Defining Hospitality

Matthew Boone joins Dan Ryan to break down what it actually takes to turn a hospitality project from blueprint to guest ready. They dig into the tension between design vision and hard budget numbers, why cost estimating works so differently around the world, and the on the job lessons that shaped how he leads projects today.Matthew Boone is head of hospitality at Rider Levett Bucknall  (RLB), bringing 20+ years of architecture, construction and project management experience to some of the industry's most complex hotel developments. Trained as an architect, his work includes San Francisco's Huntington Hotel, a project that landed in Architectural Digest. He now leads RLB's hospitality growth across North America, pairing design instinct with financial discipline.Chapters:00:00 Architectural Digest Moment00:56 Meet Matthew Boone02:31 Architecture Roots04:17 Defining Hospitality07:12 Front vs Back of House07:57 ROI and Budget Tradeoffs10:07 QS vs US Project Model16:13 Transparency and True Costs23:50 CapEx and Aging Systems31:07 Shower Controls Code32:10 Sponsor Sustainability Update32:35 RLB Roots In Hawaii35:10 Hilton Hawaiian Village Lessons37:59 Clift Hotel Crunch Renovation41:59 Erin And RLB Culture43:38 Mainland Growth Markets47:51 LA Olympics Hotel Conundrum54:19 Wrap Up And How To ConnectQuote of the Show:"Hospitality is thinking about what people need, what people want, before they even know they need it." - Matthew BooneBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mboonebayarea/ Guests Website: https://www.rlb.com/americas/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

Hospitality has ancient roots, and this week's guest traces her own path in the industry back to something surprising: a master's degree in philosophy. What started as bartending to pay for grad school became a full blown philosophy of service, one built on presence, reciprocity, and treating every guest interaction as its own small act of care. From building a team that turned an old motel into a two Michelin Key destination to launching a groundbreaking childcare pilot for hospitality workers, this conversation covers what it really takes to scale a business without losing the soul that made it special in the first place.Colleen Rafferty is the President of Tourists, an award winning hotel in North Adams, Massachusetts that has earned two Michelin Keys and national recognition from outlets like Vanity Fair. She rose through the ranks from guest experience manager to the top leadership seat, helping build a culture so strong that her own team members have collectively logged 40 years of tenure at a hotel that has only been open eight. Beyond the hotel, Colleen is leading a new pilot childcare program funded by the state of Massachusetts in partnership with the Governor's Office, built specifically for hospitality workers whose schedules don't run Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.Chapters:00:00 Housekeeping Meltdown00:36 Podcast Mission Intro01:09 Meet Colleen Rafferty01:50 Berkshires Festival Vibes03:32 Defining Hospitality Xenia06:35 Philosophy to Hospitality13:57 Tourists Growth Michelin Keys19:28 Scaling Culture and Structure26:58 Childcare Pilot for Workers33:02 Funding and Coalition33:47 Red Tape Worries35:23 Pilot Program Unknowns36:10 Universal Pre-K Lessons37:14 Michelin Inspector Details38:10 Sing for Your Slumber41:01 Tourists Expansion Plans44:11 Scaling Without Losing Magic48:28 Mentors and GratitudeQuote of the Show: "This isn't really about you. This is about this moment and what the space can provide and what the guest is looking for." - Colleen RaffertyBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rafferty-88603072/ Guests Website: https://www.touristswelcome.com/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

What if the best conversations aren't about being interesting, but about being present? In this episode, Dan sits down with his close friend and mentor to explore why so many of us struggle to truly connect, even with people we've known for years. The conversation covers vulnerability, the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand, and why removing performance from a room changes everything.David Rich is the founder of Palabra, a story driven event format he has hosted hundreds of times across nearly every continent, from intimate dinners to gatherings of over 100 people. What started as a personal search for deeper friendships after moving back from Spain has grown into a platform used by corporations, families, and entrepreneurs to build genuine relationships. His approach to storytelling and presence has made him one of the most sought after voices on modern connection.Chapters:00:00 Stories Over Opinions00:53 Meet David Rich02:00 What Hospitality Means03:42 Palabra Born in Spain07:27 Designing the Container09:53 Conversation First Format13:03 Vulnerability and Story Prep15:58 Listening With Heart23:32 Opinion Free Safe Space31:16 Sales Through Trust32:34 Sponsor Sustainability Note32:59 Forum Style Story Learning34:34 Introverts Love Structure35:57 Long Tail Impact Stories38:13 Scaling Palabra Formats39:58 Everest Circle Experiment43:36 Analog Connection In AI Age48:42 Guardrails And Closing ReflectionsQuote of the Show:"A good event isn't that someone cried, so it was a good event. It's that people become a little bit more of themselves." - David RIch Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjrich/ Guests Website: https://www.palabra.co/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

What does luxury actually mean once you strip away the thread counts and marble bathrooms? Dan sits down with Diarmaid O'Sullivan, Director of Marketing at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, a Fairmont Hotel in Bermuda, for a conversation about connection, patience, and the moments that turn a guest into a regular. Diarmaid brings more than 30 years of international experience in hospitality marketing, tourism strategy, and luxury brand building, and has spent over a decade shaping some of the industry's most talked about lifestyle partnerships, including collaborations with Steamline Luggage and a custom fragrance created with Bermuda's oldest perfumery. The two dig into what luxury means as a moving target, how far patience can take a brand partnership, and why the first five minutes of a stay might matter more than the room itself.Chapters:00:00 Show Mission Intro00:35 Meet Diarmaid02:01 Hospitality Means People05:25 Bermuda Move Story07:30 Partnership Playbook11:09 Fairmont Brand Legacy15:32 Redefining Luxury20:10 Curated Art Experiences23:57 Tech Versus Human Touch32:53 Mentoring With Honesty34:12 Helping Staff Move On35:11 I Want Your Job36:13 Six Months To Prove It38:01 Boss As Your Guide40:38 Networking On A Small Island43:56 Bermuda Awareness Challenge47:52 New Opportunities And Partnerships50:21 Measuring Wins And Wrapping UpQuote of the Show:"You can teach someone the skills to operate a system, how to make a bed, how to make a dish. But you cannot teach someone to have empathy, to connect with people, or just be happy." - Diarmaid OSullivanBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ Luggage Collab: https://steamlineluggage.com/collections/the-hamilton-princess-hotelGuest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diarmaidosullivan/ Guests Website: https://www.thehamiltonprincess.com/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan sits down with Adam Lara, principal at KTGY Interior Design and Branded Environments, to talk about career, culture, and what it really takes to build a studio that works. From formative early experiences to his latest chapter leading a growing team in Chicago, Adam offers a grounded look at what shapes great design work over the long haul.Adam Lara has spent nearly three decades moving across architecture, interiors, and brand side operations, giving him a rare, well rounded view of the hospitality design world. His career has included time at Hyatt, a formative stretch under acclaimed designer Jordan Mosher, and now a leadership role at KTGY. That range makes him one of the more thoughtful voices working in hospitality design today.Chapters:00:00 Why Hospitality Matters00:35 Meet Adam Lara01:55 Defining Hospitality02:53 Career Pivot After 9/1104:22 Inside-Out Design Thinking05:29 Why Architects Avoid Interiors07:26 Hyatt HQ Memories08:31 Brand Side Lessons at Hyatt10:27 Ops and Owner Mindset13:40 Jordan Mozer Maker Culture16:27 Micro to Macro Design18:40 Joining Simeone Deary20:25 Merging Into KTGY22:44 Learning From Gina and Lisa24:48 New Office and Integration28:49 Venetian Bars Storytelling34:59 Leadership and Culture45:06 In-Person Collaboration FinaleQuote of the Show:"It's not just design, it's basically problem solving." - Adam LaraBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-lara-aia-leed-ap-ishc-7aa04751/ Guests Website: https://ktgy.com/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/