Lark appoints Amber Asher to its board of directors

🎬 NEW VIDEO | What next for hotels amid shifting consumer attitudes? The next 10 years are set to be a decade of adaptation for the hotel and hospitality sectors in the wake of seismic changes over recent years, according to participants at a roundtable discussion hosted by DWF and Whitbread. The roundtable gathered experts from across the sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing hotel developers, investors, and operators. Participants  Aoife Roche, vice president of sales, STR Richard Servidei, director, Alternative Real Estate Advisors Jill Anderson, acquisition manager, Whitbread Melanie Williams, head of global real estate finance, DWF Nick Brooks-Sykes, head of tourism, Marketing Manchester James Scott, director, Eric Wright Group Tom Cunningham, regional director, Savills WATCH 👇

If your guests don’t spend more, it’s not because they can’t, it’s because there’s nothing worth spending on. As much as you want your guests in your hotel… You should also want them out, exploring, connecting, and experiencing the city that gives your brand its sense of place. I attended a conference last year where a beautiful and well-known hotel in Asia decided to stop selling the hotel and start selling the destination. The result? Their average stay increased from 2 nights to 5. They built collaborations with top local restaurants, allowing guests to charge meals directly to their room, making the entire city feel like an extension of the hotel. And while guests were out discovering, the hotel also created signature in-house experiences to elevate the stay and drive additional revenue. That’s what I call experience design with intent. When I work with clients, we don’t only design journeys that feel exceptional, we also uncover revenue opportunities hidden in the guest experience. We evaluate peak moments and, more importantly, missed ones. Because often, guests don’t spend less because they can’t.....They spend less because there’s nothing meaningful to spend on. Experience is not a cost center. When designed with depth and purpose, it becomes your most powerful driver of value, for the brand, for the business, and for the guest. Want to find missed opportunities in your experience? I can help you maximize on those. #LuxuryHospitality #ExperienceDesign #HumanisticLuxury #CX #Leadership #RevenueStrategy

💭 What I learned from visiting our hotel clients this month… After spending time with amazing teams at Leonardo Hotels, Pillows Hotels, and Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre Amsterdam, one thing really stood out: No matter how different the property, the goal is the same - to spend less time on admin and more time building relationships that drive revenue. Every conversation reinforced why Proposales was created in the first place: ✨ Simplify the proposal process ✨ Speed up response times ✨ Give sales teams the freedom to focus on selling experiences, not entering data Seeing how our clients bring this to life every day is both inspiring and energizing. It’s a great reminder that technology in hospitality isn’t about replacing the human touch, it’s about enhancing it. #Hospitality #HotelSales #MICE #ClientSuccess #Proposales #HotelTech #Partnerships #SalesEnablement

From Lake Como to St. Kitts, Dallas to the digital frontier — Issue 809 of BOUTIQUE WEEKLY explores how boutique hospitality is redefining place, purpose, and personalization. This week’s highlights: • Business Traveller compares boutique hotels and Airbnb in the battle for meaningful stays • CoStar on Langham Hospitality Group’s strategic shift toward management growth • Hotel Dive explores how AI is reshaping hotel marketing • Skift spotlights hotels turning resorts into coral restoration labs Plus, a curated selection of new openings, design highlights, and F&B concepts pushing hospitality’s creative edge. 📖 Read the full issue:https://lnkd.in/gxJwH6Dh 📬 Join 33,000+ hospitality leaders who subscribe every Wednesday: www.blla.org/subscribe #BoutiqueHotels #LuxuryHospitality #IndependentHotels #HotelDesign #FandBInnovation #SustainableTravel #HospitalityLeadership #BLLA #BOUTIQUEWEEKLY #TravelTrends

Mid-sized hotel groups are outpacing the field by working smarter. The State of Distribution 2025 shows they excel through laser-focused training and ROI-driven tech choices that lift revenue without piling on complexity. They move quicker than major chains and with more discipline than independents, proving scale alone is not the winning factor. See how more than 700 hotel brands are investing in people, systems, and commercial agility: 👉 https://lnkd.in/evNQffuN #StateOfDistribution2025 #HotelTech #HospitalityStrategy #RateGain #MidMarketHotels #CommercialExcellence #AIinHospitality #DistributionLeadership

Last week, we had the chance to dive into three important corporate strategies that shape how businesses grow and compete in the hospitality industry: 1️⃣ Single Business Strategy : focusing on one core area, such as a hotel chain that only manages hotels. 2️⃣ Related Diversification Strategy : expanding into areas connected to the core, like hotels offering restaurants, wellness centers, or travel services. 3️⃣ Unrelated Diversification Strategy : moving into completely different industries, such as a hospitality group investing in real estate or technology. ✨ What I find most interesting is how each strategy reflects a company’s vision: some aim for focus, others for synergy, and some for risk-spreading across industries. At the end of the day, the strategy chosen determines how a company adapts, grows, and creates value for its customers and stakeholders. #Hospitality #CorporateStrategy #BusinessGrowth #LearningJourney

After more than a decade in hospitality and real‑estate across the Caribbean, 3 things have stuck out consistently drive value for hotel and leisure property owners. It's where I've progressively directed my energy as I've moved forward. 1. Empowered Teams & Culture – Once you hire the right attitude, give them common purpose and a set of values. Show them something to look forward to and aspire to that aligns with their personal goals. Create a culture of training as a norm so that what you say aligns with their capacity to deliver to your guest. 2. Data‑Driven Management – In hospitality "gut decisions" most definitely have a place. What I've often witnessed is experienced hoteliers making decisions because it's "what they've done" and "it works that way" . Seldom, are these assumptions tested against cold hard data. The real‑time metrics (RevPAR, GOP PAR, cost per occupied room) tell a story often overshadowed by charismatic leaders who never test and measure their assumptions. Protect value by considering alternatives and sharing data and insights with your team. The data and analytics combined with experience makes it easier to see your blindspots. 3. Strategic Real‑Estate & Brand Positioning – It’s not just “run the hotel" — it’s “optimize the asset”. How does the location influence the kind of asset you want to present? How do you compare with the competition in a similar location, class, or price point over different seasons. Great marketing can blind leadership to the basic needs for the asset to thrive. This can be anything from having an asset management plan to redesigning or rebranding to better find and fit your niche. In simple terms create alignment, measure impact on analytics and position the asset for success. Rinse and repeat. In the Caribbean, a developing tourism market full of unique dynamics and challenges across each country, understanding these levers will help create robust management systems and sustainably profitable hotels, which develop our capacity and our communities #HospitalityOperations #HotelAssetManagement #CaribbeanTourism #Leadership #HotelConsulting #ValueCreation #HotelIndustry

Hotel Equities is scaling its global portfolio without losing sight of what matters most: people. By investing in Actabl’s purpose-built hospitality tech, they’re boosting efficiency, empowering GMs to lead like owners, and driving guest satisfaction and strong returns. When technology aligns with culture, growth follows. Read the full story: https://hubs.li/Q03Lb7p00 #HospitalityLeadership #HotelManagement #TechnologyForHotels #PeopleFirst

“𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.” – Mark Fancourt. As technology reshapes our industry, efficiency matters - but not at the expense of the human connection that defines great service. The challenge? Striking the right balance between innovation and the irreplaceable value of people. 🔹 Let’s talk about future-proofing hospitality without losing its soul: https://loom.ly/Cb_tV7g #TRAVHOTECH #HospitalityTech #GuestExperience #FutureOfHotels #HumanTouchInTech #HotelInnovation

Independent hoteliers are feeling the margin squeeze — but smarter commercial moves can unlock growth 📈 Our new feature, “SMRDC Fest 2025: Driving growth and innovation,” distils the most actionable ideas from BWH Hotels GB’s annual conference, including practical plays independents can use now to sharpen revenue, distribution and marketing. 👉 Read it now: https://lnkd.in/exFwkpkk Inside the piece: > Activating first-party data & CRM to lift direct revenue and reduce reliance on high-cost channels. > Getting the mix right: OTAs, metasearch, loyalty and local partnerships to defend margin. > Pricing & product tactics for 2025: demand segmentation, clear fences, and better weekday/weekend pacing. > Lean-team automation: payments, reporting and integrations that save hours and protect margin. > Building a pipeline beyond peak season: commercial partnerships that convert, not just create noise. Why follow Boutique Hotel News (BHN)? 🔎 Cut-through analysis — what today’s headlines actually mean for boutique & lifestyle hotels 📰 Sector-first coverage — breaking news, data-led features, interviews & video 🤝 Real-world community — coverage across the IHM network’s events and deal flow If you work in hospitality, real estate or travel, hit Follow to stay ahead and subscribe for the weekly briefing. 📬 Subscribe to BHN: https://lnkd.in/eWzzcP5A #BoutiqueHotelNews #BWHHotelsGB #IndependentHotels #BoutiqueHotels #Hospitality #HotelMarketing #RevenueManagement #Distribution #GuestExperience #TravelTech #UKHospitality #HotelInvestment #CommercialStrategy