Defining Hospitality

The Art of Anticipation - Ed Bakos - Defining Hospitality

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Ed Bakos, CEO of Champalimaud Design, to explore the evolving dimensions of hospitality in the design world. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, this discussion uncovers how the nuances of design, from emotional exchanges to anticipating guest needs, define luxury and authenticity in the hospitality industry today.About the Guest:Ed Bakos is the CEO of Champalimaud Design, a New York-based firm renowned for its innovative approach to hospitality design. With over 30 years of experience, Ed has continually pushed the boundaries of what luxury and hospitality can achieve through strategic and emotionally resonant design. His commitment to fostering talented teams and creating memorable experiences makes his work a benchmark in the industry.Chapters:00:46 Welcome Ed Bakos02:12 What Hospitality Means04:04 Early Career Origins07:30 First W Hotel Breakthrough11:07 Heavenly Bed Innovation14:13 Alexandra Legacy18:31 Mosaic Team Culture24:49 Flat Hierarchy Best Ideas27:20 Project Example Clarity28:29 Ideas From Anywhere29:10 Designing Anticipated Needs31:23 Service Defines Luxury32:44 Turning Constraints Into Magic34:59 Building A Creative Culture37:02 Managing Creative Anxiety40:47 Choosing The Right Clients44:29 Aviation Passion And Purpose49:08 Flying The C47 Across Atlantic50:58 Remembering History And ClosingQuote of the Show:"Design is a relationship between different things. Why do certain combinations of things provide us with more satisfaction? Certain combinations in certain settings are… highly successful and can be highly successful." - Ed BakosBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/ Ed Bakos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmond-bakos-62102014/   Champalimaud Design: https://www.champalimaud.design/  Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/ Tags:#DefiningHospitality #HospitalityDesign #HotelDesign #GuestExperience #DesignAnticipation #HotelInnovation

What the K-Wave Means for Hotel and Restaurant Design - Thomas Oh & Daphne Shin - Defining Hospitality

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Thomas Oh, Co-Founder & General Manager of Perilla Korean American Steakhouse, and Daphne Shin, Founder & Principal Designer of the Ruimte, two passionate creators working at the intersection of culture, cuisine, and design. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, the episode delves into the unique approach Thomas and Daphne take to blend Korean cultural elements into their business ventures in Chicago.About the Guests:Thomas Oh is the co-founder and director of operations at Perilla Korean American Steakhouse. With a mission to introduce Korean culture through dining experiences, Thomas highlights the seamless integration of Korean and American culinary elements at Perilla.Daphne Shin is the founder and principal designer of the Ruimte, an interior design firm. Through her design work at L7 Hotel, Daphne strives to create environments where every guest, regardless of background, feels at home.Chapters:02:26 Defining Hospitality04:38 Building L7 Chicago06:33 Designing Perilla Steakhouse15:26 Korean DNA in the Hotel19:40 Reception in Chicago24:49 The K Wave Momentum27:28 Entrepreneur Lessons30:08 Teamwork Solves Problems30:43 Exhaust System Collaboration32:13 Sponsor Sustainability Note32:48 Immigrant Path to Hospitality34:56 Little Victories in Service38:17 Design vs Operations Reality42:15 Dream Projects and Timelessness46:35 Hotel and Restaurant Synergy49:43 How Lotte Found Them51:09 Luck Meets Hard Work53:27 Closing Thanks and FarewellQuote of the Show:"It's exciting for me and for the team here, for them to come into our space… We're not screaming this is Korean to them, but they're loving the design of this restaurant and the hotel." - Thomas OhBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/ Thomas Oh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-oh-b6164570/ Daphne Shin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphne-shin-1a223b44/ Daphne Shin Email: daphne@theruimte.com Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/ Tags:#hospitality #Koreancuisine #design #Kwave #defininghospitality #podcasting #ChicagoDining

Curating Luxury Through Sound - Michelangelo L’Acqua - Defining Hospitality

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Michaelangelo L’Acqua, a global entertainment director and music/lifestyle branding expert, to discuss hospitality as “infrastructure” built through sound, motifs, and emotional arcs across dayparts. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, this conversation dives into shifting luxury expectations, analog-era craft, and mentoring creatives within business-driven environments.Michelangelo shares how sound serves as the unseen architect in the world of hospitality, crafting emotional journeys for guests. About the Guest:Michaelangelo L'Acqua is a Global Entertainment Director and Founder of his creative strategy agency, L'Acqua Agenzia. With a legacy of working with iconic brands like Virgin Voyages and W Hotels, he brings decades of experience in music branding and luxury lifestyle curation. Known for pioneering concepts like the Sonic Identity Brand Bible, L'Acqua remains a leading voice in integrating sound as a critical component of the hospitality experience, continuously shaping the future of how spaces sound and resonate with their audience.Chapters:01:17 Whale Shark Memories02:51 What Hospitality Means03:52 Sonic Architect Idea05:09 Motifs and Brand Magic07:04 Building a Sonic Bible10:18 Sound Drives Revenue12:32 Mentors and Early Grind14:29 Tom Ford Breakthrough17:37 From Fashion to Hotels20:30 Analog Era Work Ethic23:04 Staying Relevant in Luxury27:27 Timeless Formulas and Flow30:57 Building Sonic Brand DNA33:04 Virgin Voyages Layer Cake36:59 W Hotel Reinvents Hospitality39:45 Finding Local Tastemakers41:29 Mentorship Over Ego44:44 Sound Beats Brick48:07 Next Decade Soundtrack50:49 Timeless Meets New53:30 Hall of Fame Tangent55:46 Wrap Up And ConnectQuote of the Show:"I truly believe that there are moments I can really tap into unconscious feelings within somebody. And if I can do that… you're gonna walk away from that experience and say that was a great night. I don't know why, but it was just special." - Michelangelo L’AcquaBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/ Michelangelo L’Acqua LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelangelo-lacqua/ Starwood Hotels: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/ Tags:#DefiningHospitality #HospitalityDesign #HotelDesign #GuestExperience #SonicArchitect #HotelInnovation

Transforming Hospitality for Millennials - Saxton Sharad - Hideaway Inns & Revival Hotels - Episode # 243

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Saxton Sharad to explore how hospitality and hotel design are evolving for today’s guest experience. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, this conversation dives into micro vacations, invisible hospitality, and how modern leadership is reshaping the way hotels connect with travelers.Saxton shares how Hideaway Inns is redefining hospitality by blending local authenticity, frictionless experiences, and thoughtful design to meet the expectations of millennials and Gen Z guests.About the Guest:Saxton Sharad is the Founder and CEO of Revival Hotels and Hideaway Inns, where he’s building a portfolio of design-forward boutique properties in destinations like Mount Sunapee, Mount Snow, and Lenox. He previously helped scale Graduate Hotels and has worked across major brands, but is now pioneering a high-margin “invisible hospitality” model that’s delivering additional operating profit across his properties.Chapters:01:15 Office Vibes And Intentionality03:03 Defining Hospitality05:58 Origins Of The Philosophy07:51 Unplugging And Micro Breaks09:18 Hideaway Inns Vision11:00 Millennial Travel Shift14:15 Building From Guest Research17:02 Authenticity And Giving Back25:59 Invisible Hospitality Platform30:30 Innkeeper Model Explained36:11 Owner Economics And Margins39:58 Lease Deal Sweeteners40:36 Scale And Tech Advantage44:35 Innkeeper Career Model46:53 Fixing Hospitality Turnover48:15 Design Led Growth Plan50:00 Fandom And Regional Focus56:21 Revival Management Focus58:41 Invisible Or Full Service01:01:35 Authenticity Through Local Art01:03:27 Berkshires Travel Pitch01:07:59 Wrap Up And ThanksQuote of the Show:“ I don't care how talented you are or how much money you have in your pocket, you cannot be good at everything. Step into what you're good at, find that strength, and live that strength.” - Saxton SharadBuilding a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.Links:Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1 Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/ BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/ Saxton Sharad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saxton-sharad-cha-6642a49/ Hideaway Inns: https://www.hideawayinns.com/ Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/ Tags:#DefiningHospitality #HospitalityDesign #HotelDesign #GuestExperience #MillennialTravel #BoutiqueHotels #HotelInnovation

Exploring Data-Driven Trends - Isaac Collazo - STR - Episode # 242

How does data make the hospitality industry come alive?In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan welcomes Isaac Collazo, the Head of Analytics at STR and Co-Host of "Tell Me More, A Hospitality Data Podcast." They dive into the integral role data plays in the hospitality industry, from informing strategic decisions to influencing how businesses can adapt in changing economic climates.Takeaways:Utilizing data to enhance operational efficiency. Isaac emphasizes how storytelling through data offers valuable insights that can transform guest experiences and improve service delivery.Hospitality is fundamentally about service. By prioritizing the human connections and interactions, businesses can maintain exceptional service standards, no matter the external economic climate.Recession and inflation directly impact strategies and performance. Isaac discusses how staying informed on economic trends helps businesses anticipate and react to market changes effectively.The growing shift from uniformity to personal experiences. Lifestyle brands are emerging as leaders by catering to unique and individualized guest experiences, setting a new standard in the industry.Food and beverage services are essential revenue drivers. By investing in high-quality F&B experiences, hotels can enhance their appeal and drive overall profitability.The notable and optimistic turn in demand trends. Despite some economic uncertainties, the rising demand suggests a promising future for the hospitality sector.Generational preferences influence loyalty. As guest demographics evolve, hospitality businesses must adapt their strategies to cater to a diverse and changing clientele.Quote of the Show:“You want 'em to start with you and stay with you until they no longer travel.” - Isaac CollazoLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaaccollazo/  Company website: https://www.costar.com/products/str-benchmark Shout Outs:1:30 - Adrienne Scribner2:30 - Promise (Hotels) - https://www.promisebrandsuite.com/ 2:30 - Marriott - https://www.marriott.com/ 2:30 - IHG - https://www.ihg.com/ 2:50 - STR - https://www.costar.com/products/str-benchmark 3:10 - Jeff Higley / ALICE Conference - https://www.aliceconference.com/ 5:10 - LaQuinta Inns - https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquinta 21:20 - Marriott Bonvoy - https://www.marriott.com/loyalty.mi 23:10 - Kimpton Hotels - https://www.ihg.com/kimptonhotels/ 25:20 - W Hotels - https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/w-hotels/ 30:00 - Hyatt - https://www.hyatt.com/ 30:30 - Tulane University - https://www.tulane.edu/ 35:50 - Jose Andres / Think Food Group - https://www.thinkfoodgroup.com/ 35:50 - Bar Mar - https://www.thinkfoodgroup.com/bar-mar 36:10 - Death & Co (bar at Ramble Hotel Denver) - https://deathandcompany.com/ 🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/