Hotelier Perspectives

There’s something grounding about walking in a hotel’s back hallways and hearing real stories, in real time, from real hoteliers. Lately, we’ve been doing just that: sitting in lobbies, behind front desk counters, joining team huddles, and absorbing what’s working (and what’s not) from the people who live hospitality every day.

All it takes is one breach. Cybersecurity represents a clear and present threat for every hotel, and the topic deserves every kilobyte of attention that it gets. But this topic, and the related one of ‘Data Sovereignty’ are often framed as defensive, trepidation-filled subject matters where hotels must act now…or else…

Hotel insurance has long been sold as a safety net for one of the world’s most unpredictable industries. But behind the polished marketing and “peace of mind” slogans lies a history riddled with fine print, exclusions, and moments where insurers protected their bottom line far more aggressively than they protected hoteliers or their guests.

Hotel management isn’t just about rooms and reservations. From leadership and logistics to loyalty-building, it’s a hands-on education in what it takes to run a world-class experience. This article explores the deep, real-world lessons behind hotel operations and why they prepare you for success far beyond the front desk, whether you’re managing teams, customer relationships or global logistics.

Each of us remembers that one event we attended where every detail was flawlessly executed and the setting was so perfect that, in hindsight, the only word that describe it all is ‘magical’. Behind the scenes, as anyone working in hospitality knows, the crafting of a lifelong memory for attendees requires meticulous planning that starts months, or even years, ahead of the big day or multi-day conference.

Independent and boutique hotels in the U.S. face unprecedented challenges. Labor shortages continue to strain daily operations, with over 60% of hotels reporting difficulties in filling staff positions. At the same time, reliance on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) cuts deeply into profitability, with commissions averaging 20–30% of gross bookings. For small operators, these dual pressures create an unsustainable environment.

As consumer expectations evolve and digital tools become increasingly sophisticated, hospitality leaders face a defining challenge: delivering their guests increasingly personalized, high-touch experiences at scale — without compromising brand integrity. For Jeanelle Johnson, managing partner at the Washington, D.C. office and co-leader of the travel, transportation and hospitality sector at PwC, this moment represents more than a tech transformation. It’s a redefinition of what makes a brand matter.

Our industry is entering a phase where AI is no longer just powering chatbots or enabling precise revenue forecasts—it’s beginning to connect directly to core operational systems.

We’re still in the early days of figuring out how generative AI, LLMs, and search engines are index hotels. Everyone has their theories, and I’m sure thousands of actual SEO experts are running experiments as we speak. But one area where I’m increasingly convinced we’ll see a seismic shift is in reviews. I wrote about this some months ago, but with Google adding review summaries I think it bears repeating.

Imagine a world in which hospitality experiences are streamlined. When someone books a hotel, restaurant reservation, or event package, their preferences are known. The process is lightning fast. Their history - showing which experiences satisfied them, which disappointed them, and why - helps a human or AI agent automatically offer them extras, successfully upselling. And the customer experience (CX) is so enjoyable that they develop loyalty to the brand.