by Steve Short | Apr 11, 2025 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
The quiet luxury trend that took off in 2024, where travelers sought more meaningful and authentic experiences, is shifting in 2025. This year, guests are choosing family-owned lodging for the warmth, connection, and comfort it offers.
Family-owned, independent properties are in a perfect position to meet this demand by creating stays that feel like home.
In this episode, Mandy Murry, founder of Hospitality Concierge, discusses how small stays can deliver these high-touch experiences. She also shares her “Undercover Boss”-style approach to consulting and the other trends she’s seeing across the industry.
We’re grateful to Mandy for sharing her insights with us. You can learn more about Hospitality Concierge at thehospitalityconcierge.com.
by Steve Short | Mar 14, 2025 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
For independent lodging operators, direct bookings are the ultimate goal. Yet, many struggle with optimizing their online presence to achieve this.
Tarun Goyal, Founder & CEO of Simplotel, discusses how their Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions are helping over 3,000 hotels worldwide improve their booking processes and maximize direct reservations.
Now expanding into North America, Simplotel offers independent properties a better way to increase margins, reduce OTA reliance, and enhance the guest booking experience.
We are very thankful to Tarun for sharing his insights with us.
You can learn more about Simplotel at simplotel.com.
by Steve Short | Feb 14, 2025 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
Many owners dream of selling their properties for maximum value down the line. While operational efficiency is key, one critical aspect is often overlooked — marketing.
Chris Kelly, a seasoned consultant at White Stone Brokers, shares invaluable insights on why regularly auditing and optimizing marketing strategies is essential. Not only can this boost your revenue, but it can also significantly enhance your property’s overall market value.
We are very thankful to Chris for sharing his insights with us.
You can learn more about White Stone Brokers at whitestonebrokers.com.
by Steve Short | Jan 31, 2025 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
What do the Kentucky Derby, hand-crafted bourbon, southern charm, a vibrant culture of arts, cuisine, and independent lodging all have in common?
Louisville, Kentucky — the host city of the 2025 ALP Conference & Marketplace taking place March 24–27. Sarah Gazi, ALP CEO, provides a preview of what to expect at this year’s conference, which will host 50 educational sessions plus lots of southern-themed networking and fun.
We are very thankful to Sarah for sharing her insights with us.
You can learn more about the 2025 ALP Conference & Marketplace at alplodging.org/conference-marketplace.
by Steve Short | Jan 17, 2025 | Frictionless Innkeeper Podcasts
Centralized online marketing tools are increasingly essential for independent lodging professionals, allowing innkeepers to focus more on their daily operations.
Data Bing consolidates all marketing efforts and provides robust insights to make better decisions that drive more bookings. Matt Cooke, CEO of Data Bing, shares how this solution can optimize your online marketing.
We are very thankful to Matt for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about Data Bing at databingsolutions.com.
