George Denning

Consistent Cups

How does Dalla Corte’s technology improve consistency in drink quality, especially across different shifts and varying levels of staff experience?

As all hoteliers know, guests don’t think about the skill set of staff on shift or how experienced the team is. They just want their morning cappuccino and evening espresso martini to taste great every time, paired with genuine hospitality.

That’s where the advanced technology found in every Dalla Corte espresso machine comes into play. The equipment might look super-traditional, but in reality, each piece of kit is packed with modern, intuitive features to support staff of all skill levels.

At the core of every Dalla Corte espresso machine is multiboiler technology, which ensures stable temperatures by allowing group heads to operate independently from one another. It means no temperature dips or fluctuations – just consistently rich, balanced aroma and flavour extraction.

What specific elements of Dalla Corte machines help streamline staff workflow during peak periods, such as breakfast service or evening bar trade?

Hotels have their own rhythm, one that doesn’t necessarily follow the same peak periods as a coffee shop or bar just around the corner. Dalla Corte equipment is flexible for this exact reason, tailored to match the unique routines and rituals of guests on a hotel-to-hotel basis.

For all-hands-on-deck breakfasts in the restaurant, with continuous milk-based drink orders, a two- or three-group espresso machine with dual steam wands lets staff work in simultaneous harmony. As for the hotel bar, a compact two-group espresso machine is ideal for when evening hits, and espresso martini requests start coming in – ready to serve those in-demand cappuccinos and lattes during calmer afternoons, too.

And then there are the finer details to help shifts run smoothly: cool-touch steam wands to prevent burns, preset dosing for pinpoint accuracy, and clear digital displays to remove guesswork in the drink-making process.

How does the machine’s technology support sustainability goals, such as energy efficiency, reduced waste, or better use of coffee beans?

As sustainability efforts become non-negotiable, more hotels are opting for equipment that supports their green ambitions. Dalla Corte equipment has a power-saving function for quieter periods, with staff able to put the entire machine in sleep mode or keep a limited number of group heads operational – made possible by multiboiler technology.

That same technology also reduces waste. After all, when every shot pulled tastes perfect because of temperature stability, fewer drinks are returned by unhappy guests. Hoteliers can also pair Dalla Corte espresso machines with a grinder featuring Grinder Control System (GCS), which, in a nutshell, adjusts grind size in real-time based on changes in humidity, temperature, and bean condition. It leads to fewer coffee beans wasted, with no staff involvement required.

Exceptional coffee plays a huge role in shaping the guest experience. Investing in an advanced espresso machine elevates the vibe, with precise shots and indulgent foam adding a touch of theatre to every sip – and signals something important: we care about your stay.

Learn more about Dalla Corte espresso machines today: Ari.Huecherig@dallacorte.com

Hyperlink URL as: https://fran.ke/NR2UB0t

by George Denning

Reimagining Guest Engagement

The modern hotel guest arrives with higher expectations than ever before. Seamless check-ins, thoughtful design and personalised service are now baseline requirements. Increasingly, however, it is the moments between the time spent waiting, relaxing or unwinding, that define how a guest remembers their stay.

As hotels continue to evolve, digital media is emerging as a powerful yet underutilised tool in the guest journey. From international news and magazines to podcasts, puzzles and games, digital content is becoming a significant differentiator for hotels seeking to elevate the experience without adding operational complexity.

Today’s travellers are global, connected and expect instant access. A guest flying in from overseas may want to catch up on news from home, browse familiar publications, or simply look for some entertainment with a game or podcast while waiting for a room or having a coffee in the lobby. Providing this type of content isn’t just about entertainment, but also comfort, familiarity and perceived care.

Hotels have traditionally addressed this need through print, but print alone comes with limitations: rising costs, waste and lack of flexibility. Digi-Hub offers an alternative that complements physical spaces while aligning with sustainability goals. App-free, QR-based access allows guests to engage using their own devices - no downloads, no learning curve, no friction.

Now, hotels are recognising that media can do more than just entertain - it can advertise their services directly to the consumer. Thoughtfully designed platforms like Digi-Hub can reinforce brand identity, showcase hotel services, and subtly guide guests towards dining, spa or local experiences, while remaining guest-centric.

This is where Digi-Hub, developed by DLT Media, is beginning to gain attention within hospitality. Designed specifically for customer-facing environments, Digi-Hub brings together premium international digital magazines, newspapers, games and podcasts into one personalised branded space, accessible via a simple QR scan. For hotels, it represents a way to modernise guest engagement while retaining control over tone, branding and messaging.

As guest expectations continue to rise, the question for hoteliers is no longer whether digital touchpoints belong in physical spaces, but how seamlessly they can be integrated. In an industry built on experience, even small enhancements, especially during moments of downtime, can have a lasting impact.

In the years ahead, digital media may well become as standard as Wi-Fi. Not as a replacement for human service, but as a quiet companion to it - enriching stays, reducing friction, and redefining what thoughtful hospitality looks like in a connected world.

digi-hub.media/solutions-for-business/hospitality/

by George Denning

Phone Still Sells

For all the attention given to digital booking channels, the telephone remains one of the most powerful, and often underestimated, drivers of hotel revenue. According to the State of Distribution 2025 report, voice reservations still represent approximately 18% of total bookings. More notably, they skew toward higher-value guests: travellers with complex needs, special occasions, or a desire for reassurance before committing.

That reality raises the stakes for reservation teams. Every missed call, long hold time or poorly handled conversation is more than a service failure - it’s a lost opportunity for a direct, commission-free booking. As guest expectations rise, hotels must rethink how phone reservations are staffed, trained and supported by technology.

Below are key strategies hotels are using today to increase phone conversion rates while improving the overall guest experience.

Make It Easy to Call - Everywhere

Conversion starts before the phone rings. If guests can’t quickly find a hotel’s phone number, they’ll book elsewhere. Data from Revinate’s 2024 North America Hospitality Benchmark Report shows that inbound calls convert at roughly 50%, making visibility critical.

Best practices include placing phone numbers prominently on hotel websites, enabling click-to-call functionality on mobile, ensuring accuracy across Google Business profiles and OTAs, and reinforcing the number through retargeting ads and social channels. High-intent guests shouldn’t have to hunt for human contact.

Ensure Coverage Beyond the Front Desk

Travellers don’t limit their booking behaviour to office hours. Late-night and early-morning calls often come from international guests or travellers making last-minute plans. Without coverage, those bookings are easily lost.

Some hotels address this with overnight reservation staff or by routing calls across time zones. Others supplement human teams with hospitality-focused AI reception tools that answer calls after hours, capture leads and manage basic booking requests. Regardless of the approach, round-the-clock availability is increasingly a baseline expectation.

Treat Reservation Calls as Sales Conversations

Answering questions is not the same as closing a sale. Reservation agents need training that blends service with sales fundamentals, teaching them how to recognise buying signals, guide indecisive callers and confidently address objections around price or policy.

Hotels that invest in role-playing, call reviews and clear performance benchmarks consistently outperform those that rely on ad hoc learning. The goal isn’t aggressive selling - it’s confident guidance that helps guests make decisions faster.

Replace Scripts with Conversations

Rigid scripts can feel transactional and impersonal. Today’s most effective reservation teams rely on conversational sales techniques: open-ended questions, active listening and tailored recommendations.

Asking what brings a guest to the area or acknowledging the importance of a milestone trip builds rapport and trust. When agents focus on guest intent instead of reciting features, calls feel more human - and conversion rates follow.

Prepare for Common Objections

Hesitation is natural, especially for higher-value bookings. Successful teams equip agents with flexible talking points rather than scripted rebuttals, enabling them to respond naturally to concerns about rates, cancellation policies or location.

Clear, confident explanations often turn uncertainty into reassurance - and prevent guests from “calling back later” only to book through a third party.

Use Guest Data to Personalise Every Call

Personalisation shouldn’t stop at digital channels. When reservation agents can see guest history through CRM or PMS integrations, conversations become warmer and more relevant. Recognising a repeat guest, referencing a prior stay or tailoring upsell offers based on known preferences reinforces loyalty and accelerates decision-making.

Always Ask for the Booking

One of the most common missed opportunities in voice reservations is failing to ask for the sale. Many callers are simply waiting for an invitation to book.

Direct but friendly prompts - such as offering to secure the room immediately or walking the guest through next steps - often make the difference between an inquiry and a confirmed stay.

Follow Up While Interest Is High

If a guest doesn’t book on the first call, proactive follow-up can significantly increase conversion. A timely outbound call, paired with a short email or text, keeps the conversation warm and demonstrates attentiveness. When follow-ups reference details from the initial conversation, they feel consultative rather than transactional.

Review Calls and Measure What Matters

Continuous improvement depends on visibility. Recording and reviewing calls allows leaders to identify coaching opportunities, replicate best practices and recognise high-performing agents. Meanwhile, tracking metrics such as call volume, conversion rate and booking outcomes helps hotels align staffing, training and marketing investments with real demand.

The Role of AI in the Modern Reservation Stack

As labour challenges persist, many hotels are turning to AI voice technology to support reservation teams. Hospitality-specific AI solutions can answer calls 24/7, route inquiries, handle routine questions and integrate with existing systems to personalise conversations.

Platforms such as Canary’s AI Voice illustrate how technology can complement, not replace, human teams by ensuring no call goes unanswered and no opportunity is lost. When implemented thoughtfully, AI becomes a force multiplier for revenue, service consistency and guest satisfaction.

Phone reservations are far from obsolete. They remain a vital channel for high-intent, high-value guests - and a significant opportunity for hotels willing to modernise their approach. By combining skilled coaching, data-driven insights and smart technology, hotels can turn every call into a stronger connection and more direct bookings.

canarytechnologies.com

by George Denning

The Shift from Service to Purpose

Hospitality has always traditionally been about service, focused on guest satisfaction and efficiency. This shift is also being driven by growing awareness of environmental and social impact. Research shows that 62% of travellers now consider environmental impact when choosing a hotel, and hospitality brands perceived as environmentally responsible are significantly more likely to drive repeat visits. At the same time, guests are increasingly drawn to hotels that demonstrate positive social impact, from supporting local communities to ethical sourcing, with studies showing that social responsibility strengthens brand trust and long‑term loyalty. Together, these factors mean that purpose is no longer an add-on, but a powerful driver of emotional connection and advocacy. Purpose-led hospitality enhances trust, elevates guest experience, and creates a stronger emotional connection that goes far beyond the stay itself and creates long-term brand advocates.

Zodee Media

Why Purpose Matters More Than Ever to Hotel Guests

Guests today aren’t just comparing room types and rates; they’re actively choosing hotels that reflect their values. They want to see sustainability in action, understand how a hotel supports its community, and feel confident that their stay contributes to something positive. When purpose is visible and genuine, it becomes a clear reason to book. This means that things like your communications, website, social media and suppliers all play a part in motivating a guest to stay.

Guests now expect hotels to show real progress on environmental impact, be transparent about their supply chains, and demonstrate authentic contributions to society. They don’t want a blanket sustainability statement; they want proof they can see. Provenance matters more now than ever with things such as in the products you sell in minibars to the suppliers you choose to work in the restaurants need to be evaluated.

Purpose directly shapes their behaviour: guests are more willing to pay premium rates, leave stronger reviews, and return more often when they feel aligned with a hotel’s values.

How to Embed Purpose into your hotel

Embedding purpose into your venue isn’t about launching a big campaign or rewriting your brand overnight. Purpose becomes real when it influences how you buy, how you train, how you communicate, and how you serve guests.

1. Start with the simple. Define what your hotel stands for, whether that be reducing environmental impact, supporting local communities, or championing fair, transparent supply chains. Once that direction is clear, translate it into practical actions your team can take immediately. Clem Haxby, owner of The Salad Project and a tastemaker from our Served with Purpose campaign summed this up brilliantly “Serving with Purpose is doing something knowing that you have the power to leave the world, the person, the context better than it was before that happened. Whether that’s serving, knowing we can buy better as businesses, or knowing we can sell better”.
2. Look to your supply chain for collaboration. Partners can instantly strengthen your impact by bringing their own purpose-led practices into your business. Working with brands that have a strong stance on sustainability or social impact creates instant value for your brand. Belu for example invest 100% of net profit into our purpose, which means that by switching to Belu you are instantly helping give more towards this. Since 2011 we have given £6.1m to WaterAid to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to over 400,000 people worldwide. This is a simple way to make progress without adding pressure to internal teams. By choosing suppliers who do the heavy lifting on environmental standards, transparency, and positive impact, hotels can reduce their footprint and offer guests visible proof of their commitment.
3. Finally, communicate openly and transparently. Guests respond to honesty: show them the small steps as well as the big milestones. Whether it’s reducing single-use materials, choosing local products, or supporting fair employment, each action builds trust. If you aren’t sure what you need to say, speak to your suppliers and partners and share information. Purpose is a journey and it doesn't happen overnight or in silo. Purpose becomes embedded when guests can see it, staff can live it, and suppliers help sustain it.

WaterAid Vivek Vadoliya

Served with Purpose

At Belu we have helped many brands serve with purpose, from hotels like Firmdale and The Corinthia to restaurants like Gymkhana and Cafe Murano. Our products are built with purpose in mind, and we ensure that every decision we make is made with the Sustainable Development Goals in mind, specifically 6,12 and 13. In practice this means we support clean water projects with WaterAid, nature based solutions in the UK restoring rivers and waterways and advocating for a closed loop system.

If you feel like you would like to start serving with purpose, contact us at hello@belu.org.

by George Denning

A Collaboration That Delivered

Strategic brand partnerships can elevate the guest experience while delivering tangible operational benefits. A recent collaboration between Hilton DoubleTree Tower of London and Bel Foodservice demonstrates exactly how the right product, placed thoughtfully, can enhance breakfast service, delight guests, and open the door to future innovation.

The partnership saw Babybel introduced into the hotel’s breakfast offering - an initiative that exceeded expectations in terms of guest engagement, brand recognition, and ease of execution.

We spoke to Jessica Walker, Sales & Marketing Manager, and Conrad Dsouza, Executive Chef at Hilton DoubleTree Tower of London, to understand how the collaboration came together and why it proved so successful.

The response to Babybel’s introduction at breakfast was immediate and overwhelmingly positive.

“Firstly, I want to say thank you for doing this partnership because it was a huge success,”

“Guests absolutely loved it. We had the Babybels available for as long as we wanted, but they were gone within four days.”

With 583 bedrooms and consistently high breakfast footfall between 6am and 10am, the speed at which the product was consumed spoke volumes.

“It’s a very recognised brand,”

“We positioned Babybel within the cheese and continental sections, and it worked perfectly for guests to help themselves.”

Brand familiarity played a major role in guest uptake, with Babybel resonating across both leisure and corporate audiences.

Point of Sale That Created Buzz

Clear, informative POS supported the activation and helped drive engagement at the buffet.

“We included a POS leaflet explaining what Babybel is, how it fits into sustainability and innovation, and why it was being introduced,”

“It created excitement and really worked well.”

The grab-and-go nature of Babybel made it particularly appealing.

“It’s the perfect snack to grab when you’re in a rush or save for later in the day - that’s why it was a great addition to our breakfast line-up.”

Alignment with Hilton’s Brand and Quality Standards

From a brand perspective, the partnership felt like a natural fit for the whole team.

“It’s very much an on-the-go product, which works perfectly for our Monday-to-Friday corporate guests,”

“The branding aligns really well with Hilton and DoubleTree by Tower of London.”

Conrad also highlighted the product’s relevance in today’s wellness-focused hospitality landscape.

“It’s a healthy alternative and wellness is something more hotels are prioritising,”

“It works just as well for guests as it does for our F&B team.”

Operational Ease and Practical Benefits

From a kitchen and service standpoint, Babybel proved exceptionally easy to manage.

“With Babybel’s wax coating, it can be stored at ambient temperature for a number of days,”

“The only real challenge was that it got used up so fast – meaning it was just a case of getting more.”

“It’s a big hit with children, but I noticed a lot of adults taking it too. It’s a comfort food, a snack - it’s a winner.”

Enhancing the Family Experience

The timing of the partnership aligned perfectly with the hotel’s wider focus on families.

“We’ve just launched newly refurbished rooms and family interconnecting rooms,”

“We’re really focusing on the family experience, and Babybel works extremely well for children.”

The product was even incorporated into the children’s breakfast station. “We have pancakes and kid-friendly options, and adding Babybel brings excitement for children while giving parents a better breakfast choice,”

With the hotel located moments from Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, the enhanced breakfast offering supports the overall guest journey for visiting families.

Future Opportunities with Bel

Both Jessica and Conrad see significant potential to expand the partnership further.

“We’re open to all options,”

“Cheese is incredibly versatile and always popular, especially with European guests. There are so many opportunities with Bel as a brand.”

Jessica agreed, highlighting the creative possibilities within the kitchen.

“We could integrate Bel products into breakfast or brunch dishes. Our chefs are always coming up with something new - we want to keep standing out in the market.”

“With Easter coming up, we’d love to create a children’s snack box including Babybel,” Jessica adds. “It’s about unique introductions like this that elevate the guest experience.”

by George Denning

Beyond RevPAR

Digital transformation has moved beyond being a future ambition for hoteliers. Across Europe and the UK, it’s becoming a critical response to mounting operational pressure, evolving guest expectations, and the need to drive sustainable revenue beyond the room. The conversation is not just about implementing new tools, but how technology can quietly connect the guest journey, support teams, and unlock a more complete picture of performance.

Few sectors feel this shift as acutely as hospitality. Guests arrive shaped by seamless, personalised digital experiences throughout other areas of their daily lives - from travel planning to dining and entertainment - and expect hotels to match that level of ease. Meanwhile, operators are navigating labour constraints, rising costs, and the growing complexity of managing revenue across multiple touchpoints. In this environment, digital transformation has become less about innovation for its own sake and more about creating clarity.

This is where connected systems matter most. When property management, food and beverage, guest engagement, and analytics operate in isolation, hotels struggle to act on insight in real time. Decisions become reactive, teams are forced into workarounds and opportunities to personalise experiences - and spend - are missed. By contrast, when systems are designed to work together, technology fades into the background, allowing hospitality to take centre stage.

A compelling example can be found at Watergate Bay and the wider Another Place collection, where digital transformation has been approached not as a technology overhaul, but as a strategic shift towards guest-centricity. Under the leadership of its commercial team, the group recognised that understanding the guest across the entire stay - not just at check-in or checkout - was essential to delivering both meaningful experiences and commercial resilience.

Rather than focusing solely on room revenue, the business began looking at how guests engage with dining, activities, wellness and on-property experiences. By connecting systems across the resort, teams gained a clearer, real-time view of guest preferences and behaviour. This enabled more thoughtful interactions - from tailored recommendations during the stay to offers that felt relevant rather than generic - while giving leadership better visibility into what was driving value.

This shift reflects shifting focus away from room-centric performance metrics. While RevPAR remains a useful benchmark, it tells only part of the story in modern hospitality. Experiences, food and beverage, events and ancillary services play an increasingly important role in overall profitability. Measuring success through a guest-centric lens allows hotels to understand total spend, identify patterns and make more informed commercial decisions.

At Watergate Bay, this approach has helped teams move from assumption-based decisions to evidence-led ones. Instead of relying on intuition alone, staff can anticipate guest needs earlier in the journey, supported by data that flows across systems. The result is a more joined-up experience for guests and a more confident operating model for the business.

Automation plays a key role in making this possible - but not in the way many hoteliers fear. The most effective automation removes friction from day-to-day operations rather than replacing the human touch. By streamlining routine administrative tasks and reducing manual handovers between systems, teams are freed to focus on what hospitality does best: personal service, creativity and connection.

This balance is particularly important in markets where service expectations remain high and staffing pressures are persistent. Intelligent automation supports consistency during peak periods, helps new team members get up to speed faster and reduces the risk of error, all while preserving the warmth that defines great hospitality.

Crucially, connected technology also enables hotels to act in the moment. Real-time insight allows operators to respond dynamically to guest behaviour, demand patterns and operational conditions. Whether adjusting offers, managing availability or shaping on-property experiences, hotels that can see and act across the entire guest journey are better positioned to maximise both satisfaction and spend.

Looking ahead, the most successful hotels will be those that view digital transformation as an ongoing evolution rather than a one-off project. At its best, technology becomes an invisible framework - aligning teams, informing decisions and supporting a more holistic approach to performance.

As the experience at Watergate Bay shows, when systems are connected and data is used thoughtfully, hotels can move beyond simply filling rooms. They can create environments where guests feel understood, teams feel supported and revenue is generated across the entire stay. In a competitive landscape, that ability to see the bigger picture may be the most valuable transformation of all.

Discover agilysys.com.

by George Denning

Managing Risk

The hotel industry is being pulled in two directions: the relentless drive to deliver outstanding guest experiences and the growing challenge of navigating an increasingly complex web of compliance regulations and operational demands. Too often, small oversights – a missed inspection, a supply chain gap, an undocumented risk - can unravel months or even years of hard work.

These blind spots are exactly what led thought leader Beatriz Shorrock to create Vantify. Not as “just another” compliance platform, but as a practical, human-centred solution designed by someone who truly understands the daily pressures faced by hotel operators.

Driven by a lifelong passion for health and safety and a determination to create meaningful change, Beatriz has emerged as a fearless and inspiring leader in compliance. We sat down with the founder and CEO to explore the origins of Vantify, how it’s reshaping risk management in hospitality, and what the future holds for the industry.

From family business to industry-wide change

Beatriz Shorrock’s journey into health and safety didn’t follow a traditional path. Growing up in a Spanish family that ran a catering business in the UK, she became the unofficial translator and compliance lead at just 13 years old. With English not her parents’ first language, Beatriz helped navigate health and safety paperwork, inspections, and risk assessments - experience that sparked a lasting fascination with protecting people.

“The inspiration came from seeing firsthand how organisations relied on paper-based, manual, or disconnected systems that inevitably led to compliance gaps,” she explained. “The lack of real-time information and visibility unknowingly contributed to accidents and ill-health incidents that could have been prevented.”

As her career progressed through property and facilities management, Beatriz saw the same challenges repeated at scale, particularly in hospitality. Hotels face an extraordinary range of risks: fire safety in multi-storey buildings, legionella control, asbestos management, pool and gym safety, lift inspections, food hygiene, and contractor oversight, often spread across multiple sites.

Add high staff turnover, complex shift patterns, and constant operational pressure, and it’s easy to see how lapses occur, sometimes with devastating consequences.

“Compliance isn’t about ticking boxes,” Beatriz said. “It’s about protecting real people - staff, guests, and business owners who’ve invested everything into their hotels.”

Vantify was born not from a boardroom strategy session, but from years of witnessing the human and financial cost of compliance failures, and knowing there had to be a better way.

Turning compliance into commercial resilience

The hospitality sector is under constant pressure to maximise revenue while enhancing guest satisfaction. For Beatriz, proactive compliance isn’t just a legal necessity, it’s a commercial advantage.

“A single failure - a legionella outbreak, fire safety breach, or kitchen closure, can cost thousands in lost revenue and permanently damage a brand,” she explained. “The key is managing risk proactively, not reacting when it’s already too late.”

Vantify brings together risk management, facilities services, supply chain oversight, training, and expert support into a single, integrated ecosystem. Instead of juggling spreadsheets and disconnected systems, hotel teams gain full visibility across properties and compliance areas.

When responsibilities are fragmented - maintenance tracking lifts and HVAC, kitchens managing food safety, housekeeping documenting cleaning, and facilities overseeing fire systems - gaps are inevitable. Those gaps directly impact the bottom line.

“There are risks you can’t always see: unreliable contractors, missing permits, expired checks,” Beatriz said. “Vantify helps uncover those hidden issues before they become costly problems.”

Making adoption practical, not painful

Change management is often the biggest barrier to new systems. Here, Beatriz’s hands-on experience makes a difference.

“We’ve spent over 20 years onboarding customers from paper and spreadsheets into digital ecosystems,” she explained. “Our solutions scale to meet businesses exactly where they are, whether starting small or rolling out across multiple sites.”

Vantify’s platforms are designed to be intuitive, reducing training time, but support doesn’t end at implementation.

“We work closely with everyone - from general managers to facilities teams - to ensure long-term success. We don’t just deliver software; we build partnerships.”

Looking ahead: data, regulation, and predictive insight

The regulatory landscape is tightening, audits are becoming more rigorous, and guests increasingly expect transparency around safety. Beatriz believes the hotels that thrive over the next three to five years will be those that embrace digital compliance tools and data-driven decision-making now.

“Changes to the Food Safety Act and Fire Safety Order are critical for hotels,” she noted. “Digital platforms replace outdated paper systems and make compliance far easier to manage.”

But the real power of platforms like Vantify lies beyond digitisation. “We’re exploring AI and predictive analytics to help businesses identify risk trends, reduce incidents, and drive cost savings before issues arise.”

For Beatriz, success comes from combining technology with genuine human partnership.

“Technology gives us incredible capabilities, but it’s the relationship - the understanding of your business and challenges - that makes the real difference.”

As hotels navigate an increasingly complex operational landscape, resilience will define tomorrow’s leaders. Vantify isn’t just a compliance tool, it’s a strategic ecosystem helping hotels protect their people, safeguard their reputation, and operate with confidence.

vantify.com

by George Denning

Moments of Pause

Over the past decade, wellness has evolved from a desirable add-on to a defining pillar of luxury hospitality. The global wellness market within hotels is forecast to reach $9 trillion by 2028, rising from $6.3 trillion in 2023 and growing at an annual rate of 5.9% (McKinsey, 2025). La Bottega Collective has been at the forefront of this shift, reimagining the guest room as a private wellness sanctuary. By curating thoughtfully designed experiences and products, La Bottega Collective transforms hotel stays into personalised rituals of care.

La Bottega Collective positions itself not as a supplier, but as a curator of guest experience, taking a holistic view of the guest journey to enhance each moment through carefully considered touchpoints. From beauty essentials via La Bottega and Vanity Group, to luxury textiles through Beltrami and White Privè, OS&E accessories with Palatino, and design through Colosseo, every element is thoughtfully selected to support wellbeing and brand storytelling, enabling bespoke solutions across the entire hotel environment: from lobby and dining spaces to in-room amenities, textiles and bedding, where each interaction places guest wellbeing at the centre.

Whether delivered through a personalised detail or a guided ritual, these moments provide hotels with the opportunity to express their values and ethos in a way that feels authentic and emotionally resonant. The modern traveller expects more than aesthetics; rituals that support wellbeing, encourage self-care, and create an emotional connection to the stay.

A recent example is the launch of Perricone MD TV, a bespoke in-room channel offering guided facial tutorials that invite guests to engage with the brand in a meaningful, hands-on way. Available exclusively to hotels with Perricone MD as their beauty essentials partner, this innovation elevates the traditional bathroom experience into an immersive wellness journey. Guests are encouraged to slow down, follow expert-led routines and experience the products as part of a curated self-care ritual, creating a lasting brand connection and a truly memorable stay.

Similarly, art’otel properties in London, Amsterdam and Rome feature an exclusive KEVIN.MURPHY in-room hair styling channel, developed through their global beauty essentials partnership with Vanity Group. This offering seamlessly extends the salon-quality experience into the privacy of the guest room. Wellness is delivered effortlessly, woven into the stay without interruption.

These in-room rituals invite moments of pause and restoration that integrate naturally into a guest’s day - whether preparing for an evening out or unwinding after travel. By allowing guests to engage at their own pace, these experiences reinforce a sense of autonomy, comfort and wellbeing.

Complementing these experiences, Beltrami, a member La Bottega Collective, brings over 60 years of Italian craftsmanship into the realm of in-room wellness through bespoke luxury linens. Crafted from Autentica Fibra di Legno, a sustainable birch-based yarn, Beltrami’s Fibra di Legno linens embody understated luxury and feature in select destinations including The Arts Club Suites and The Corinthia London. As quality sleep becomes an essential pillar of guest wellbeing, particularly for frequent travellers, these linens play a vital role in supporting rest and recovery. Thoughtfully designed bedding enhances physical comfort while creating an atmosphere of calm, indulgence and quiet luxury - ensuring wellness continues long after the lights are switched off.

Together, these carefully considered touchpoints illustrate how in-room rituals are redefining wellness in hospitality, shifting the focus from shared spaces to private moments, and from passive luxury to purposeful, guest-led wellbeing.

Visit www.labottegacollective.com

by George Denning

Rest Easy in Sustainable Luxury

A good night’s sleep isn’t the only thing top of mind for luxury travellers these days. For the sustainability-conscious tourist, sleeping well also means knowing their rest leaves a lighter footprint on the planet.

Sustainability is on many travellers’ minds today, but it can sometimes feel like a trade-off. How does your bedding give hotel guests a luxurious sleep while staying green?

Nothing beats waking up after a truly restful night. So much so that many people are willing to pay a little extra for a decent eight hours. According to a study by Kleber Group, 70% of luxury travellers choose hotels that offer sleep-optimised rooms.

Tradelinens has taken sleep seriously for over 30 years, but their commitment goes beyond exceptional bed linen. “The most memorable part of any stay should always be how well the guest slept - it is the primary function of a hotel, after all. But people also sleep more soundly knowing their bedding has sustainability woven into every thread,” explained Catherine.

Tradelinens products are engineered to withstand significantly higher laundry cycles than the TSA industry average, reducing waste and the need for frequent replacement. As members of the Better Cotton Initiative since 2016, everything starts with responsibly sourced raw materials.

“We’ve worked with the same family mills for years and trust their commitment to both the environment and a high-quality, durable finish. Everything is done with guest comfort and a better planet in mind.”

Being B Corp certified isn’t just a badge, it’s a philosophy. How does it shape the way you do business and why does it matter to guests?

Tradelinens became a certified B Corp last year, a major milestone for the company, which has long embedded environmental and social responsibility into the fabric of its operations.

“Our principles have underpinned the business for decades, but B Corp certification is global recognition. Our practices are independently assessed, which is increasingly important as UK hotels respond to growing ESG reporting requirements.”

by George Denning