When rooms, tech, and amenities start to feel the same, hotels lean on food and beverage to differentiate — and that's the focus of this episode of #NoVacancyNews, recorded during ALIS.

I'm joined by Phil Colicchio and Trip Schneck of Colicchio Consulting, talking from Los Angeles while I deal with snow back home.

We talk about the pressure hoteliers feel around food and beverage right now — rising costs, operational stress, and the need to make restaurants work financially without turning them into generic hotel outlets.

What stood out to me is how directly they connect F&B to experience. Hotels use tableside service, presentation, fire, buyouts, and flexible programming to give guests a reason to choose one property over another.

We cover: 🍽️: Why experiential F&B drives differentiation 🔥: How presentation and design create built-in entertainment 🏨: How hotels use restaurants to support asset value and repeat visits 🍷: Why differentiation doesn't require celebrity chefs ☕: How wine bars, coffee programs, and flexible concepts perform 🎯: Designing F&B around the actual audience, not trends