Hotel Tech Insider

What if 70% of your guests are willing to upgrade—but your pricing strategy is leaving that revenue on the table? In this episode, Erik Tengen, President of Hospitality at Plusgrade and former co-founder of Oaky, explains why the future of hotel profitability isn’t RevPAR—it’s total revenue, frictionless upselling, and becoming “agent-ready."Experienced hotel operators, GMs, commercial leaders, and ownership groups focused on driving profit—not just topline revenue—in an increasingly AI-driven distribution landscape.Erik brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial grit and global scale. After building Oaky into one of hospitality’s leading upsell platforms and selling it to Plusgrade—a global leader in ancillary revenue across airlines, cruise, and rail—he now oversees hospitality strategy for one of the most advanced ancillary monetization engines in travel. His vantage point spans independent hotels to major global brands actively modernizing their tech stacks.• Why TrevPAR Beats RevPAR in 2026 and Beyond Erik breaks down the industry’s post-COVID shift toward total revenue management and explains why pairing a Revenue Management System with dynamic upselling technology unlocks meaningful profit growth across parking, F&B, spa, upgrades, and more.• Dynamic Pricing Isn’t Just for Rooms Flat pricing for parking, late checkout, or room upgrades? That’s profit leakage. Learn the core data inputs required to dynamically price ancillaries—inventory, forecasted occupancy, and scarcity—and how to operationalize this without overwhelming your team.• “Commercial Empathy” as a Competitive Moat A surprising insight: personalization isn’t about more data—it’s about small, meaningful actions that remove friction at micro-moments across the guest journey. Erik explains why “big data is useless without small actions” and shares real-world examples of hotels training frontline staff to turn service moments into revenue opportunities.• What It Means to Be Agent-Ready With agentic AI poised to transform how travelers search and book, Erik outlines why structured data and open APIs will matter more than flashy AI features. Vendors—not hotels—must become agent-ready, but operators need to choose partners that are.• Scaling Upselling Without Nickel-and-Diming Guests The episode dives into seamless fulfillment—from PMS integrations to housekeeping workflows—and how top-performing brands debundle strategically without eroding guest trust.If you’re serious about driving profitable travel and future-proofing your hotel’s tech strategy, subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider, share this episode with your commercial team, and follow along for more operator-level insights from the leaders shaping hospitality’s next chapter.

What if your busiest check-in nights didn’t require a front-desk line at all—even when most guests booked through OTAs? In this episode, Fabio Passos, Owner & CEO of QDI USA Developments (a multi-property operator with hotels across Florida and Brazil) breaks down the practical playbook he’s used to modernize arrivals, improve security, and squeeze more signal out of property data—without waiting for a brand to catch up.Key Takeaways:How to eliminate peak-arrival bottlenecks with mobile keys + self-service check-in (including the exact pre-arrival cadence: timed emails, app adoption, and how to handle ID/vehicle info requirements without clogging the desk).How to keep security tight when guests bypass the front desk: Fabio shares the operational counterweights—staff training plus “smart camera” monitoring for common loopholes (like propped stairwell doors) so automation doesn’t mean losing control.How to turn messaging into a direct channel—then scale it with AI: A surprisingly simple WhatsApp-led approach starts human-first, captures demand, and then gets trained into an AI agent to handle volume without needing staff online 24/7.Fabio’s operator mindset spans two very different markets (Florida + Brazil), and he brings a distribution-aware view of tech—specifically solving for OTA-heavy demand where brand-only mobile keys don’t help. He also shares a practical “aha” moment using ChatGPT to consolidate multi-hotel financials and dashboards from CSV exports—an unusually pragmatic, owner-level use case that goes beyond the typical “AI for marketing” talk.If you’re looking for tactics you can test this quarter—share this episode with your ops lead or GM, and subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more operator-grade playbooks on using technology to run leaner, safer, higher-performing hotels.

What if the fastest way to improve service, upsells, and loyalty isn’t adding staff—but redesigning how guests communicate with your hotel?In this episode, Greg Nawrocki, Director of Online Marketing at Linchris Hotel Corporation (30+ hotels across urban, resort, branded, and independent properties), delivers a rare, operator-level breakdown of how modern hotel marketing actually works in the wild—where technology has to prove ROI and still feel human.Key Takeaways:How to operationalize SMS at scale without losing hospitality: Greg shares how some Linchris properties see 50–80% guest adoption of text messaging, and exactly where SMS outperforms email before, during, and after the stay.Turning “old-school” marketing into measurable channels: Learn how Linchris tracks ROI on billboards, newspapers, and drive-market advertising using Google Analytics, geo lift, and direct URL behavior.Smarter segmentation using PMS-connected data: Practical examples of how email + PMS data enables targeting top spenders, low-value guests, OTA bookers, and drive markets—with real tactics to increase direct bookings and repeat stays. Greg doesn’t talk in abstractions. He explains how to phrase messages differently by property type, why influencer marketing often fails (and when it works), and how independent hotels can compete with global brands by orchestrating tech vendors—not stacking them.If you’re rethinking how technology fits into hospitality—not replacing it—this episode is a must-listen. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider, share this episode with your leadership team, and explore more operator-led insights at HotelTechReport.com

How do you scale hotel operations across brands, countries, and systems - without losing control or culture? In this episode of Hotel Tech Insider, we sit down with Øyvind Bøhm Frisak, Chief Commercial Officer at CIC Hospitality, to unpack how a fast-growing Nordic hotel operator is using AI, data, and unconventional guest-facing tech to drive efficiency, improve service, and prepare teams for the future. This conversation is especially relevant for hotel owners, operators, GMs, and commercial leaders managing multi-property portfolios, complex tech stacks, or brand-franchise environments—and anyone navigating the real-world impact of AI on hotel operations and staffing.Key takeaways from this episode:How CIC Hospitality standardizes performance across 30+ hotels using multiple PMS platforms, a centralized data lake, and consistent KPIs to enable scalable growth.Where AI actually delivers value today—from cutting guest response times from 24 hours to minutes, to freeing revenue managers to focus on strategy instead of manual pricing.Why guest-facing innovation doesn’t have to mean less human service, including lessons learned from deploying hologram reception and centralized service teams.Along the way, Øyvind shares candid insights on AI adoption, tech stack integration, revenue management evolution, guest communication automation, and preparing hotel teams for change—without fear-mongering or hype.👉 Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more conversations with hotel leaders shaping the future of hospitality technology. If you found this episode useful, share it with a colleague or visit HotelTechReport.com for deeper research, reviews, and industry insights.

Guest reviews aren’t just social proof anymore—they’re quietly becoming the backbone of pricing power, AI-driven discovery, and automated guest communication. In this episode of Hotel Tech Insider, Ben Jost, Founder and CEO of TrustYou, shares how nearly two decades of working with the world’s largest hotel brands has shaped his view on where reputation management is headed next—and why many hoteliers are still underestimating its impact.Ben walks through TrustYou’s evolution from an early consumer review startup to the world’s leading guest feedback and reputation intelligence platform, including its acquisition by Recruit Holdings (Indeed, Glassdoor) and subsequent management buyout. That journey set the foundation for what TrustYou is building today: a unified platform that combines guest feedback, transactional data, and AI agents into a continuous, two-way conversation with guests across every channel.For experienced hoteliers, the insights are practical and sharp. Ben explains why even small improvements in review scores can directly unlock higher ADR, how reputation management has become the long-term counterpart to revenue management, and why up to 50% of a hotel’s total reviews can now come from its own first-party surveys. He also breaks down a major shift already underway: guests are no longer asking simple yes-or-no questions like “Does the hotel have a pool?”—they’re asking AI long-tail questions that reward hotels with rich, structured review content and strong brand voice.The conversation goes further into what’s surprising many industry veterans: CDPs, guest messaging, and chatbots are collapsing into a single AI-driven conversation layer that can answer questions, personalize responses using PMS data, and soon execute tasks like upgrades and add-ons in real time. Ben makes the case that the hotel tech stack is about to shrink—not grow—and that the hotels who adapt early will have a structural advantage in both direct bookings and guest satisfaction.If you want to understand how guest feedback, AI agents, and hotel data are converging—and what that means for pricing, distribution, and operations—this episode is essential listening. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of hospitality, and share this episode with anyone who still thinks reviews are just about responding on OTAs.

What if removing your front desk—and doubling down on the right integrations—was the key to keeping your hotel profitable after COVID?In this episode of Hotel Tech Insider, Roberto Pacaccio, Revenue & Expense Manager at GWT Hotels, shares how a five-property independent hotel group in San Francisco survived near-shutdown, rebuilt its operating model, and lowered its breakeven point by rethinking technology from the ground up.How GWT Hotels eliminated traditional front desks without sacrificing service: Roberto breaks down the exact tech stack—including PMS, digital keys, guest messaging, and centralized support—that allows four independent hotels to operate front-desk-free while still offering 24/7 guest assistance.Why integration matters more than “best-of-breed” tools: Learn how choosing tightly integrated systems (PMS + digital keys + messaging + dynamic pricing) reduced staff workload, training complexity, and operational errors—and why fragmented tools nearly derailed adoption early on.The revenue lesson most hoteliers miss: lowering breakeven beats chasing ADR:  Roberto explains how automation and labor-light operations materially lowered per-room breakeven costs—and how dynamic pricing rules tied to occupancy replaced manual rate shopping entirely.GWT Hotels didn’t modernize to “innovate”—they modernized to survive. From replacing physical metal keys to centralizing five hotels under one operational hub, this episode offers a rare, honest look at what tech adoption actually looks like for small independent hotels with no margin for error.If you’re rethinking how your hotel operates in a labor-constrained world, this episode is a must-listen. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more real-world insights from hoteliers who’ve actually done the work—and share this episode with a peer who’s questioning whether their current tech stack is holding them back.

What happens when a boutique hotel director builds a fully personalized “signature tech stack” from the ground up—and proves you don’t need to be a tech native to run one of the most digitally advanced 70-key properties in Berlin? In this episode, Tini Diekmann, Hotel Director at the acclaimed Hotel Oderberger, reveals the real-world tools, workflows, and mindsets that transformed her operations. This episode is designed for experienced hoteliers, GMs, and department heads who have lived through multiple system overhauls, survived legacy tech, and are looking for practical, proven strategies to modernize their operations without the chaos.Takeaways: • How a boutique hotel built a high-performing, revenue-focused tech stack—piece by piece. Learn how Tini turned a self-built legacy PMS into a fully integrated ecosystem using Mews, SiteMinder, RoomPriceGenie, TrustYou, and more. • Surprising operational wins you wouldn’t expect. Discover why installing a guest tablet actually slashed heating costs—thanks to a three-way integration between the PMS, in-room devices, and IoT-connected radiators. • A realistic blueprint for evaluating, selecting, and phasing in new tools. Tini explains why you should never implement more than one or two solutions per year, how to measure ROI, when to cut a tool, and how to keep staff empowered (not overwhelmed) throughout the transition. • AI in guest communication that actually works. Hear why their call volume collapsed overnight after adopting a chatbot—and how AI email responses now handle 98% of inquiries while maintaining brand tone and reducing workload.

What happens when the Chief Commercial Officer of the world’s largest hotel franchisor rethinks the entire guest-to-tech relationship? In this episode, Wyndham CCO Scott Strickland reveals how a single global tech stack, empathetic AI, and vendor co-development are quietly reshaping hotel operations at a scale few brands on earth can match.Key Takeaways: How Wyndham uses one global tech stack across 9,000 hotels—and why standardizing CRS, PMS, loyalty, CRM, and marketing systems unlocks speed, cost efficiency, and innovation (including a surprising 25% drop in handle time from a co-built tool). Actionable strategies for building high-trust vendor partnerships—including why Wyndham gives Canary Technologies, Oracle, Salesforce, Sabre, Hapi, and Adobe physical office space inside their HQ, and how that accelerates co-innovation. The real-world playbook for operational AI—from empathetic, multi-language AI agents that guests have literally asked out on dates to omnichannel reservation automation and hyper-personalized offers that adapt to guest behavior in real time. Lessons from other industries hoteliers rarely study—how retail, manufacturing, and airlines provide blueprints for automation, app-based journeys, and guest-centric digital experiences.If you’re serious about future-proofing your tech strategy, don’t miss an episode—subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider and share this one with a colleague who’s shaping the next generation of hotel operations.

Did you know 30–40% of guest calls to hotels go unanswered? In this episode, Harman Singh Narula, CEO and co-founder of Canary Technologies, shares how his team is tackling this operational gap while redefining the entire digital guest journey—backed by $80M in funding and multiple HotelTechAwards wins.This episode is for veteran hoteliers, brand executives, and asset managers who want to understand where guest-facing technology is headed and how AI-driven innovations, tipping solutions, and digital workflows can translate into higher revenue and better guest satisfaction.Key Takeaways: • How Canary evolved from solving a niche payments problem to building an end-to-end guest journey platform—and what that means for tech adoption across hotel portfolios. • Why AI voice is set to eliminate missed calls and improve upsell potential—plus insights on how independents can deploy it just as effectively as enterprise brands. • The surprising shift in how major hotel chains evaluate tech partners, moving toward best-in-breed guest-facing solutions rather than relying on slow in-house builds.

What if you could double your hotel’s efficiency—without adding headcount? In this episode, Michael Bohler, Founder of SUM Hospitality, reveals how he’s transforming independent hotels in Switzerland into high-performing, tech-enabled operations that run smoother, smarter, and more profitably. This episode is for hotel owners, general managers, and operations leaders looking to modernize their tech stack, reduce manual work, and build more sustainable, year-round business models.Takeaways: • Hear how Sun Hospitality uses integrated systems to automate front-office and back-office tasks, freeing staff to focus on guest experience. • Learn how streamlined tech enables year-round occupancy and better work-life balance for hotel teams in seasonal markets. • Understand why viewing technology as an investment in profitability not a cost center is key to future growth.

What happens when a 20-hotel operator treats brand data, RMS outputs, and labor costs as one system—and then points AI at it?Takeaways:Build a single source of truth: How Hospitality America centralizes Amadeus/TravelClick market data, Hilton Grow & Marriott OneYield outputs, and Actabl (ProfitSword + Hotel Effectiveness) in a Microsoft data lake to power faster decisions.Make revenue meet labor—down to the penny: Practical ways to pair booking windows, LOS, and mix with staffing models to decide whether to take Group A vs. Group B—and know the profit impact before you say yes.Operationalize AI for the field (not HQ): A roadmap for using Microsoft Copilot on top of your own data so GMs can ask, “How many room attendants do I need Saturday?” and get defendable answers—without surrendering human judgment. If this playbook sparked ideas for your portfolio, follow Hotel Tech Insider and subscribe for weekly, operator-tested tactics. Share this episode with your revenue and ops leaders, and visit HotelTechReport for the tools and case studies mentioned.

What if your team could double productivity—without adding a single new hire? In this episode, Diego Fernández, CEO of Port Hotels, reveals how his 11-property Spanish hotel group is scaling smarter by automating repetitive work and treating technology as an investment, not a cost.Takeaways:Build for scalability, not complexity: Learn how Port Hotels is using a unified PMS ecosystem to operate 11 hotels as efficiently as one.Free your team from repetitive work: Discover how AI and automation are helping staff shift from manual data entry to guest-facing, value-creating roles.Rethink ROI on tech: Hear Diego’s simple but powerful framework for pitching new technology projects to owners—turning “costs” into high-return investments.Port Hotels even tested service robots—not to replace staff, but to give them back time to connect with guests, showing that smart automation can enhance hospitality rather than depersonalize it. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more real-world lessons from forward-thinking hotel leaders like Diego who are redefining what operational excellence looks like in the digital era.

What if you could design the perfect hotel room—not on paper, but by testing it in real life with 200 real guests? In this episode, Asli Kutlucan, CEO of TFE Hotels Europe, reveals how her team built a “lab hotel” in Berlin to reimagine hospitality from the ground up.This episode is tailored for experienced hoteliers, executives, and owners who want to stay ahead of shifting guest expectations, leverage new technology, and explore strategies that balance innovation with operational efficiency.Takeaways:Inside the Lab Hotel: Learn how TFE turned a redundant retail space into a living R&D hub, where design, tech, and guest behavior are tested in real time.Guest Experience Platform (GXP): Hear how TFE built a scalable tech stack that eliminates admin work for staff while delivering a more intuitive, guest-driven journey.Surprising Innovations: Discover unexpected experiments like “upgrade boxes,” where guests can rent add-ons like Nespresso machines or hair straighteners by phone—transforming upsells into a frictionless, tech-enabled experience.Don’t miss future conversations with the leaders shaping hotel innovation. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider, share this episode with your peers, and stay tuned for more strategies to build the next generation of hospitality.

What if you could run a 116-property hotel portfolio without a single traditional front desk? In this episode of Hotel Tech Insider, Julius Anders, Head of Operations at Numa, reveals how his team is redefining hospitality with technology at its core.Key Takeaways:AI-Driven Decision Making: How Numa uses data, automation, and AI to save up to 60% in payroll costs.Guest Experience Reimagined: What a fully digital guest journey looks like—from booking to checkout—without a front desk.Build vs. Buy Strategy: Why Numa develops 60% of its tech in-house and how that shapes innovation and operational agility.With consumer behavior shifting and traditional hotel models under pressure, this conversation offers a roadmap for future-ready operations.👉 Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and share this episode with a colleague shaping the future of hotel operations.

Can rethinking something as fundamental as market segmentation unlock new performance gains in hotels? Joe Pettigrew, Group Chief Commercial Officer at L+R Hotels—one of the world’s largest privately held hotel investment and operating groups—thinks so.Takeaways: • Hear how L+R Hotels is standardizing PMS, RMS, and CRS across 100+ properties to unlock scale, consistency, and better reporting. • Learn why Pettigrew believes benchmarking intelligence platforms like CoStar, Amadeus, and Lighthouse matter more to revenue success than any single operational system. • Discover why stablecoins and AI discoverability could reshape payments, loyalty, and how hotels appear in future travel searches—insights most hoteliers aren’t yet preparing for. While most industry conversations fixate on personalization, Pettigrew argues it’s overrated—with limited returns compared to getting the fundamentals right in segmentation, benchmarking, and tech consolidation. Don’t miss this rare inside look at how one of the industry’s most sophisticated ownership groups is thinking about technology. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of hotels.

What do you get when a 14-property hotel brand rips out its entire legacy tech stack—and lives to tell the tale? In this episode, Josh Edwards, Operating Systems Manager at Penta Hotels, takes us behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious tech overhauls in the European hotel market.Takeaways: • Hear how Penta Hotels saved 175,000+ staff hours annually by replacing outdated systems with a next-gen stack—without sacrificing service. • Learn how to successfully manage change at scale, from piloting PMS platforms to gaining buy-in from skeptical hotel teams. • Discover why 25% of guests now purchase upsells, and how thoughtful use of automation and kiosks can unlock new revenue without alienating staff or guests. Penta Hotels isn’t just any brand—it’s a forward-thinking company that dared to question every operational assumption. From payments to POS, CRM to guest messaging, Josh shares the blueprint for future-proofing your tech without losing your brand’s soul. One surprising insight? Automating card payments alone accounted for the majority of the 175K hours saved. If you’re thinking about upgrading your systems—or questioning whether bold change is worth it—this episode is for you. Subscribe to Hotel Tech Insider for more insider stories from leaders shaping the future of hospitality.

Bob Hotels converted 70% OTA reliance to nearly 50% direct bookings in under a year—partly by using an AI phone agent (GoodCall) to convert phone inquiries into instant SMS-driven bookings.Can a roadside motel really outperform the compset—and become the #1 value property in an entire city—within a year? In this episode, Janis Krums, Managing Partner at Bob Hotels, reveals how his team transformed a run-down Sleep Inn into a top-rated boutique brand using a fresh tech stack, street-smart branding, and startup-level hustle.This episode is for experienced hoteliers, GMs, and asset managers looking to revitalize underperforming assets, modernize their tech stack, and rethink guest engagement for today’s traveler—without breaking the bank.Takeaways: • How to build a modern tech stack from scratch: Janis walks through the exact vendors and decision-making logic behind Bob Hotels’ PMS, booking engine, CRM, guest messaging, revenue tools, and even an AI-powered phone agent. • Using social proof and reviews as growth engines: Learn how the team grew to 1,100+ Google reviews with a 4.8-star rating in less than a year—and how that impacted OTAs, pricing, and occupancy. • Why legacy vendors are getting left behind: Hear Janis’ frank take on why most hotel tech incumbents miss the mark—and why younger, hungrier companies are earning his business.

What can Four Seasons Bora Bora and a New Zealand hostel teach you about building smarter hotel tech stacks? In this episode, Michael Belanger, VP of Commercial Strategy at GCP Hospitality, unpacks the unique challenges—and surprising advantages—of managing one of the most diverse hotel portfolios in the world.Takeaways: • Learn why small and independent hotels are often more agile than global brands when it comes to adopting new technology. • Get insider strategies for tech stack decisions across both luxury resorts and hostels—including tools like Mews, Triptease, and SiteMinder. • Discover how GCP is rethinking the role of CRM vs PMS—and why that shift could unlock the next era of personalization and profitability.Don’t miss an episode—subscribe now to Hotel Tech Insider for more real-world strategies from the industry’s top leaders and innovators.

How can hostels balance cutting-edge technology with the irreplaceable value of human interaction? In this episode, Peter Zilke, COO of Safestay Hostels, reveals the secrets behind creating a vibrant community experience while leveraging innovative tech solutions.Key Takeaways:Discover how Safestay uses social media not just for marketing, but as a vital communication tool that enhances guest interaction before, during, and after their stay.Learn about the importance of a robust property management system (PMS) in managing high transaction volumes and streamlining guest communication, especially in a hostel environment.Understand the role of AI in hospitality, including its applications in pricing strategies and internal communication, while recognizing the limits of technology in maintaining genuine human connections.

What if a humanoid robot could revolutionize the way your hotel operates? In this episode, Filip Linek, the innovative owner of two family-oriented hotels in the Czech Republic, shares how he's leveraging AI technology to enhance guest experiences and streamline operations.Key Takeaways:Discover how Filip is integrating a humanoid robot, named Bea, to handle administrative tasks and improve communication between staff and guests, setting a new standard for hospitality.Learn about the unique compensation model that ties staff salaries to guest satisfaction scores, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.Explore the challenges and successes of implementing AI in a hotel setting, including the importance of human interaction in a tech-driven environment.