Posts by author

David Eisen

101 posts

EXCLUSIVE: Former Magnuson Hotels CEO tapped to lead franchise development at Cloudbeds

💻 Adnan Malik, former CEO of Magnuson Hotels, joins Cloudbeds as managing director of franchise development. Based in London, Malik aims to build franchise partnerships and advance Cloudbeds' mission to simplify hospitality tech. Cloudbeds, led by CEO Adam Harris, is developing an AI-driven property management system (PMS) that forecasts demand with 95% accuracy. The platform integrates intelligence to improve revenue, marketing, and guest experience, transforming PMS from a static system into a comprehensive growth engine.
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A NOLA Nab: Hyatt’s double dip in The Big Easy

🏨 In June 2024, Hyatt Hotels expanded its portfolio in New Orleans by acquiring two properties: The Barnett and Maison Métier, from The Domain Companies. Located in the central business district, the hotels were previously managed by Ace Hotels Group. The Barnett is priced around $1,000/night, while Maison Métier offers more secluded luxury at $1,500/night. With World of Hyatt’s 50 million members, both properties aim to attract diverse clientele, including families and high-tier Globalists.
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Riad Kaiss in Marrakech is a tranquil oasis. How one employee made our stay memorable.

🏨 Riad Kaiss, Marrakech’s historic medina, offers tranquility and luxury, ranking among the top riads. Youness Belahmama, a standout staff member with over a year of service, provides exceptional hospitality, making guests' stays memorable. His warmth and attentiveness elevate the experience, transforming service into meaningful gestures. In June 2025, a guest praised Youness for creating comfort and happiness beyond typical expectations, showcasing the vital human touch in luxury hospitality.
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Barry Sternlicht created W Hotels. He now urges caution for the big brands.

📖 Barry Sternlicht, founder of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is reviving the brand after its 2015 acquisition by Marriott. Speaking at NYU IHIF in 2025, he highlighted evolving consumer tastes, noting that independent brands are taking market share from legacy brands. Independent brands at Estée Lauder now hold 33% of the market, up from 10%. Sternlicht emphasized service, citing Starwood Capital's 1 Hotel South Beach's success, and mentioned recent acquisitions of 10 Radisson Blu hotels in London.
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Protestors came to disrupt a hotel conference. Lodging company CEOs were unfazed.

📈 CEOs of major lodging companies, including Marriott, Hilton, and Accor, gathered at the NYU IHIF at the Marriott Marquis in New York. Despite protests over Marriott's use of caged eggs, the panel continued undisturbed. Marriott aims for 100% cage-free eggs by 2025. Consumer confidence is at a 52-year low, yet travel remains strong. U.S. international inbound travel fell 15% in March, with Canada down 30%. Growth markets include India and the Middle East, with significant infrastructure investments underway.
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  • 4 min

Marriott launches new collection brand targeting regional brands and hotels

🏨 Marriott International has launched "Series by Marriott," a midscale and upscale collection brand, expanding in India through a founding deal with Concept Hospitality Private Limited (CHPL). Marriott's partnership includes over 100 hotels, offering amenities like free Wi-Fi and breakfast. CHPL's Fern brands will affiliate with Series by Marriott, tapping into India's growing hospitality market. Marriott Bonvoy's 230 million members will benefit, as India’s middle class is projected to reach 1 billion by 2047.
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The right brain of Left Lane: A real estate firm you may not have heard of is bringing the noise

📈 Left Lane Development, founded during the pandemic by four Colgate University graduates, capitalizes on the downturn by acquiring and converting Class B office spaces in secondary markets like Austin and Tampa. By 2024, Hotel Bardo in Savannah opened, leading in market rates and RevPAR. Future projects include a 221-room hotel in Savannah, a luxury hotel in Pittsburgh's Gulf Tower by 2026, and a Bardo in Providence. They prioritize iconic facades for tax credits and employ a proprietary CMBS model.
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  • 2 min

Brookfield deals for European arm of Generator

💰 Brookfield Asset Management is acquiring Generator’s European arm for €780 million from Queensgate Investments. Excluded are Generator’s U.S. properties and the Freehand Hotels brand. Generator manages 13 European properties, including locations in London and Paris. In 2017, Queensgate bought Generator for €450 million, adding Freehand Hotels in 2019 for $400 million. Hotel investment in Europe surged by 62% in 2024 to €17.4 billion. Brookfield, managing over $1 trillion, raised $25 billion in 2025's first quarter.
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  • 8 min

Running a successful hotel is predicated on a lot of things. The PMS is pivotal.

💻 "2001: A Space Odyssey," a film 57 years old, features HAL, an AI controlling spacecraft systems. Property Management Systems (PMS) centralize hotel operations similar to HAL. Remington Hospitality prefers PMSs with connectivity and data access. Charlestowne Hotels seeks scalability and flexibility. Sage Hospitality values vendor partnership quality. Mews, founded in 2012, now has over 5,000 customers and integrates with 1,000+ tech partners. Stayntouch's PMS offers comprehensive automation, training in two days, and a built-in upselling tool. Oracle Hospitality's OPERA Cloud PMS serves major brands like Marriott and Wyndham. Cloudbeds, with 650+ employees in 40+ countries, prioritizes user experience and workflow automation. Maestro's PMS focuses on customer support and property-specific customization. OTA Sync, an emerging PMS, emphasizes simplicity, strength, and leveraging AI for future enhancements.
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  • 6 min

The president of Donohoe Hospitality has had a remarkable career. One forged from tragedy.

🚢 Thomas Penny, president of Donohoe Hospitality, named his boat "Brother’s Keeper" in Annapolis, MD. He started his career at 17 as a dishwasher making $4.25/hour and became the food and beverage director at 18. Penny joined Donohoe in Bethesda, MD, at 21 and became its president in 2017. The company manages 16 hotels, primarily in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area, and is expanding in Las Vegas with a dual-brand Hyatt partnership. In Reston, VA, Donohoe opened a dual-branded AC Hotel and Residence Inn, part of a 4.8-million-square-foot project. D.C. average daily rates have exceeded $200 in March 2025. Penny carries on his great grandfather's legacy, who worked on the Twin Bridges Marriott, opened in 1957. Donohoe is committed to diversity, with inclusive senior leadership representing various backgrounds.
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