This Week in Hospitality

In this week’s episode, the guys jump from Sub-Saharan Africa to budget roadside America to biohacking on a Caribbean beach—and somehow tie it all together. The throughline? Hotel groups are searching for growth in a market that feels mature at home and increasingly demanding everywhere else.

They start with Choice’s plan to open 100 hotels in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2035. Edwin argues that the real opportunity isn’t safari escapism, but dense capital-city demand driven by business travel, NGOs, and intra-African growth. With new-build pipelines lagging, conversions and franchising become the strategic edge. Ben adds that in markets without decades of “economy brand” stigma, Choice may find a cleaner runway than it has in the U.S.

Next, they unpack Wyndham’s contrarian stance on the struggling economy segment. While revenue has slid for more than a year, Wyndham’s CEO insists the downturn is cyclical—not structural—and teases a push into “budget lifestyle.” The guys debate whether affordability can actually feel aspirational, and whether travelers want to identify with “budget,” even when it’s cleverly rebranded.

Finally, they explore the shift from wellness to longevity—better framed as healthspan—as luxury hotels move beyond spa aesthetics into diagnostics, personalization, and clinic-level programming. In Spice of the Week, they take aim at hotels adopting performative anti-AI creative policies, arguing that resisting innovation in the name of authenticity may be the fastest way to fall behind.

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

08:22 — Story #1: Choice Hotels targets 100 hotels in Africa by 2035

20:28 — Story #2: Wyndham doubles down on economy as budget hotels struggle

36:30 — Story #3: Wellness is out, “longevity” becomes luxury hospitality’s new hook

47:37 — 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/

This week, the guys zero in on where real leadership in hospitality is showing up — and where it isn’t. Accor’s ChatGPT partnership leads the conversation, not as a booking play, but as a signal that intent is shifting away from websites and toward questions. The takeaway is clear: brands willing to test behavior, learn how guests search, and show up early in the decision journey are already ahead.

Scott brings ground truth from Thailand and Jamaica, exposing a widening mindset gap. In Asia, hospitality is still treated as craft — GMs obsess over service, personalization, and staying relevant in hyper-competitive markets. In much of the Caribbean, demand is more destination-driven, and innovation often feels defensive. Edwin adds Europe’s perspective, framing it as split between tradition, efficiency, and emotion — with each region defining “success” differently.

The episode closes with Ian Schrager partnering with Highgate to scale Public Hotels — a smart handoff of execution without sacrificing creative control — and Disney’s CEO succession as a reminder that physical experiences still beat disposable content. Spice of the Week lands the point: attention is expensive, but emotion is what actually builds loyalty.

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

00:00 — Intro

23:53 — Story 1: Ian Schrager + Highgate take on Public Hotels

13:52 — Story 2: Accor launches ALL Accor experience inside ChatGPT

31:07 — Story 3: Disney’s next CEO signals the rise of Parks & Experiences

47:22 — Story 4: Chrome Hearts buys Malibu’s Surf Rider Hotel

42:33 — Spice of the Week

Zach Busekrus — Journey

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

This week opens in a literal snow-and-ice meltdown — and somehow ends in Bangkok’s Hangover Hotel with 3,000 people a day lining up for a movie photo op. In between, the guys hit the real storylines moving the industry.

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

00:00 — Intro

02:09 — Story #1: Muse raises $300M Series D at a $2.5B valuation

13:32 — Story #2: NYC bans hidden hotel fees and limits credit card holds

24:23 — Rumorville: Airbnb exploring an apart-hotel / management brand

27:26 — Story #3: Hilton announces “Undergraduate by Hilton” as brand #26

42:27 — Spice of the Week

Zach Busekrus — Journey

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

The guys break down the biggest stories sharing hospitality this week:

Airbnb’s next move isn’t about adding inventory—it’s about repairing a model that never fully scaled. The hosts open by interrogating Airbnb’s rumored hotel strategy and whether pushing into professionally managed stays is a logical evolution or an admission that the peer-to-peer “magic” is gone. Ben argues that hotels on Airbnb make sense as distribution, not as hard assets, while Scott and Edwin are blunt: inconsistency, fees, and regulation have turned discovery into a transaction. Slapping the Airbnb logo on a building doesn’t fix trust.

That tension between brand and operations carries into the Casa–Mint House combination. Rather than selling lifestyle, this deal is about operational gravity—scale, discipline, and boring execution. The panel frames it as a roll-up play that could finally produce a credible US apart-hotel operator, especially as weaker models like Sonder fade. The takeaway is clear: alternative accommodations don’t need more storytelling; they need repeatable performance.

The conversation then turns cautionary with Revo Hospitality’s insolvency. Rapid post-COVID growth, thin margins, and fixed lease exposure collide with rising labor costs and softer demand. Scott distills it sharply: identity without scale burns money, and scale without discipline destroys trust. The group agrees this is another signal that curator-operator hybrids living in the “mediocre middle” are structurally fragile.

Finally, OpenAI’s rollout of ChatGPT ads signals a deeper shift in travel discovery. As intent moves from search bars to prompts, hotels face a new performance channel they can’t afford to ignore—yet may be too slow to test. The episode closes with a sharper note, spotlighting White Elephant Aspen and the return of Delano Miami Beach as reminders that when brands do work, they win by executing relentlessly, not hedging.

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

00:00 — Intro

01:25 — Story #1: Airbnb Hotels: Smart distribution or brand dilution?

16:33 — Story #2: Casa–Mint House Signals Consolidation in Apart-Hotels

25:00 — Story #3: Revo Hospitality’s Collapse Exposes the Operator-Brand Trap

35:52 — Story #4: ChatGPT Ads and the Future of Travel Discovery

48:16 — Spice of the Week: White Elephant Aspen & Delano Miami Beach Openings

Zach Busekrus — Journey

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

The guys break down the biggest stories sharing hospitality this week:

White Lotus goes to Saint-Tropez: Reports say Season 4 will film at Hôtel de Paris Saint-Tropez. The guys talk about why the show turns hotels into cultural characters — and what a smart property should do right now to build demand before the season even airs.

Soho House deal drama: Skift reports MCR can’t fund its $200M commitment to take Soho House private. The guys unpack what this says about capital getting tighter — and whether lifestyle club brands are harder to scale when investors get disciplined.

Aman’s next chess move: Skift points to signs Aman may be launching a third brand, “Atma,” positioned between ultra-luxury Aman and a more lifestyle tier. The guys dig into what segmentation (instead of dilution) signals about where luxury demand is headed.

Rumor Corner — Marriott x Rosewood?! A viral FlyerTalk thread sparks speculation about a potential acquisition. It’s unconfirmed — but the guys game out what it could mean for luxury’s competitive landscape if it’s even close to real.

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 alliance.journey.com.

00:00 — Intro

04:09 — Story #1: White Lotus Heads to the Hôtel du Cap (and Hotels Confuse Visibility with Value)

20:29 — Story #2: MCR Can’t Fund the Soho House Take-Private (and the “Belonging” Problem)

35:41 — Story #3: Aman’s Quiet Expansion: A Third Brand Between Ultra-Luxury and Lifestyle

47:36 — Rumorville

56:27 — Spice of the Week

Zach Busekrus — Journey

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

A softening demand backdrop is forcing travel to pick sides: who gets welcomed, who gets rewarded, and who gets priced out. This episode tracks how that sorting is happening across destinations, hotels, OTAs, and airlines—and why “exclusivity” without a better experience is just another way to irritate customers.

First, Bali’s floated idea to require bank statements for visas is framed as a blunt instrument to deter low-spend visitors, echoing Europe’s own overtourism pushback (even if enforcement looks different). Then the crew digs into CoStar’s November data showing the 19th straight month of occupancy declines, with ADR holding but RevPAR slipping—fueling a debate over whether the slump is macro confidence, a glut of bland midscale supply, or a distribution measurement problem.

From there, Expedia emerges as the surprising winner: Edwin argues it’s less an OTA than the “plumbing” of travel, quietly powering white-label ecosystems and shifting negotiating leverage. Finally, American’s no-miles Basic Economy move and Delta’s Vegas Sphere lounge experiment reveal airlines doubling down on premium segmentation while loyalty perks increasingly feel like accounting, not belonging. Spice of the Week closes on why smaller, differentiated brands—and smarter “light brand” affiliations—may be the only durable edge.

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 alliance.journey.com.

Key Topics & Timestamps

Your Hosts:

Zach Busekrus — Journey

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

2025 was a year where the hospitality world stopped playing offense and started getting sorted — by who could scale, who could actually operate, and who was still living in the low-rate, high-growth fantasy of the last cycle.

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.

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 — Intro

Zach Busekrus — Journey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/

This week, Zach, Scott, Ben, and Edwin are back — and the crew opens with Frontier’s CEO stepping down, treating it as a category autopsy. Scott argues ULCC isn’t failing because people don’t want cheap flights — it’s failing because the experience feels adversarial. Ben backs it with real consumer behavior: once basic economy closes the price gap, travelers avoid Spirit and Frontier unless it’s the only direct route. Edwin adds the European lens, noting low-cost works best when distances are short — but even there, the line between legacy and budget carriers is rapidly blurring.

The conversation then pivots to Fed rate cuts and what they unlock for hospitality heading into 2026. Ben breaks down why cheaper money doesn’t just help debt — it fundamentally shifts equity psychology and makes boutique, differentiated projects pencil again. Edwin throws the caution flag: if capital flows the wrong way, independents get swallowed and everything gets blander. Scott lands the thesis: rate cuts don’t fix bad fundamentals — they expose them.

Finally, the crew looks at a global demand shift hiding in plain sight: European travelers are skipping U.S. gateway cities and choosing places like Austin, Nashville, and Charleston instead. The group argues this isn’t a tourism fad — it’s driven by value, cultural legibility, and social media making secondary cities aspirational. In a world where everywhere is visible, the obvious destinations no longer win by default.

In Spice of the Week, the episode gets sharp: Dubai mandates digital hotel check-in; a Maldives BTS reel proves “authentic beats polished”; and Scott closes with the line of the week — luxury isn’t a price point, it’s a choice.

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.

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 — Intro

07:11 — Story #1: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros.

25:11 — Story #2: How U.S. Lodging Abandoned the Middle Class

43:45 — Best Social Media Posts of the Week

52:40 — Story #3: Uber’s AI Solutions Arm Is Recruiting Travel Agents

1:01:13 — "Spice of the Week"

Zach Busekrus — Journey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/

This week, Zach, Scott, and Ben drop one of the spiciest takes on the future of hospitality yet — starting with the bombshell Netflix–Warner–Paramount showdown and why it matters more to hotels than Hollywood. Scott argues the real war isn’t over streaming… it’s over cultural control, and hotels are dangerously unprepared. Ben hits back with receipts from DTC brands and politics: the media revolution already happened, and hospitality is years behind.

The crew then dismantles the claim that U.S. hotels have “abandoned the middle class.” Ben calls BS — the middle class didn’t disappear, they just want better taste and better design. Zach backs it with Gen Z trip-planning screenshots, while Scott says the real issue is affordability and aspiration colliding in real time.

Then: Uber’s quiet hiring of travel planners sparks a debate about whether the rideshare giant is building the operating system for global movement. If Uber controls inspiration → booking → mobility, hotels may be fighting for visibility, not reservations.

And in a fiery Spice of the Week: Instagram’s new open-reshare feature is labeled a “nuclear unlock” for hotels; Ben argues most directors of marketing should be replaced by cinematic content teams; and Scott drops the line of the episode: “Hotels aren’t places to sleep — they’re stages. And nobody is performing.”

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.

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 — Intro

07:11 — Story #1: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros.

25:11 — Story #2: How U.S. Lodging Abandoned the Middle Class

43:45 — Best Social Media Posts of the Week

52:40 — Story #3: Uber’s AI Solutions Arm Is Recruiting Travel Agents

1:01:13 — "Spice of the Week"

Zach Busekrus — Journey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/

This week, the crew kicks things off with the $100 fee hike for international visitors to U.S. national parks and what it means for gateway towns, hotel owners, and the broader appeal of “America’s best idea.” Will higher fees thin crowds, crush small operators, or just change how and where travelers spend?

From there, we zoom out to the rebirth of human-led travel planning as luxury travelers get paralyzed by endless options and start seeking out high-touch, in-person advisors and “travel boutiques” instead of yet another AI-generated itinerary.

Finally, we dig into the corporate wellness boom: why companies are swapping fluorescent-lit ballrooms for nature-immersed retreats, cold plunges, and sleep-optimized stays—and how savvy hotels are repositioning themselves as performance and reset hubs, not just places to crash.

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.

Key Topics & Timestamps

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 — Intro

16:14 — Story #1: $100 fee hike for international visitors to U.S. national parks

28:18 — Story #2: The Return of the Travel Agency? Why Luxury Escapes’ High-End Boutiques Are Booming

38:46 — Best Social Media Posts of the Week

56:24 — Story #3: Corporate Wellness Travel Going Mainstream

47:20 — "Spice of the Week"

Zach Busekrus — Journey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/