Power Grab
Travel’s power centers are shifting, but not always where the market expected. OpenAI stepping back from native checkout doesn’t save OTAs so much as reframe the fight: the real leverage may sit upstream, with whoever owns trip discovery and shapes intent before a booking ever happens. Scott argues the industry is still obsessing over the transaction layer while AI is quietly positioning itself to control demand itself.
That same question hangs over Airbnb. Ben and Scott both buy Raffi Asdourian’s thesis that Airbnb’s ambition to own the full trip now requires something more aggressive than product tinkering. If growth is slowing and cash is piling up, the company either needs smarter acquisitions or a far clearer path to becoming a serious hotel distribution platform. The subtext: Airbnb can’t become a travel operating system on branding alone.
The back half of the episode widens the lens. United’s loyalty overhaul shows how thoroughly travel rewards have become a financial-services game, while cruise lines’ private-island boom reveals where the industry is headed more broadly: toward vertically integrated, tightly controlled travel worlds. Spice of the Week lands the punchline—travelers say they want authenticity, but what they often book is a carefully managed version of it.
This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
11:08 — Story #1: OpenAI Pulls Back From In-Chat Travel Booking
18:46 — Story #2: Airbnb’s Growth Slows as Pressure Builds to Acquire
58:14 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 9 min
March 06 War, The Claude Effect, Too Many Hotel Brands & Kimpton’s Big Test
This week’s episode of This Week in Hospitality starts on a deeply human note, with the crew reflecting on the escalating conflict in Iran and the ripple effects being felt across the Middle East and global travel. Edwin, Scott, Ben, and Zach share firsthand accounts from friends and colleagues across Dubai, Kuwait, Doha, Beirut, and beyond — a sobering reminder that hospitality often becomes both refuge and frontline in moments of crisis. From bombed airports to stranded travelers to terrified interns far from home, the conversation grounds the industry in what matters most: people caring for people.

From there, the episode pivots hard into one of the biggest questions facing travel right now: what happens when AI stops being a novelty and starts becoming the interface? The panel unpacks Skift’s “Claude Effect” thesis — the idea that travel may be next in line for the same investor panic and business-model disruption already hitting legal, finance, and cybersecurity. Ben argues the OTAs are in the blast zone. Scott says the markets always overreact — but something big is clearly coming. Edwin drops a scorching hot take: the real endgame may not be Booking vs. Expedia, but an AI giant partnering with or buying one of them outright.

The back half of the episode tackles hotel brand sprawl and whether the industry has finally reached a saturation point. Are soft brands actually helping, or have they become watered-down middle children that confuse consumers and dilute meaning? The crew debates whether AI-powered discovery will make “brand count” irrelevant and force hotel groups to compete on clarity, trust, and true personalization instead.

Finally, the episode closes with a fascinating look at Kimpton, one of the rare boutique brands that seems to have scaled without completely losing its soul after acquisition. Scott and Edwin explain why Kimpton has worked when so many others have failed: separate teams, protected identity, and the discipline to let the back-end scale quietly without flattening the front-end experience.
Oh, and in true This Week in Hospitality fashion, the episode wraps with a spicy final challenge for the industry: if you’re a travel executive talking about AI but not personally using it every day, what exactly are you leading?

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
15:15 — Story #1: AI’s “Claude Effect” Comes for Travel Booking
34:53 — Story #2: Have Hotel Soft Brands Hit a Saturation Point?
45:58 — Story #3: Can Kimpton Scale Without Losing Its Soul?
53:12 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 5 min
February 27 Airbnb’s Next Big Bet, the AI OTA Showdown, and Lessons from Jamaica
The episode opens with a “ground truth” dispatch from Jason Henzell of Jake’s Hotel in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, laying out how community tourism, agritourism, and repeat-guest loyalty can anchor a destination—then how two major hurricanes force an operator to turn resilience into strategy.
From there, the hosts dissect Airbnb’s widening blast radius: airport transfers, grocery delivery tests, revived experiences, a bigger hotel push, and (again) a non-points loyalty experiment. Ben argues the ambition is coherent but execution has historically lagged—so the question is what Airbnb actually nails in the next 6–12 months.
Then the episode turns to the bigger tectonic shift: agentic AI and whether it breaks the OTA model. Scott calls it noise until it works; Ben and Edwin push that consumers will prefer conversational planning to endless deal-scrolling, pressuring commissions and “propping up mediocrity” less and less.
Spice of the Week closes on the coming job title nobody’s staffed for yet: the people who manage fleets of agents—and the businesses that still win because humans show up.

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
01:44 — Ground Truth from the Owner: Jake’s Hotel & Treasure Beach rebuild
24:57 — Story #1: Airbnb’s “super app” push: transfers, hotels, loyalty
38:05 — Story #2: Agentic AI vs OTAs: Marriott/Wyndham integrations and Booking fears
53:01 — Story #3: Choice Hotels trims low-performing U.S. economy inventory
1:00:11 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 11 min
February 20 Ultra-Luxury Ambitions, Franchise Friction & AI as the New Front Desk
Accor isn’t just polishing the Orient Express legend — it’s trying to industrialize it. With LVMH in the mix, the play shifts from “luxury assets” to a full ecosystem built on narrative: trains, hotels, yachts, and a throughline of romance and mythology. Scott sees the upside in that long-game brand equity, but the panel keeps circling the same risk: storytelling can sell the dream, yet only flawless operations keep it from collapsing into cosplay.
Then the mood turns pragmatic with Casago’s post-Vacasa reality check. A founder-led franchise business runs on trust and alignment as much as tech and scale, and Steve Schwab’s CEO transition lands as a stress test for franchisees already bracing for integration chaos. Ben argues owners should protect optionality while the dust settles; Scott and Edwin frame it as a “psychological contract” moment where perception matters as much as governance.
Finally, Hyatt’s ChatGPT integration signals that AI discovery is becoming a real distribution layer, not a gimmick. If travelers are asking for “the right stay” conversationally, brands will win by training the narrative, not bidding on keywords. Spice of the Week closes with a blunt takeaway: creative is the only differentiator left — and hotels are still wasting money boosting the wrong posts instead of scaling what actually works.

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.
Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.
If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:00 — Intro
09:40 — Story #1: Accor + LVMH build Orient Express into a full luxury ecosystem
24:32 — Story #2: Casago’s Vacasa-era growing pains trigger franchisee unease
33:31 — Story #3: Hyatt embraces ChatGPT discovery as the next distribution layer
46:29 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:
Zach Busekrus — Journey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
1 hr 4 min

About This Week in Hospitality

From the publisher's feed

Every Friday morning, This Week in Hospitality brings you the most important stories, insights, and innovations shaping the global hospitality industry — distilled and discussed by people who actually build within it.

Hosted by Ben Wolff, Scott Eddy, Edwin Kramer, and Zach Busekrus, this weekly conversation is crafted for the founders, operators, and dreamers creating the next generation of hospitality brands.

You’ll get more than just headlines — you’ll get perspective. Each episode breaks down the week’s most compelling hospitality stories and explores what they really mean for independent hotel owners, boutique brands, and experiential travel entrepreneurs. From brand strategy and design trends to tech disruption and capital markets, This Week in Hospitality keeps you informed, inspired, and ready for what’s next.

So grab your morning coffee, and catch up on the stories that matter — before your guests check in.

New episodes every Friday morning.

Ben Wolff
Ben Wolff is the visionary founder behind Onera, a trailblazing landscape hotel brand in the Texas Hill Country, and Oasi, a next-generation management company pioneering experiential hospitality. Known for pushing the boundaries of design, wellness, and guest immersion, Ben has become a leading voice in the evolution of high-end, nature-driven travel experiences. His work sits at the intersection of architecture, emotion, and environment — redefining what modern luxury feels like in the wild.

Scott Eddy
Scott Eddy is one of the world’s most recognized hospitality voices — a global keynote speaker, digital strategist, and content creator who has partnered with hundreds of luxury hotel brands, tourism boards, and travel startups. Named among the top travel influencers worldwide, Scott brings a rare blend of brand storytelling expertise, social strategy, and on-the-ground hospitality experience, offering a panoramic view of how digital connection drives modern guest loyalty.

Edwin Kramer
A hospitality executive with a pedigree forged at the world’s leading luxury hotels, Edwin has held senior leadership roles with brands like Four Seasons, EDITION, Campbell, Gray, Hyatt, and NOBU Hotels across multiple continents. Known for operational excellence and cultural leadership, Edwin has built and managed five-star teams that deliver some of the most lauded guest experiences in the industry. Today, he brings that global lens to the conversations shaping hospitality’s future — where service, innovation, and storytelling converge.

Zach Busekrus
Zach is on the founding team of Journey, a next-generation loyalty and storytelling platform empowering independent hotels and vacation rental brands to compete globally without losing their soul. He’s also the creator and host of Behind the Stays, one of the fastest-growing podcasts in hospitality, where he’s interviewed the visionaries behind some of the world’s most creative stays. With a decade in growth strategy and marketing, Zach brings a founder’s curiosity and contagious optimism to every conversation — always championing the builders shaping the future of independent hospitality.