Charlestowne Hotels: Cutting Through AI Hype with Smart, Practical Strategy
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Release Date: 06/20/2025
Hospitality Design Legend Adam Tihany on Innovation, Struggles & Success
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Happy Holiday! Enjoy this best of episode from February. 🚀 What does it take to revolutionize restaurant and hotel design? Find out as we sit down with the legendary Adam Tihany, the creative force behind some of the most iconic hospitality spaces in the world! From working with Thomas Keller and designing world-class restaurants to shaping the future of luxury cruise ships, Tihany shares an unfiltered look at his journey, creative process, and the struggles behind the success. 🔹 Highlights from this can't-miss episode: ✔️ How a chance encounter at Studio 54 led to his...
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How Omni Hotels Rebuilt Their Entire Tech Stack (and Why It Worked) | HITEC 2025
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Recorded live during HITEC last month, Glenn Haussman and talks with and from about what it really took to rebuild their entire stack—and why it’s transforming how they do business. 🧠 What you’ll learn: Why Omni decided to move away from running its own tech and partner with How strong change management and executive backing kept the project on track The real challenges behind the scenes—and why they didn’t let doubt stop them New opportunities unlocked: faster integrations with booking engines, F&B systems, and partner platforms What’s next: fully moving PMS and...
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953: Can BoB Reinvent Budget Hotels?
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
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🎙 Turning AI Talk Into Action: Live from HITEC with Ashford's Borman
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Recorded on the bustling show floor, caught up with of (and ) to unpack how AI in is moving from hype to practical strategy. Here’s what you’ll hear: ✅ Why this year’s conversations finally feel actionable, not just theoretical ✅ How hotel commercial leaders are using AI today to improve operations and guest connections ✅ The challenges of data ownership, privacy, and working across brands vs. independents ✅ Why Jeff left HITEC with a real to-do list instead of just big ideas Big thanks to for supporting this conversation! Learn more about how they connect the guest...
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953: Redefining African Hospitality: Tribe Hotel’s Vision Beyond the Safari Stereotype
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
📍 Recorded studio-style, Glenn Haussman and producer Suzanne welcome Shamim Ehsani, co-founder of Tribe Hotel in Nairobi to #NoVacancyNews, who’s challenging the clichés of African #hospitality and revealing a bold, design-led approach to travel experiences in Kenya. 🌍 Here’s what you’ll hear: • 🏨 How Tribe Hotel helped lead the transformation of Nairobi’s hotel scene from colonial formality to contemporary cultural expression • 🎨 The Ehsani family’s dedication to art, architecture, and experience-driven design, including a 900+ piece...
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952: Elevating Hospitality: How Bolt Farm Treehouse Redefined the Guest Experience
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
We’re back in our pre-recorded format! In this episode of , I’m joined by and , founders of , who’ve created one of the most compelling concepts in the country—where , design, and mission-driven leadership all come together in a powerful way. Doctor Prodcuer Suzanne cohosts. Special thanks to our advertiser: – Gives You the Power to Profit. Visit them at 🎧 What you’ll learn from this conversation: • How a handcrafted honeymoon retreat turned into a growing, high-performance resort business • Their 100% direct booking model—achieving 94% occupancy and a 25–30%...
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From Bar Bills to Back Office: How Fintech Simplifies Hotel Invoicing
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
At we caught up with , CTO of , to get a closer look at how they’re transforming invoice management for hoteliers — and it’s not just about anymore. We broke down how Fintech streamlines the complex world of payments, regulations, and vendor management — all via automation and smart tech. 👀 Here's what you'll learn: * How Fintech built a two-sided network with over 8,000 alcohol distributors—and now hundreds of non-alcohol vendors too * Ways their system de-risks your accounts payable and prevents costly compliance mistakes * Why Fintech’s back-office integrations can...
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Curator Hotel Collection President Barnwell on Smart Tech Choices for Independent Hotels
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
During , caught up with , President of , to discuss how she evaluates hospitality technology for a diverse portfolio of independent hotels. With so many vendors vying for attention, she shared how Curator narrows the field and finds real value for its member hotels. Here’s what we covered: How Curator uses events like to strengthen vendor relationships and discover meaningful innovations The role of pilot programs in validating tech before wider adoption Why it's critical to focus on tools that support team efficiency and guest experience The growing pressure on profitability in a...
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FNA 180: Our Famous Friday Happy Hour
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
David Donnelly's philosophy is that success is built on strong, mutually beneficial relationships. That attitude's going to get him into trouble while hanging with Glenn, Craig and Producer Dave. Tune in and find out
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How Sonesta is Rebuilding Its Tech Stack to Power 1,200+ Hotels | HITEC 2025
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Yesterday at , I spoke with of about how the company is approaching and operations to support one of the fastest growth stories in hospitality. With more than 1,200 hotels and a portfolio that spans from economy to upscale, Sonesta is focused on building systems that work across all brands while keeping the guest experience front and center. This episode of looks at how they’re doing it. Key points from our conversation: 🔹 What it takes to align technology and operations during rapid expansion 🔹 Building consistency while respecting the differences between brands 🔹 Choosing...
info_outlineThis week at Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) HITEC, hashtagNoVacancyNews sat down with Max Spangler, VP of Technology at Charlestowne Hotels, to discuss how their team is making clear-eyed tech decisions in a time when everything seems to be labeled “AI” - whether it is or isn't!
Here’s what you’ll learn:
*Why “AI-washing” is making it harder—not easier—to evaluate hotel tech
*How Charlestowne’s steering groups across departments help vet, test, and implement tools that actually work
*The impact of AI tools like Cursor and Windsurfer for lean teams managing boutique properties
*How they’re now creating slide decks, video, and image content faster than ever—without sacrificing quality
*What tech vendors should be doing to explain why they’re using AI (instead of just saying they are)
If you care about hotel technology that actually helps your team—not just sells buzzwords—this is a great one to watch.
hashtagNoVacancyNews is here at hashtagHITEC2025 bringing you the real conversations that matter in hospitality.
And yes, hashtagHotelTechnology that works does exist—you just have to know what to look for.
Big thanks to our sponsor Unifocus – technology that drives value. Learn more at unifocus.com