Matt Talks Hospitality

How hotels buy new tech, with Jordan Hollander of HTR

When hotel GMs receive hundreds of emails from software vendors claiming to be the best, judging new tech becomes difficult. That exact problem led to Hotel Tech Report, one of hospitality’s most-trusted review platforms. Its co-founder Jordan Hollander joins Matt to talk about what goes into hotel tech buying decisions. The episode lands as Mews wins Best PMS for the third year in a row and Best POS at the 2026 HotelTechAwards, run by Hotel Tech Report.Jordan Hollander is the Co-founder of Hotel Tech Report, the industry's leading platform for ranking and reviewing hospitality technology solutions through verified customer reviews, partner input, and comprehensive evaluation criteria. With a decade of experience observing how hotels evaluate and purchase software, Jordan has become a trusted authority on identifying authentic product quality and market trends in the hotel technology sector.Learn more about the podcast here: https://hubs.ly/Q0350wrf0#hoteltech #hospitalitypodcast #mews #hotelmanagementsystem #pms #hotelrevenue00:00 – How hotels buy tech01:00 – Vendor noise and buying pressure05:32 – The origin of Hotel Tech Report08:34 – Trust and risk in choosing hotel tech14:55 – What winning platforms get right20:15 – Hotel reviews and AI29:39 – What comes next for hotel techMatt Talks Hospitality is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Inside Bob W: Why Niko Karstikko treats hotels like software

Can a hotel run with one seventh of staff and still outperform its peers? Bob W is built for the modern traveler who wants the best of both worlds: the consistency and reliability of a hotel, with the space, utility and local feel of a short-stay apartment. But what truly sets Bob W apart is its software-first mindset. Niko Karstikko, Co-founder and CEO of Bob W, joins Matt to explain how Bob W blends apartments, hotels and automation into a new hospitality category.Niko Karstikko is the Co-founder and CEO of Bob W, a European hospitality tech company operating thousands of apartments across more than 19 cities. With a builder’s mindset shaped by scaling companies outside the traditional hospitality sector, Bob W has pioneered a hybrid hotel-apartment model that achieves 2.5x greater EBITDA profitability than comparable hotels.Learn more about the podcast here: https://hubs.ly/Q0350wrf0#hoteltech #hospitalitypodcast #mews #hotelmanagementsystem #pms #hotelrevenue00:00 – 1/7 staff, 6/7 tech: The Bob W operating model03:24 – Why Bob W is not an Airbnb and not a hotel08:45 – Inside Bob W’s automated tech stack12:10 – Why Bob W is 2.5x more profitable14:09 – Making self-service feel human17:49 – “The last check-in ever”26:34 – Scaling without using the local touch Matt Talks Hospitality is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Cocoons to capsules: Halima Aziz on Zedwell's city-centre hotel vision

Cocoons and capsules sit at the heart of Zedwell Hotels’ London city-centre vision, where rooms are designed around sleep, efficiency and the realities of urban life rather than tradition. In this episode, Matt speaks with Halima Aziz, Head of Hotels at Criterion Hospitality, which owns and operates Zedwell Hotels, about turning forgotten city spaces into some of London’s most profitable hotel real estate, all while removing TVs, kettles and even windows from the rooms. Halima Aziz is Head of Hotels at Criterion Hospitality, with a background that spans real estate, operations, and large-scale development. Halima works with underutilised buildings that most people would call difficult and turns them into functioning, profitable hotels.Learn more about the podcast here: https://hubs.ly/Q0350wrf0#hoteltech #hospitalitypodcast #mews #hotelmanagementsystem #pms #hotelrevenue00:00 – A city-centre hotel that breaks the rules03:44 – Do guests really care about windows07:41 – What hotels get wrong about room amenities10:15 – Why daily housekeeping doesn’t make sense15:35 – The OTA expectation gap20:03 – Capsules versus hotels and hostels31:12 – Early check-in, late check-out and paid convenience38:08 – What’s next for Zedwell HotelsMatt Talks Hospitality is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Sports, refugee clubhouses and a new idea of hospitality with Jan van Hövell

Survival requires food and water, but spirit craves community. By building sports clubs inside refugee camps, KLABU creates places where people can gather, play and regain a sense of normal life amid displacement. KLABU’s founder Jan van Hövell explains how these clubhouses are set up in crisis zones, why sports help build communities and how KLABU and Mews are collaborating to support indigenous Venezuelan refugees in Boa Vista, Brazil.Jan van Hövell is the founder of KLABU, an organization that builds sports clubs to support refugee communities around the world. With a background in law and experience at the UNHCR, he is dedicated to creating long-term impact through sport.Learn more about the podcast here: https://hubs.ly/Q0350wrf0#hoteltech #hospitalitypodcast #mews #hotelmanagementsystem #pms #hotelrevenue00:00 – Jan’s early experience working with refugees08:02 – Life in a refugee camp11:24 – Leaving corporate law for hospitality15:00 – The inspiration behind KLABU17:37 – How sport impacts refugees19:50 – Building the first clubhouse30:56 – How the Mews-KLABU partnership plays outMatt Talks Hospitality is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI and other key trends changing hospitality in 2026 with Wouter Geerts

What can the hospitality industry expect in 2026? Especially given the rapid development of AI and the fact that a third of travelers already use LLMs to search and get travel inspiration. Wouter Geerts, Director of Market Research at Mews, joins Matt to break down the 2026 Hospitality Industry Outlook report, shaped by conversations with 18 industry experts, including hoteliers, tech vendors, consultants and investors. You’ll hear about the changing AI use cases in hotels, new guest behavior patterns and what determines which hotels get surfaced and booked in 2026.Download 2026 Hospitality Industry OutlookWouter Geerts is the Director of Market Research at Mews, where he leads comprehensive industry research initiatives, including the 2026 Hospitality Industry Outlook Report. With expertise in hospitality technology trends and data-driven insights, Wouter brings a rigorous, objective approach to understanding the future of hotel operations.Learn more about the podcast here: https://hubs.ly/Q0350wrf0#hoteltech #hospitalitypodcast #mews #hotelmanagementsystem #pms #hotelrevenue00:00 – About the 2026 Hospitality Industry Outlook report04:50 – The AI inflection point for hotels06:45 – Agentic AI and guest booking behaviors15:10 – How to beat OTAs in 202617:12 – Turning unused spaces into revenue19:19 – Why AI won’t fix your data silos22:37 – Semantic layer explained32:16 – Is 2026 really the year of change? Matt Talks Hospitality is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so