EDITOR ’ S DIARY
PASSION FOR HOSPITALITY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com Barbara Bohn , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : bbohn @ hotelsmag . com Brittany Farb Gruber , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : bfarb @ hotelsmag . com Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 E-mail : bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com Steve Vanden Heuvel , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2218 E-mail : svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com Brittney Hackbart , Associate Art Director 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : bhackbart @ mtgmediagroup . com Carolina Martinez , Freelance Design E-mail : cmartinez @ mtgmediagroup . com Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Oriana Lerner , Erin Sund
PUBLISHING David Wood , Publisher 1.312.274.2225 dwood @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India Stephen Bartolin President , Broadmoor Sea Island Co ., Colorado Springs , Colorado Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton , McLean , Virginia Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo Susan Terry Vice president of culinary and food and beverage operations , Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Milwaukee , Wisconsin
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NEW INSPIRATION
I ’ m finding my greatest inspiration today from the industry ’ s rule-breakers , who analyze the status quo and then pivot to pique the curiosity of contemporary travelers in the mood for new experiences .
I ’ m not even referring to the lifestyle developers – branded and independent . While still relevant , they aren ’ t breaking away far enough from the now expected as lifestyle hotels are now mainstream and no longer as inspirational as 20 years ago .
I like what Bill Kimpton , Ian Schrager , Barry Sternlicht , Adrian Zecha and the like have brought to life and realize that even noted dealmakers can dream up what ’ s next . Starwood Capital ’ s Sternlicht is the perfect example with his sustainability-driven 1 brand , which is so on point for today .
Funny enough , I am finding inspiration from another “ numbers man ” in Accor- Hotels ’ CEO Sebastien Bazin , who , while building a luxury portfolio , is not afraid to respond to trends in the economy space by launching a co-living concept , Jo & Joe , that blends the best of private-rental hostel and hotel formats with a new approach to F & B , service and the customer journey . Who ’ s the disruptor now ? Then in early February AccorHotels increased its offerings in the curated luxury private rental market by stating its intention to acquire Travel Keys to go with onefinestay and Squarebreak . New hotel brands are not the only way forward .
I also want to call attention to nimble Hyatt Hotels Corp ., which in January acquired a wellness / spa resort concept called Miraval . The fact that Hyatt acquired a spa brand is not as noteworthy as its stated plan to not only use it to further expand in the hotel wellness space , but into what it calls “ adjacent spaces .” Hyatt leadership recognizes how wellness might be able to play a role to elevate productivity and effectiveness at large corporations , and now they have a vehicle to deliver it outside the walls of their hotels .
Let me give you one more outsidethe-box thinker ,
Editor In Chief
Cyril Aouizerate , who was a philosophy professor and the man behind the acclaimed Mama Shelter hotel concept now owned by , not surprisingly , AccorHotels . Today , Cyril is developing The Mob . He refuses to call it a hotel concept , preferring the term “ movement .” He doesn ’ t want to mass-produce The Mob , but rather curate a smaller group of developers who will keep The Mob true to its essence , which focuses on well being and hospitality “ designed to be conducive to the emergence of new ideas and sharing of cultures .” He wants to serve the rich and poor , black and white , and a community of interesting people coming together in a vibrant forum , and the forum is the hotel . There are many more details to search out about The Mob , but for now let ’ s call it lifestyle with a real soul .
There are others dreamers like Cyril , and we will profile many them in the months to come . And while these outside-the-box thinkers will not , for the moment , outperform today ’ s experiential trendsetters who sometimes truly inspire but more often deliver predictable diversions from the norms we once knew , I urge you to study these free thinkers to find new inspiration ; maybe even sit down in an open space with a blank slate and a few like-minded dreamers to consider alternatives .
March 2017 hotelsmag . com 7