The Development Engine Behind My Place Hotels’ Next Growth Phase
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
During last week's NYU IHIF, I spoke with Ryan Rivett of the Rivett Organization and Brian Quinn, Chief Development Officer at My Place Hotels, because Brian’s new role points to something bigger than a personnel move. Brian matters in this story because My Place is moving into its next phase with the Rivett Organization’s broader platform behind it: ownership, operations, construction management, technology, engineering, design, and franchise development. That combination separates My Place from a lot of franchise organizations. Developers aren’t only hearing about a flag. They’re...
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Hilton Orlando Turns Digital Signage Into Event Revenue
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
At Hilton Orlando, Glenn Haussman talks with Shannon Butler, Director of Catering and Events, about how the hotel uses Xpodigital for flexible event branding, real-time updates, and incremental revenue through digital signage. Meeting planners want spaces that feel customized to their programs Digital signage lets Hilton Orlando update schedules, sponsor messages, sizzle reels, and award content in real time Xpodigital removes the large upfront investment barrier for the hotel and ownership Revenue share adds incremental income while improving the planner and attendee experience Association...
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Why The Historic Hamilton Princess Wins Repeat Guests in Bermuda
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Hamilton Princess doesn’t compete like a typical resort. The property leans on 140+ years of history, a museum-level art collection, and a luxury guest who keeps traveling even when the economy gets noisy. Glenn Haussman and Dr. Producer Suzanne Bagnera talk with Diarmaid O’Sullivan, Director of Sales & Marketing at Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, about how the hotel differentiates and keeps repeat business strong. 🎨 The art collection creates an arrival moment you don’t get at most beach resorts 🏨 The property uses heritage + service to attract a luxury audience that...
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FNA 211: Tabor or Not Tabor
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Wayne Tabor is President and CEO of the Metropolitan Memphis Hotel and Lodging Association and is way too classy to be having happy hour drinks with Glenn, Craig and Suzanne. Yet here we are.
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Gen Z, Millennials, and the Vacation Ownership Shift
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Seventy-three percent of new vacation ownership purchases now come from Gen Z and millennials. That changes the pitch, product strategy, and member experience conversation for every company in vacation ownership. During ARDA Spring Conference, I spoke with Gordon Gurnik, COO of Hilton Grand Vacations, about younger buyers, points-based flexibility, AI, and the experiences HGV builds around ownership. 🎟 HGV runs about 3,800 member experiences a year, so ownership means access, not just more space 🏎 At Elara in Las Vegas, HGV brings F1 into the owner experience with viewing areas,...
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Hotel Owners Facing Tough Choice: PIP, Sell, or Switch Management
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Hotel owners staring down PIPs have three choices: spend the money, sell the asset, or rethink management. During NYU IHIF, I spoke with Ben Perelmuter, CEO of Remington Hospitality, and Scott Geres, General Manager of Hotel Edison, from inside the Hotel Edison in Times Square. Ben says hotel deal activity has finally picked up after several slower conference cycles. Owners face brand pressure, capital decisions, and asset sales, and Remington Hospitality has already added 17 new third-party deals in the first four months of the year. 🏨 PIPs and capital pressure now push owners toward...
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Undergraduate by Hilton: A New Hotel Brand for College Towns
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
During NYU IHIF, Hilton debuted Undergraduate by Hilton, a brand-new conversion product aimed at university markets where a full Graduate Hotel may not fit. Jenna Hackett, SVP, Global Leader, Lifestyle Brand Management at Hilton, joined me for a conversation about how Undergraduate by Hilton connects with Graduate Hotels while giving owners a more affordable, scalable conversion option. 🎓 Graduate Hotels brings bespoke, university-adjacent storytelling across more than 35 locations 🏨 Undergraduate by Hilton gives Hilton a growth path across hundreds of additional university markets 🔁...
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Red Roof Builds an AI-Driven Website: How It Wins Search Next
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
At NYU IHIF, I talked with Zack Gharib, President of Red Roof, because the brand made three moves worth watching at the same time: entered Canada, pushed tech growth, and rebuilt the website around AI search. Then the numbers back it up: app performance up 55%, loyalty enrollments up 29%, and 54,000 app downloads across Q1/April/May. 🇨🇦 First Canada deal: Vancouver airport market, 168 rooms, local operating partner 📈 Zack says Red Roof beat the economy-segment forecast and grew year over year through Q1, April, and May ⭐ Quality scores climbed about 2 points year over year, plus...
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Bar Profit Leaks: The 2 Quick Tests Owners Can Run Tonight
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
7.2 seconds behind the bar can cost about $1.1M a year. That’s how Tobin Ellis, a 30-year bar industry veteran, thinks about bar design: eliminate problems before they happen, then let the team sell more with fewer steps. 👀 Quick test: nonstop walking behind the bar kills selling time and guest connection 🍸 Quick test: “order → disappear → return” kills second rounds 📏 Tobin builds “Zero Step” stations so bartenders stop running laps ⏱️ Tobin measured 7.2 seconds of waste per bartender and tied it to about $1.1M/year on one rooftop bar 🏨 Use the timing:...
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Most Hotel Websites Don’t Use Video—That’s Why Guests Bounce
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
One frustrating thing about hospitality: guests want to research rooms visually, but most hotel websites don’t include video. When hotels force guests to imagine a room, they simply move on. So I talked with Jason Craparo, CEO of hovr, and Ethan Wiseman, VP of Product Management at aven hospitality, about what hotels can do right now to fix that disconnect. 🎥 Audit your site: count how many videos you actually show per room type, view, and suite category 📱 Build a “video path” that matches how guests shop: room → view → bathroom → balcony → public spaces ⚡ Add video...
info_outlineIn today’s bonus episode, we speak with Sky Tucker of Bartech Systems International. Glenn gets schooled in minibars and the guys go through all the classic arguments why investing in minibars is a horrible thing to do. Truths revealed about how this amenity influences guest satisfaction, while creating a new profit center. Sky also shares combat duplicitous guests looking to steal minibar booze.
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