The Modern Hotelier

Each episode we discuss industry trends, talk about new technologies, and speak to industry experts. All so that you, The Modern Hotelier, can succeed in a new age of hospitality.

The Modern Hotelier is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Modern Hotelier, a business show with 0 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  The Modern Hotelier

  #320: Hotel P&L Benchmarking & The Impact of the World Cup | with Jan Freitag & Amanda Hite

  Aug 18, 202620 min

  In this special episode, David Millili sits down with industry leaders at the Hotel Data Conference in Nashville to explore the latest trends shaping hotel profitability, benchmarking, revenue management, and mega-event performance. First, Amanda Hite, President of STR, shares how new P&L benchmarking capabilities within CoStar with STR Benchmark are helping hotel owners, operators, management companies, and asset managers better understand more than 100 revenue and expense line items. She discusses profit flow analysis, rising undistributed expenses, declining margins, asset profitability, and how AI-powered tools could help hoteliers identify the data that matters most for improving revenue and profitability. Then, Jan Freitag of CoStar breaks down the hotel revenue impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and explains why its impact was closer to 30 Super Bowls rather than the 104 suggested by FIFA's president. He explores ADR growth, occupancy trends, international versus local demand, match-day pricing, minimum-stay restrictions, and the lessons hotel revenue leaders can apply to future mega-events, including the Olympics. In this episode, you'll learn: How P&L benchmarking can reveal opportunities to improve hotel profitability Why rising undistributed expenses are putting pressure on hotel margins What Could AI and Natural-Language Analytics Mean for the Future of Hotel Decision-Making? Why Did the World Cup’s Hotel Impact Differ from the Super Bowl? Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oepa3lq-EdU Links: Jan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janfreitag/ Amanda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandawattshite/ CoStar Group: https://www.costargroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/320 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Modern Hotelier

  #319: The Opportunity in Getting Hotel Tech Integrations Right | with Kelly Popp

  Aug 13, 202612 min

  What happens when hotel teams have plenty of technology but still struggle to work from the same information? In this special HDC Nashville episode of The Modern Hotelier , David Millili sits down with Kelly Popp, Vice President of Business Development, Americas, at Access Hospitality, to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing hotel commercial teams today: the “toggle tax” created by disconnected systems and siloed departments. Kelly explains how fragmented tech stacks can make it harder for revenue, marketing, and commercial teams to make informed decisions—and why better integration is becoming essential as hotels move toward AI-powered technology. We explore what hotels need to get right before AI can deliver real business value, why clean and connected data matters, and how transparency can keep humans in control of AI-driven decisions. In this episode, they cover: Why disconnected tech stacks create silos The importance of integrated hotel technology How EVO is changing the way hoteliers work Why hotel content and personalization matter Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RgkxqJEWExo Links: Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-popp-b5404a6/ Access Hospitality: Hotels & Casinos Americas: https://www.theaccessgroup.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/319 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Modern Hotelier

  #318: From On-Property to Expedia to Hotel Technology | with Nick Farrell

  Aug 12, 202639 min

  What happens when you combine hands-on hotel experience, OTA expertise, hospitality technology, and a test-and-learn mindset? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, David Millili sits down with Nick Farrell, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales at Phunware, to explore his journey from working on-property to Expedia and into the world of hospitality technology. Nick explains why hotels should embrace a test-and-learn mentality, how AI can turn guest data into actionable insights, and why technology should ultimately give hotel employees more time to focus on what matters most: creating meaningful human connections with guests. In this episode, you’ll learn: What working at Expedia taught him about distribution, digital marketing, and demand Why a test-and-learn mindset is critical for hotels How AI and guest intelligence can transform the hotel experience The opportunities hotels are missing between check-in and check-out How AI Concierge technology can personalize recommendations for guests If you're interested in hotel technology, AI in hospitality, guest experience, hotel revenue, hospitality innovation, hotel distribution, ancillary revenue, and the future of the hotel industry, this episode is a must-watch. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XXWIowhCp8Q Links: Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nfarrell1/ Phunware Hospitality: https://www.phunware.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/318 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Modern Hotelier

  #317: Navigating the Shifts Disrupting the Hotel Industry | with Kathleen Cullen

  Aug 11, 202632 min

  The hotel industry is undergoing a major transformation—and hotels that continue operating the way they always have may struggle to keep up. In this episode, David Millili sits down with Kathleen Cullen, Executive Vice President of PTG Consulting, to unpack the major shifts disrupting hospitality today. From the rise of AI and changing distribution models to B2B discount stacking, revenue management, technology, and evolving sales strategies, Kathleen shares what hotel leaders need to understand to stay competitive. Kathleen explains why hotels must rethink how they approach revenue, sales, marketing, PR, distribution, and technology—and why profitability, not simply top-line revenue, should be the ultimate goal. She also discusses how AI is changing the way travelers discover hotels, why fast and accurate responses to RFPs are becoming critical, and how independent hotels can use their flexibility as a competitive advantage. In this episode, you'll learn: How B2B distribution and discount stacking are disrupting hotel rates Why AI is becoming a new audience hotel must be discoverable through Should Hotel Leaders Prioritize Profitability Over Revenue The hotels can rethink sales and RFP response strategies Why creating a unique hotel story and customer experience matters Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uBEODwtL2xY Links: Kathleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-cullen-ptgconsulting/ PTG Consulting: https://www.ptgconsulting.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/317 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Modern Hotelier

  #316: What It Takes to Lead Luxury Resorts | with Robert Marusi of Hotel Del Coronado & Grand Wailea

  Aug 6, 202631 min

  Robert Marusi shares the leadership principles, technology strategies, and commercial mindset that have helped him lead some of the world's most iconic luxury resorts, including Hotel del Coronado and Grand Wailea. In this episode, Steve and David speak with Robert Marusi, Commercial Director of Hotel del Coronado and Grand Wailea, about how AI, personalization, and data are transforming the hospitality industry. He also explains why human connection remains at the heart of delivering exceptional guest experiences. Robert reveals why agility, continuous learning, and a growth-focused mindset are essential for today's hotel leaders. He also explains how luxury hotels can prepare for AI-powered search, create unforgettable guest experiences through recognition, and leverage technology without sacrificing the personal touch that defines hospitality. In this episode, you'll learn: How luxury hotels are using data to personalize every stay The importance of recognition in creating loyal guests How LLM search is changing hotel websites and digital marketing Why agility is the ultimate competitive advantage in hospitality Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QSZA_bDu-z8 Links: Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-marusi-b6267739/ Hotel del Coronado: https://www.hoteldel.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/316 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-.. Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page Connect with Steve and David: Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E... David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on The Modern Hotelier. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.