The Hospitality Mentor: Boutique Hotels, Experience Rooms, and More

As we kick off the new year, I’m excited to announce the rebrand of my newsletter under The Hospitality Mentor umbrella.

Between our weekly podcast, new video series and now this newsletter, I’m unifying the way we spotlight hospitality leaders, tips, and trends for all of my followers in the hospitality community. Let’s dive into the January edition!

If you want to receive my next newsletter, subscribe here to join my growing community of 4,200+ subscribers.

?? What's Hot in Hospitality

Boutique hotels are becoming an increasingly popular choice among travelers who are looking for a truly memorable and authentic experience. These smaller, independent hotels often have fewer guestrooms, which allows them to focus on offering personalized service and a more community-driven experience with local art and design elements. One of the things I love most about boutique hotels is that they often have a strong sense of place – they really capture the essence of the region they're located in.

Chatting with Trisha Pérez Kennealy , owner of the award-winning boutique hotel Inn at Hastings Park - Relais & Chateaux , recently on The Hospitality Mentor got me thinking about how traditional hotels can adopt a boutique approach to their guest experience. For instance, traditional hotels can partner with local food & beverage vendors to feature their artisan ingredients on restaurant and bar menus or even sell their products in the minibar. Bring in live music to play local sounds that are signature to your city. Offer on-property activities inspired by local culture and attractions.

Major hotel chains have even introduced branded collections of independent properties like Tapestry Collection by 希尔顿全球酒店集团 and Autograph Collection by 万豪酒店 that offer more localized experiences. These properties are a great option for guests who want to feel immersed in the destination rather than like they’re staying at another cookie-cutter hotel chain that could be found in any city.

?? What I'm Sipping

With wellness on all of our minds at the start of the year, I’ve introduced Bone Broth from Pacific Foods into my daily routine, and I’ve felt great since starting to drink it every afternoon. Bone broth is a highly nutritious stock made from simmering animal bones (usually leftover from cooking), so it’s rich in collagen, amino acids, minerals, and glucosamine. It’s in high demand by health-conscious consumers, so hotels looking to stay ahead of the trend can cater to their health-minded guests by adding bone broth as an offering at their grab-and-go market or coffee shop.

While it’s often used as a base for soups and sauces, it can also be served like coffee in a mug or to-go cup, making it a versatile option for travelers who are looking for a quick and easy meal or a hot drink to warm up with this winter. Hotel shops can offer pre-made, to-go versions that can be heated in the microwave and sold, or even make their own homemade bone broth by repurposing whatever the culinary team has been cooking up, making it an especially high-margin item.

?? What I'm Working On

I’m working on transforming an everyday space into an Experience Room for a resort client of mine. Rare and vintage spirits will be the focus of the room, with luxury brands like The Macallan showcasing some of their rarest scotches that go for upward of $50,000 per bottle. Guests can reserve the room and bring a small group of friends to learn about new spirits with an ambassador or sip on something new for the first time. Here, you can order a 1 oz. pour of a luxury spirit instead of buying that full bottle that might cost tens of thousands of dollars on the market.

An intimate space fitting up to 20 people, the room will offer a private bar and a large central table in the middle. It’ll feel like you’re walking into a high-end jewelry store or art gallery filled with rare treasures, but instead you can see some of the world’s most rare liquor bottles on display. Each piece of glassware, china, and silverware in the room will also have its own story – think crystal from Baccarat , bone china from Tiffany & Co. , and handmade silverware from France.

What kind of experience can we create for your hotel? Message me if you want to chat!

?? What I'm Inspired By

I turned 40 years old a few months ago, and now more than ever, I’m focused on my health. I love discovering new places to travel that can also help me improve physically, mentally, and spiritually, and I’m inspired by the spas and resorts offering wellness retreats for travelers. Among Travel + Leisure ’s list of the best wellness resorts in the U.S. , you’ll find natural hot springs, zen gardens, meditation experiences, and properties built into the mountainside where you can feel fully immersed in nature. Wellness resorts are a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and focus on your own well-being. The peaceful atmosphere and wide range of activities make them the perfect place for a holistic getaway.

In my own South Florida backyard, we have Carillon Miami Wellness Resort , which offers the largest spa and wellness facility on the East Coast, with a hydrotherapy circuit, sensory deprivation tank, and Miami's only igloo. I’m also a fan of 1 Hotels South Beach, where they know that wellness-minded travelers care about the planet too, so the sustainable luxury resort offers amenities like a holistic spa with natural and organic products, an expansive fitness center with personal training and group classes, and plant-based dining options.

?? On the Podcast

This January, we’re replaying our most-listened to podcast episodes of 2022, as we record new conversations for you to tune into very soon. Don’t miss out on my chat with Mary Rogers Managing Director and Area General Manager for Montage International ; Celebrity Chef David Burke ; and Brightline Trains President Patrick Goddard .

?? NEW: YouTube Channel

Now we’re on YouTube too! I’ve launched a YouTube Channe l for The Hospitality Mentor and released our first long(er) form feature on the legendary Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel. My goal is to shine a light on the hard-working people and beautiful places that make hospitality such a magical industry.

In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor, we spotlight the Fontainebleau, a special place that’s been creating lifelong memories for guests since it opened in 1954. Plus, you’ll meet the hospitality leaders featured along the way: Patrick Fisher (SVP & Managing Director at Fontainebleau), Armando Campos (VP of Food & Beverage), Josh Herman (VP of Marketing & PR), and Laurent Branlard (Executive Pastry Chef).

I hope you’ll watch the latest episode of The Hospitality Mentor video series and subscribe to my YouTube channel:

If you’ve read this far, send me a short reply and let me know what you enjoyed most from this newsletter. See you again in February!?

If you found this edition helpful, feel free to forward it on or leave a comment on my LinkedIn Newsletter to help spread the word about The Hospitality Mentor. It only takes a few seconds and makes a huge difference.

Cheers,

Steve Turk, Founder and Host

The Hospitality Mentor