Early Check-In

Too many hotel companies try to put heads in beds without clear thinking. They need a more nuanced commercial strategy, figuring out which customers will be the most profitable to pursue after accounting for all costs.

Inflation? What inflation? Pricing power and a shift upmarket are putting global hotel groups in a strong position long-term.

From adding luxury, lifestyle, and resort brands to boosting the company's ground game in China and the U.S., Keith Barr will leave a wide-ranging legacy from his half-dozen years as CEO of IHG when he departs in June.

In most cases, having not a whole lot more than 25 properties is an optimum number.

Overall, analysts at investment banks like what they hear from public hotel companies about their financial performance in the near term. But the lookout for 2024 is uncertain.

We like how this new hotel brand is testing rare concepts. It suggests a rate but lets guests haggle if they feel underwhelmed. It ties guest stays to specific, if minor, environmental and community fixes. And it opposes the trendy asset-light model.

Yoshiharu Hoshino, the CEO of Hoshino Resorts, doesn't follow the crowd. He's taking steps to combat overtourism and brand bloat in Japan while testing travel subscriptions. And he wants to bring Japanese inns to America.

True, Doyle Collection, a family-run luxury hotel group, is a small player. But the strategy of its new CEO Gordon Drake, who previously sold Six Senses to IHG and Fairmont Raffles to Accor, underscores what indie brands are thinking now.

Every commentary on hotel performance refers to revenue per available room as a key industry metric — RevPAR. Yet non-room revenue from cafes, co-working, spas, and events is growing in importance. Hoteliers should focus more on overall earnings per square meter.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts lacks youth appeal. But recently installed CEO Larry Cuculic is bringing a military-like approach to strategizing. He appears to be boosting the group's metabolism.