996: Hidden Hospitality: The Untold Story of African American Hoteliers
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Release Date: 12/02/2025
Why Food & Beverage Has Become the Hotel Differentiator
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
When rooms, tech, and amenities start to feel the same, hotels lean on food and beverage to differentiate — and that’s the focus of this episode of #NoVacancyNews, recorded during ALIS. I’m joined by Phil Colicchio and Trip Schneck of Colicchio Consulting, talking from Los Angeles while I deal with snow back home. We talk about the pressure hoteliers feel around food and beverage right now — rising costs, operational stress, and the need to make restaurants work financially without turning them into generic hotel outlets. What stood out to me is how directly they connect F&B to...
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1008: Why Apartment-Style Living Is Reshaping Extended Stay in Hotels
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
As markets mature, they begin to specialize. That’s something we’re seeing more in extended stay and this episode of #NoVacancyNews shows the next stage of evolution when hotels borrow from apartment living and do it thoughtfully. I’m joined by Kate Thompson, Director of Commercial at Sage Hospitality Group, to talk about The Ann Savannah—an apartment-style hospitality concept built for guests who want independence without giving up service. The Ann offers fully equipped kitchens, multiple bedrooms, longer stays without daily intrusion, and a host-driven service model instead of a...
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The ALIS Conversation Hotel Owners Are Really Having
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
I didn’t make it to ALIS this year thanks to a snowstorm — and Delta taking our pilot as we were boarding!! But we’re not letting 2,500 miles get in the way of a little #NoVacancyNews content. Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, is reporting from ALIS while I shovel snow back at the Haussman Resort Pool Club & Smokehouse. Bruce and I talk #hotel franchising trends right now: 🏗️: Why conversions continue dominating new development 💰: Why financing cash flow beats financing new construction 🏨: How midscale conversion brands from Hilton, IHG, and Marriott keep...
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FNA 199: Craig Flees to Hawaii
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In TV we'd call this a filler episode. Craig is in Hawaii and we're sure he wants to be elsewhere. Plus we have no guest. Glenn claims he has some stories though while Suzanne shakes her head in disbelief. Tune and find out!
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1007: Why Sonesta Flattened Its Organization—and What Happens Next
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Building franchise relationships isn’t about brand standards — it’s about listening, flexibility, and time in the field. That idea sits at the center of this episode of #NoVacancyNews. I’m in Massachusetts at the global headquarters of Sonesta International Hotels, talking with Phil Hugh, Chief Development Officer. Phil walks through how stepping into the CDO role pushed him out of the office and onto the road for roughly 60 days, visiting properties, meeting with owners, and seeing firsthand what it actually takes to operate hotels across the economy, midscale, and upscale segments....
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1006: How Authentic Hospitality Gets Delivered Every Day
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Luxury shows up in the small moments, not the marble — and that idea sits at the core of this episode of #NoVacancyNews. I spent time with Christophe Baraton, General Manager of Shutters on the Beach, to talk about what hospitality looks like when you lead from the property level instead of a spreadsheet. Christophe runs a 30-year-old beachfront hotel with deep roots in its local community, long-tenured team members, and guests who return because they feel known. We talk about leadership during crisis, how Shutters became a refuge for locals during the Los Angeles fires, and why...
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FNA 198: The One Where We Try to Coury Favor
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Hotelier and comedian Alex Coury returns to join Glenn, Craig and Doctor Producer Suzanne to kick off the weekend with a hilarious (they wish) happy hour.
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1005: Why Hotel F&B Has to Lead With Story, Not Square Footage
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Hotel food & beverage doesn’t fail because of trends — it fails when concept, design, and execution never fully line up. On #NoVacancyNews, I’m joined by Ami Alexander, Managing Partner at Barrel Aged Management, to talk about how #hotel #restaurants actually get built, refreshed, and kept relevant over time. Ami’s background spans luxury hotels, global restaurant groups, and lifestyle brands, including time with Hakkasan, Sydell Group, Montage, and Pendry. That perspective shapes how she thinks about storytelling, training, and why hotels can’t afford to treat F&B as an...
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1004: Food, Culture, and Leadership Inside a High-Performing Hotel F&B Team
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
Hotel food & beverage only works when culture, consistency, and leadership line up — and that’s exactly what this #NoVacancyNews conversation explores. I’m joined by Greg McGowan, Regional Director of Food & Beverage for Kolter Hospitality and Executive Chef at Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale, recorded on site in South Florida. Greg’s path through country clubs, hotels, and leadership roles gives him a grounded view of what actually keeps F&B teams strong over time — especially in high-volume, full-service environments where turnover, burnout, and guest...
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1003: How Resorts World Las Vegas Uses Technology Without Losing the Human Touch
No Vacancy Live and No Vacancy News
I did this one from the 66th floor Alle Lounge at Resorts World Las Vegas, with Shannon McCallum, VP of Hotel Operations, about how the property continues evolving four-plus years after opening. Resorts World operates more than 3,500 rooms across three brands -- Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords -- all under one roof. That scale forces real decisions about technology, guest choice, and efficiency — especially when different guests expect very different experiences. Shannon walks through how the team thinks about: 📱: Digital check-in and Apple Wallet keys without forcing app adoption ...
info_outlineMost people know the names Marriott, Hilton, Wilson — but countless African American hoteliers helped build the foundation of American hospitality, and their stories rarely get told.
I sat down with Calvin Stovall, author of Hidden Hospitality, to explore the remarkable journey behind his new book and the extraordinary hoteliers he uncovered along the way. Calvin spent decades researching these stories — from the late 1700s through the civil rights era — and the result is a stunning coffee table book filled with resilience, innovation, and legacy.
On #NoVacancyNews, Calvin talks about the emotional moment he held the finished book for the first time, how the idea originated back in grad school, and why these stories matter for the next generation of leaders in our industry.
A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.
Key Insights:
📘 How a graduate school research assignment became a lifelong mission
📰 The challenge of uncovering stories buried in microfiche archives
🏨 The African American hotel pioneers who built thriving businesses long before civil rights
💡 The incredible story of Joseph Lee — hotelier, inventor, and culinary innovator
📚 How Calvin raised the funding to publish a 90,000-word coffee table book
🔥 Why these stories can inspire a new generation of hotel ownership
🏛️ How segregation, community investment, and resilience shaped these early hotels