Boutique Hotel News

10/09/2025

✨ WEBINAR: Using Guest Intelligence to Drive Spend ✨

📅 Monday 15th September 2025
🕑 2–3pm BST
💻 Online | Free to attend

As guest expectations for personalised service rise, hoteliers must lean into data-driven strategies to anticipate demand, deepen engagement, and unlock new revenue opportunities.

Join Eloise Hanson, Editor – BHN, in partnership with Agilysys, plus industry experts for a practical discussion on:

👉 Using guest data to influence spend behaviour
👉 Emerging AI use cases for personalised interactions
👉 Overcoming data silos across departments
👉 The role of automation in optimising on-property spend

🎤 Speakers include:

Frank Pitsikalis, SVP Product Strategy – Agilysys

Seid Dado Ljumanovic, Group Director of Digital Customer Experience – Sircle Collection

More to be announced

This one’s for hotel owners, investors, operators, management companies, C-suite execs, and tech providers looking to stay ahead.

🔗 Register free via the link in our story!

09/09/2025

Team meetings at IHM are always one of the highlights of the month 🙌✨

It’s our chance to step away from the day-to-day, come together as a group, and really focus on how we can keep evolving — whether that’s finding better ways to work, refining how we talk about what we do, or exploring new tools that help us grow 🚀💡

We always leave feeling inspired, motivated, and a little bit closer as a team 🤝 And of course… no meeting is complete without a group selfie 📸💙

👉 Want to see more behind-the-scenes and learn what we’re all about? Follow along here or our other Instagram Page .media

01/09/2025

✨ Meet Tessa, International Hospitality Media’s new Marketing and Events Executive! ✨

Tessa recently completed her Master’s in Strategic Marketing at Imperial College London, following her degree in Economics from McGill University in Canada. With experience spanning marketing campaigns, content creation, and event management across both multinational organisations and niche firms, she brings a strong mix of creativity, strategy, and practical know-how to the team.

At IHM, Tessa will be supporting our brands by developing innovative campaigns and delivering industry-leading events.

Having lived, studied, and worked internationally, and fluent in multiple languages, Tessa brings a global perspective and adaptability that will be a huge asset to IHM. We’re so excited to have her on board – welcome, Tessa!

30/07/2025

🔖 H1 2025 Webinar Recap | Part 5

Topic: Cost management tips for boutique hoteliers

Profitability under pressure. From rising payroll and energy costs to tightening tax breaks and shifting guest behaviour, boutique hoteliers are facing a complex web of challenges in 2025. In April, our expert panel tackled how to cut smart, not just deep.

Top Takeaways

🔑 Get granular. Hotel leaders need to assess every line item from window cleaning frequency to card fees and justify spend, not just assume it.
🔑 Re-think workforce ROI. Flexible hours, retention incentives, and salary sacrifice pensions are key tools to soften the blow of higher wage bills and NICs.
🔑 Power through data. Point of sale and payroll systems already hold valuable insights but many teams need support to access and act on them.
🔑 Upskill to save. Apprenticeships (especially for under-25s) not only reduce NICs but build staff loyalty, culture, and ESG credibility.
🔑 Tech + people = productivity. AI tools can relieve the front desk and boost F&B revenue, but only when paired with empowered teams.

With thanks to:
• Mike Worley CertIOD FIH, managing director, HIT Training
• Jordan Graves, senior manager, Menzies
• Peter Hales, managing director – managed hotels, Michels & Taylor (London) Ltd
• John Paulsen, CHAM, senior vice president, Hotel Asset Value Enhancement (hotelAVE)

▶️ Replay on-demand: Watch the webinar > https://lnkd.in/eHAXRDGm
📅 Next up: Driving bookings and loyalty among Asian travellers – April 28

Catch up on our H1 2025 webinar series — one session at a time.

24/07/2025

H1 2025 Webinar Recap | Part 4

Topic: How to create a sustainable culture at your hotel

Sustainability isn’t just about solar panels and paper straws, it’s about people, purpose, and everyday decisions made on the floor of your hotel.
In our March session, culture, ESG, and operations leaders explored how to embed sustainability into your business DNA — and why that starts with your team.

Top Takeaways

🔑Culture = ABC. Awareness, Belonging, Commitment. Nail these pillars and you’ll embed sustainability as second nature.

🔑Sustainability is shared. Empower staff at every level with champions programmes, active training, and a platform to lead.

🔑Documents drive action. Codes of ethics and sustainability manifestos build trust and set clear expectations — internally and externally.

🔑Younger talent expects more. Purpose-driven work, DEI, and sustainability aren’t perks — they’re baseline requirements.

🔑From community to carbon. On- and off-property impact matters — from litter picks and green certifications to transparent, credible offsetting.

Featuring insights from

• Stefan Wissenbach – Founder & CEO, Empowered
• Tina O’Hara O’Hara – Commercial Director, Cairn Hotel Group
• Prof. Dr. W***y Legrand – IU International University of Applied Sciences
• Susanna Sieff – Chief Sustainability Officer, Lefay Resorts & Residences

🎙️ Hosted by Eloise Hanson, Editor, Boutique Hotel News
“Culture doesn’t naturally crop up in hotel news, but it should. Changing behaviours across all stakeholders is how we make meaningful change.”

In partnership with Beyond Green and RUCKUS Networks

▶️ Replay on-demand: https://lnkd.in/e4cuwRfX

Catch up on our H1 2025 webinar series — one session at a time.

23/07/2025

H1 2025 Webinar Recap | Part 3

Topic: The cost of neglect: Understanding duty of care & legal risks in hospitality

Guest and staff safety isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s a legal one.

In our March session, legal, risk and operations leaders unpacked what “duty of care” really means day-to-day, and the very real consequences when standards slip.

🔑 Top Takeaways

- Duty of care = Proactive Proof. Written risk assessments, live training logs and near-miss reporting are your best defence if (or when) something goes wrong.
- Accountability runs deep. From GM to bartender, every role must know its responsibilities and regulators will ask for evidence.
- Incident response starts before the incident. Scenario-based drills, escalation hotlines and rapid debriefs shorten response time and improve outcomes.
- Insurance isn’t “set & forget.” Silent exclusions (e.g., abuse cover) can leave gaps; audit policies annually and involve brokers early.
- Culture makes compliance stick. Empower frontline teams to flag hazards, question procedures and drive continuous improvement.

💬 Featuring insights from

• Michael Flynn - client director, Howden
• Marcus Lavell – Barrister, Keystone Law
• Eugenio Pirri - FIH CCIPD – C-suite Executive & Culture Champion
• Michael Hogan MIH – Head of Operations, Mollie’s

🎙️ Hosted by Eloise Hanson, Editor, Boutique Hotel News

▶️ Replay on-demand: https://lnkd.in/eUcjk2N9

Catch up on our H1 2025 webinar series — one topic at a time.

17/07/2025

H1 2025 Webinar Recap | Part 2

Topic: Optimising Operations for a Sustainable Future
In partnership with: Beyond Green & RUCKUS Networks

As rising costs and climate urgency collide, the hospitality sector is redefining what good operations look like.

In our February session, we went beyond buzzwords, sharing practical strategies hoteliers can implement right now to reduce their footprint, cut costs, and build guest loyalty through values-led operations.

🔑 Top Takeaways:

- Quick wins like smart thermostats, LED lighting, and water-saving fixtures offer ROI in under 12 months
- Capex planning is shifting toward lifetime equipment savings and energy audits
- Staff engagement is key, sustainability needs to live in the culture, not just the checklist
- Tech doesn’t need to be complex, AI and intent-based systems are making smarter decisions easier to deploy
- Waste reduction, on-site bottling, and refillable amenities show tangible impact (and story-worthy results)

💬 Featuring insights from:

• Gary Graham, director of operations, Green Key Global
• Steve Johnson, senior director EMEA Hospitality, Ruckus
• Jeremy Parsons, sustainability director, Malmaison & Hotel du Vin
• Sarah Brewster, owner, Stonehouse Court Hotel

🎙️ Hosted by Eloise Hanson, Editor, Boutique Hotel News

🔁 Watch the full session: https://lnkd.in/e_T25jxT

Catch up on our H1 2025 webinar series — one topic at a time.

15/07/2025

Sustainable procurement and supply chain management was the focus of our first webinar of 2025 aired on the 20th January, hosted by editor Eloise Hanson and in partnership with Beyond Green and RUCKUS Networks. 🌍

With ESG reporting becoming a requirement for many hotel businesses, Scope 3 emissions are in the spotlight and understanding how to collaborate with suppliers, avoid greenwashing, and measure real impact is vital.

We were joined by four passionate voices in sustainable travel and hospitality:

🔹 Jessica Black, Firmdale Hotels
🔹 Christian de Boer, Jaya House Hotels
🔹 Natashia Lee, ESG PRO
🔹 Jason Stevens, Wayfairer Travel

💬 Topics included:

• How to quantify your Scope 3 emissions
• Key questions to ask suppliers to ensure transparency and ethical sourcing
• Building long-term relationships for circular impact
• How to navigate risk and regulation in global procurement
• Tackling greenwashing and moving beyond marketing claims

👉 Watch the full replay: https://lnkd.in/euRERdGY

💡 Want to embed ESG in your supplier strategy? Start with benchmarking, consistent data, and genuine collaboration.

Big thanks again to our sponsors, Beyond Green and Ruckus, for supporting our 2025 sustainability webinar series.

Check out some key quotes from the discussion below.

Stay tuned as we recap all our H1 2025 webinars!

03/07/2025

The modern guest is seeking more than comfort, they’re choosing hotels that support their wellbeing from check-in to check-out.

So… how do you design spaces that soothe the senses and deliver returns?

Join us next Monday 7 July at 2pm BST for a Boutique Hotel News webinar:
“Designing for Health and Wellbeing”

20/06/2025

18/06/2025

Let’s recap our editorial intern Lacie Carr’s journey with International Hospitality Media Limited.

As Lacie wraps up her internship, we’re reflecting on the energy, curiosity, and creativity she brought to our editorial team from day one.

From stepping outside her comfort zone in week one, to embracing the nuances of hospitality journalism in week two, Lacie approached each challenge with openness and a growth mindset.

🌍 Originally from Indiana University Bloomington, where she’s studying journalism with a focus on news reporting and editing, Lacie came to IHM with a strong foundation and left with hands-on experience, industry insight, and a potential new passion for hospitality media.

💫 Whether she’s headed toward a newsroom in New York or a global media brand, we have no doubt Lacie’s future is bright.

Thank you, Lacie, for everything; your enthusiasm, your fresh perspective, and your fearless storytelling.

We’ll miss you!

29/05/2025

Scaling boutique hotel brands in a world of consolidation – what’s next?

🗓 June 9 | 🕑 14:00–15:00 BST | 💻 Online | 🎟 Free to attend

Boutique hotels are bold, characterful, and loved by travellers—but how do they scale without losing their soul?

Join us live for a power-packed panel hosted by BHN editor Eloise Hanson, and discover how boutique brands are carving their own growth paths in a market dominated by big players.