CoStar News Hotels
CoStar News Hotels delivers in-depth coverage of the hotel industry, featuring exclusive interviews with CEOs, conference news, and analysis of public hotel companies. The podcast is produced by experienced journalists from the global CoStar News team, which reports commercial real estate news across the United States, Canada, and the U.K. Episodes are available for free 24/7 to inform business decisions.
Episodes
Virgin Hotels' Jeff Borman on leveraging uniqueness
In an interview at the 2026 Hotel Data Conference with CoStar News Hotels' Sean McCracken, Virgin Hotels' Jeff Borman talks about how the boutique, experience-focused Virgin Limited Edition is outperforming the company's larger hotel portfolio.
Targeting market leadership and stronger shoulder days (with Parks Hospitality's Chris Hardy)
Reporter Natalie Harms chats with Chris Hardy, vice president of commercial strategy at Parks Hospitality Group, at the 18th annual Hotel Data Conference to learn more about what the hotel owner and operator is focused on, including targeting shoulder day growth and market dominance.
Recapping the first day of the 2026 Hotel Data Conference
CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten and Terence Baker speak with STR's Kelsey Fenerty about the new U.S. hotel industry forecast and other topics from the first day of the 2026 Hotel Data Conference in Nashville.
China, Korea show divergent hotel performance across Asia (with STR's Jesper Palmqvist)
There are clear winners and losers across the Asia Pacific region's hotel industry, and STR's regional vice president in the Asia-Pacific region Jesper Palmqvist joins the podcast to dissect just what that means.
How hotels can prepare for guests of the future (with Gettys Group CEO Ron Swidler)
In this episode, Gettys Group CEO Ron Swidler speaks with CoStar News Hotels' Sean McCracken about the many down-the-stream effects of keeping tabs on changing consumer behavior, and how artificial intelligence is making that more achievable.
Hotel performance recap from the World Cup
CoStar Group's Jan Freitag and Walker Hotel Collection's Peter Yeung join CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson to discuss results and lessons learned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The state of hotel financing (with Peachtree Group's Greg Friedman)
Peachtree Group Managing Principal and CEO Greg Friedman joins the "CoStar News Hotels Podcast" to explain the current financing environment for hotels.
Escaping hospitality's "AI hype echo chamber"
Max Spangler, vice president of technology of third-party hotel management company Charlestowne Hotels, joins CoStar News Hotels reporter Natalie Harms to discuss the practical uses of artificial intelligence in the hotel business and the advancement of cybersecurity threats as technology develops at a rapid pace.
Rockbridge CEO Jimmy Merkel is expanding the investment company in new ways
Private membership clubs are next for hospitality investment firm Rockbridge, according to CEO and co-founder Jimmy Merkel. Merkel shared details about the company's latest hotel acquisitions in Texas, plus his philosophy about hospitality and why independent luxury lifestyle hotels are exciting for investors.
Lender confidence returning for Asian hotels (with STR's Jesper Palmqvist)
STR's Jesper Palmqvist dives into how lender confidence is buoying hotel investment across the Asia-Pacific region, which is seeing record-high development and a wave of refinancing.
Hotel performance expectations for the World Cup knockout stage
CoStar Group's Didio Pequeno joins CoStar News' Trevor Simpson to discuss what hoteliers can expect in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
No matter the downturn, hotels and travel always bounce back, Peregrine CEO says
Peregrine Hospitality CEO Greg Kennealey speaks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten about his hotel portfolio's performance, the resiliency of travel and changing guest expectations in luxury experiences.
Marriott's Dana Jacobsohn on what makes a true luxury stay
Dana Jacobsohn, chief development officer, North America luxury brands and global mixed-use speaks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum about luxury hotel development and how Marriott meets guests expectations now and prepares for them in the future.
Olympia Hospitality takes boutique approach to both franchised, independent hotels (with John Schultzel)
Olympia Hospitality's John Schultzel speaks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten at the 2026 NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum about his company's approach to hotel management, applying a boutique strategy to both independent and franchised properties, as well as its focus on hotels in college and university markets.
Virgin Hotels Collection's Greg Doman on the four factors needed to add a hotel to its portfolio
Greg Doman, chief development officer at Virgin Hotels Collection, joined CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson for an interview at the 2026 NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum.
Rebel Hotel Co.'s Brian Sparacino talks growth strategy, operating luxury hotels and the evolution of third-party management
At the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum, Rebel Hotel Co. President and CEO Brian Sparacino talks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten about his company's new division, Reserve Collection Resorts & Hotels, as well as their growth strategy and how the third-party management space is changing.
PM Hotel Group's Joseph Bojanowski on World Cup demand, rise in experiential travel
Joseph Bojanowski, president of PM Hotel Group, chatted with CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson about this summer's mega events and the future growth avenues for the third-party hotel operator.
Hyatt's Julienne Smith discusses return to company, next targets for portfolio growth
Hyatt Hotels Corp.'s Julienne Smith talks with CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson at the 2026 NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum.
JLL Hotels & Hospitality Americas CEO Kevin Davis on the narrowing bid-ask gap and more favorable hotel transactions environment
Americas CEO of JLL Hotels & Hospitality Kevin Davis talks with CoStar News Hotels' Stephanie Ricca at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum about why the first half of 2026 has fostered more hotel transactions.
Raffles and Fairmont CEO Omer Acar on the evolving nature of luxury hotel experiences
Omer Acar, CEO of the Raffles and Fairmont hotel brands at Accor, speaks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten about the luxury hotel space while at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum.
Hotel investors see opportunity in Indonesia (with STR's Jesper Palmqvist)
STR's Jesper Palmqvist joins the podcast for our monthly check-in on hotel industry trends in the Asia-Pacific region.
Thoughts from the last day of the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum
CoStar News Hotels' Stephanie Ricca, Bryan Wroten and Trevor Simpson share their observations from the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum as the conference has wrapped up for 2026.
Recapping the first day of the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum 2026
CoStar News Hotels' Stephanie Ricca, Bryan Wroten and Trevor Simpson share their takeaways from the first day of the 2026 NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum.
World Cup pregame: How hotel performance projects two weeks out
CoStar Group's Didio Pequeno joins the CoStar News Hotels podcast to break down how hotel performance is trending across the 16 World Cup host markets.
It's game time for hotels scoring sports tourism business this summer
Brandon Ehrhardt, vice president of marketing for travel partners and advertisers at Expedia Group, joins the show to share details from Expedia Group's new report that found that North America has $8.1 billion in tourism spend up for grabs this summer.
How hoteliers are sorting through the complicated tariff refund question (with Alan Benjamin)
Procurement expert Alan Benjamin, founder and president of BenjaminWest, joins the podcast to discuss what hoteliers might expect from the $166 billion in promised tariff refunds and how getting that money back in the pockets of owners will be a complicated process.
Smaller markets are winning hotel group demand
In this episode of the CoStar News Hotels podcast, reporter Natalie Harms discusses hotel group demand trends with STR's Hannah Smith, including how smaller markets in the U.S. appear to be coming out on top when it comes to attracting group hotel business.
How Japan moneyballed its way to strong tourism demand
When Japan lost more than half of its travelers from China, many worried the year's long stretch of strong performance for hotels would end in that country. Instead, it replaced that demand in the aggregate. Listen for that and other highlights from across the Asia Pacific region with STR's Matthew Burke and Jesper Palmqvist.
A hotel-hostel concept for the digital nomad era
In this interview from the 2026 IHIF EMEA conference, CoStar News Hotels' Terence Baker speaks with Navneet Bali, founder and CEO of LyvInn Hotels, who explains his goal of gearing his hostel-hotel brand toward the growing number of young, IT-savvy European travelers.
Trinity expands its investment criteria for European hotels
CoStar News Hotel's Sean McCracken speaks with Trinity Investments' Ryan Donn at the 2026 IHIF EMEA conference in Berlin where Donn spoke about the company's newer approach to finding deals and his interest in the demand outlook in Southern Europe in particular.
Why Wyndham’s Dimitris Manikis sees big growth ahead in Europe, India
Dimitris Manikis, president of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, joins the podcast from the International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA in Berlin.
Turbulent times call for portfolio scale, geographical reach and trusted investors, says TUI Blue’s Wesam Okasha
In this interview from the 2026 IHIF EMEA conference, CoStar News Hotels' Terence Bakers speaks with Wesam Okasha, managing director of TUI Blue Hotels and head of global development, Asia, Greater China and Europe, Middle East and Africa, about the necessity of security in travel, new projects in the works, the future of the Middle East's hotel industry and more.
Kew Green Hotels readies for next stage of growth
Kew Green Hotels CEO David Taylor talks with CoStar News Hotels' Terence Baker at the 2026 IHIF EMEA conference about his company's next growth phase, which he said is undeterred by geopolitical headwinds.
Democratizing branded residential
In this episode, CoStar News Hotels reporter Natalie Harms discusses the rise and growth of branded residential projects with Nate Siehr, co-founder of The Big Key Group. The company's first project, the Ambar Residences Orlando, is rising to meet changing traveler behavior and deliver on a product outside the luxury price point.
Covivio Hotels execs see opportunities with conversions, operations
Covivio Hotels CEO Tugdual Millet and Deputy CEO Sébastien de Courtivron joined the CoStar News Hotels podcast while at the 2026 International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA in Berlin to talk about their plans to more evenly distribute their portfolio across Europe, the opportunities of office-to-hotel conversions, the importance of sustainability and high-quality operations, and more.
Why Accor is reimaginging its luxury portfolio (with Xavier Grange
French hotel giant Accor might not be acquiring, investing in and launching as many new brands as it used to, but it has not stopped activity in refreshing and relaunching flags — and there is still space for the completely new. Xavier Grange, global chief development officer, Sofitel, Emblems and MGallery, and all luxury brands, Europe and North Africa at Accor, joined the podcast while
Finding investment opportunities across Europe, with Union Investment's Andreas Löcher
Andreas Löcher, head of investment management operational real estate for Hamburg-based Union Investments said he's seeing more hotel deals being done across Europe.
Valor's Euan McGlashan on the power of running a people-focused global hotel company
Euan McGlashan, co-founder and CEO of third-party management company Valor Hospitality, joins the podcast during the International Hospitality Investment Forum in Berlin to talk about how connecting cultures across the globe helps improve his business.
Why Yotel is partnering with Hilton (with Yotel CEO Phil Andreopoulos)
In an exclusive interview recorded at the International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA in Berlin, Yotel CEO Phil Andreopoulos discussed the growth possibilities for his 23-hotel brand now that it's signed a franchise agreement with Hilton.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' strategy with Chief Development Officer David Wilner
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Chief Development Officer David Wilner sits down with CoStar News' Stephanie Ricca to discuss the global franchise company's expansion into higher-end brands and extended-stay. This episode was recorded at the 2026 Hunter Conference in Atlanta.
The future of architecture and design in hospitality
Pete Dunne, vice president at planning, landscape architecture and urban design company EDSA, joined CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson for an interview at the 2026 Hunter Conference.
Why Vietnam's hotels and tourism are poised for long-term success
STR's Jesper Palmqvist joins the podcast for our monthly overview of the Asia-Pacific region, focusing this month on why infrastructure improvements and foreign investment are buoying the outlook for tourism destinations in Vietnam.
How Raines Co. turned history into a mission-driven stay
At the 2026 Hunter Conference, Raines Co. CEO Grey Raines joins CoStar News' Natalie Harms to discuss the company's Lantern Hotels and why adaptive reuse, inclusive hiring and curated experiences are outperforming traditional development.
Graduate Hotels set for portfolio growth two years after Hilton acquisition
Parker Henderson, brand leader of Graduate by Hilton, joined CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson for an interview at the 2026 Hunter Conference.
IHG's new Americas-focused exec on why the brand is 'on the move'
Natalie Harms of CoStar News Hotels speaks with Mark Sergot of IHG Hotels & Resorts about his move from leading global sales into heading development for the Americas. The discussion highlights IHG’s loyalty engine, commercial performance, and the opportunities Mark sees for hotel owners in both new builds and conversions.
Concord Hospitality bolsters investment in extended-stay segment
Helene Okabe, senior vice president of business development at Concord Hospitality, joined CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson for an interview at the 2026 Hunter Conference.
Why this hotelier is seeing success targeting the tertiary markets
Newport Hospitality Group President Wayne West unpacks why the real opportunity lies just outside major city centers in this episode with CoStar News reporter Natalie Harms. He dives into deal flow, repositioning strategies, and why talent — not capital — is the real differentiator in today’s hotel landscape.
Surveying the hotel demand and development landscape with Vision Hospitality's Mitch Patel
Mitch Patel, CEO and founder of Vision Hospitality Group, joined CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson for an interview at the 2026 Hunter Conference in Atlanta.
Three in NYC: Unpacking luxury hotel deal dynamics with Gencom's Karim Alibhai
Karim Alibhai, founder and principal of luxury hotel and resort developer Gencom, sits down with CoStar News' Stephanie Ricca at the 2026 Hunter Conference to talk about Gencom's recent hotel deals in New York City. He talks about competition for bids in the city, why his company is focused on asset management for returns, and the future of luxury hotels.
Hospitality America’s 30-year playbook and next phase of growth
Ben Campbell, president and CEO at Hospitality America, joined CoStar News Hotels' Natalie Harms in conversation at the 2026 Hunter Conference. In the interview, Campbell discusses Hospitality America's 30-year anniversary and unpacks how the “small but mighty” management company is competing with larger players.
IHIF Day 2 recap: More optimism, less certainty
European hoteliers remained optimistic on deals and travel demand during the second day of the International Hospitality Investment Forum, recapped by CoStar News' Sean McCracken and Terence Baker. But they are also more reluctant to give specific expectations for the rest of 2026.
Hotel transaction market picks up with promising submarket activity
Arriba Capital's Ryan Bosch joined CoStar News Hotels Reporter Natalie Harms at the 2026 Hunter Conference to share what he's seeing in the hotel transactions market in the U.S. He said some submarkets are seeing more activity — even if the market as a whole is distressed — and there's a lot of opportunity for hotel conversions versus ground-up developments.
Recapping Day 1 of IHIF EMEA 2026 in Berlin
CoStar News Hotels' Terence Baker and Sean McCracken share their takeaways from the first day of the International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA in Berlin.
Labor, events top of mind for top US hotel lobbying group
American Hotel & Lodging Association Executive Vice President of Public Policy Chirag Shah said while there's significant optimism from major upcoming events such as the World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the hotel industry's top concern is finding a sustainable labor pool.
Key takeaways from day two of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference
CoStar News Hotels' Natalie Harms and Stephanie Ricca recap the second day of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference.
Recapping the first day of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference 2026
CoStar News Hotels' Stephanie Ricca and Trevor Simpson share the highlights from the first day of the 2026 Hunter Hotel Investment Conference.
What it was like to take over San Francisco's biggest hotels in receivership (with HotelAVE's Michelle Russo)
Michelle Russo, founder and CEO of HotelAVE, had the eyes of the entire hospitality industry on her when she took over as receiver of the Parc 55 and Hilton Union Square hotels after Park Hotels & Resorts decided to hand back the keys instead of paying $725 million in debt. She joins the podcast to give an inside look at what it was like taking over those "beasts of assets" and find b
Crescent seeks hotels where it can make an impact (with Lily Hu)
In an interview at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, Crescent Hotels & Resorts' Lily Hu talks about the third-party management company's growth and retention strategies and working out the balance among hotel owners, operators and brands.
New era for Remington Hospitality includes cost control, targeted expansion
In a recent interview at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, Remington Hospitality's Chief Operating Officer Jason Kreul joined reporter Natalie Harms to discuss the hotel operator's new era of growth in the Caribbean and Latin America as controlling costs takes priority.
First Hospitality execs share views on delivering net operating income, revenue maximization and growth in troubled markets
First Hospitality President and CEO David Duncan and Chief Operating Officer Dave Montrose talk with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit about their company's strategies to differentiate themselves among other third-party hotel management companies and grow their portfolio in a difficult environment.
Hotel transactions market is making its slow-but-steady comeback
Greg Friedman, managing principal and CEO of Peachtree Group, explained to CoStar News' Natalie Harms why 2026 will be a better year for hotel transactions. But, the recovery is going to be a slow process. Friedman joined the show at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in January.
Minor Hotels lines up major North American expansion
Genna Panagopoulos, newly appointed vice president of development for North America for Minor Hotels, shares expansion plans with CoStar News Hotels' Natalie Harms at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit.
Why monthslong stays are a hidden opportunity for hotels (with Noble's Mit Shah)
Noble Investment Group Founder and CEO Mit Shah has put his money where his mouth is in terms of investing in extended-stay hotels, and he lays out why he's a big believer in the evolution of "branded long-term accommodations."
There's room for hotel operators in Australia (with Trilogy Hotels' Tony Ryan)
During our monthly check-in on the Asia-Pacific region, Trilogy Hotels' Tony Ryan joins the podcast, along with news editor Sean McCracken and STR's Jesper Palmqvist, to discuss how his company is seizing on the white space for third-party management in Australia.
Hyatt's plan for growth in select-service hotels
In this episode, CoStar News Hotels Reporter Natalie Harms speaks with Jason Ballard, global brand leader – Essentials at Hyatt, about how the company is thinking about growth. Ballard describes Hyatt's Essentials portfolio as the company's "growth vehicle" in the conversation, which was recorded at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit.
Davidson CEO pins 2026 hopes on events, international growth (with Thom Geshay)
Big events in the U.S. and growing their platform outside the U.S. are the recipe for success in 2026 according to Davidson Hospitality Group President and CEO Thom Geshay, but he thinks year over year comparisons should also get easier. This episode was recorded live at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit.
Accor looks to set itself apart in luxury, lifestyle experience (with Agnès Roquefort)
Accor's Chief Development Officer for luxury and lifestyle Agnès Roquefort joins the podcast to talk about how her company is looking to grow its presence on the high end and how success in those segments relies so much on unique experiences.
Kasa's Mint House deal a 'maturation moment,' CEO says
In an interview at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, Kasa founder and CEO Roman Pedan speaks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten about his aparthotel company's recent acquisition of competitor Mint House, the recent spotlight on his corner of the hospitality industry and what's to come.
Hotel Equities' CEO thinks we're overestimating the World Cup, but it might not matter
Even if hotel demand expectations don't come in as hopes for many FIFA World Cup markets, Hotel Equities CEO Ben Rafter thinks 2026 will be a year that exceeds expectations. This episode was recorded live at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit.
Hilton's Christian Charnaux sees no end to his company's outsized growth
After capturing 6.7% of net unit growth in 2025, it'd be natural to expect a cooldown even for a major hotel brand like Hilton. But Chief Development Officer Christian Charnaux believes there is opportunity to continue at that pace, particularly as 1 in 5 global hotel rooms under construction are slated to carry Hilton flags. This episode was recorded live at the Americas Lodging Investme
Marriott's Leeny Oberg looks back at her career and lessons learned
Marriott International Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Development, Leeny Oberg talks with CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten at the 2026 Americas Lodging Investment Summit. With her retirement coming at the end of March, she talks about her experiences at Marriott, her favorite moments, the 2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide deal and what's next.
Super Bowl hotel demand preview in Bay Area (with CoStar's Colin Sherman)
CoStar Group's Colin Sherman joined the CoStar News Hotels podcast to contextualize the Super Bowl's effect on hotel rates and occupancy in Santa Clara and San Francisco.
Thailand's tourism push (with STR's Jesper Palmqvist)
Thailand has had to overcome some negative headlines from 2025 in it, but tourism stakeholders in that country are making big pushes to bring in hopes of bringing in 3 trillion baht, roughly $96 billion, in tourism revenue for the year. STR's Jesper Palmqvist joins the podcast to unpack those efforts.
AI's 'tectonic shift' for hoteliers
Kurien Jacob, partner at Highgate Tech Ventures, joins the show to dive deep into how AI is reshaping hospitality, from guest-facing search to operations productivity.
Reading the room at the second day of the ALIS conference (with Sloan Dean)
Former Remington Hospitality CEO Sloan Dean joins News Editor Sean McCracken to talk through the second day of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit and expectations for 2026.
Recapping the first day of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit 2026
CoStar News Hotels' Bryan Wroten and Natalie Harms share the highlights from the first day of the 2026 Americas Lodging Investment Summit.
SCP Hotels takes a walk on the wild side for 2026 wellness trends
SCP Hotels co-founders, Ken and Pam Cruse, join the podcast to explain why they priorities nature-led hospitality — and how other hoteliers can do the same in 2026.
An update on the US labor rules that could affect hotel operators
In this interview, labor attorney Sylvia St. Clair talks about new minimum wage increases, U.S. Department of Labor opinions and more.
What to expect from hotel financing in 2026 (with Peachtree's Jared Schlosser)
Jared Schlosser, head of originations and C-PACE at Peachtree Group, joins the podcast to share his outlook on the lending environment in 2026, and why it's a "tale of two cities" when comparing the best positioned borrowers with the rest.
Hotel experts pick the word of 2025
What word best describes the vibe of '25? Hoteliers and industry experts share some choices that show a mix of optimism and the challenges of a difficult year.
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