Miscellaneous

🎨 In rural Wisconsin, an artist reflects on the transformative power of creating art in personalized spaces. This year involved crafting 20 portraits, leading to a sense of ownership marked by graphite and charcoal smudges. The emphasis is on the value of well-loved spaces with character, as seen in spaces like Morning Glory Farm. Mixing antiques with new elements is key for a vibrant atmosphere. Embrace messiness for authentic creativity.

🌳 SCP Hotels launched Wild Wellness, focusing on immersive nature-based experiences in Costa Rica, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Oregon. Notable offerings include the Sonic Re-Wilding at Corcovado Wilderness Lodge and Pacific Pulse Reset in Laguna Beach. SCP Hotels have also partnered with Japa Health and Anima Mundi Herbals to enhance guest wellness. Specially designed Peaceful Rooms in six hotels offer tranquility, utilizing non-toxic materials and wellness amenities to minimize digital distractions and promote relaxation.

📖 Hospitality ON offers exclusive content and job opportunities weekly. Members gain access to an extensive ecosystem encompassing expert insights and more. To unlock the remaining 80% of premium information, users are encouraged to subscribe.

📖 Author Priyanka C. Agarwal has contributed to The South China Morning Post, SilverKris, Her World, The Michelin Guide, and Time Out. She has developed content for brands like Sentosa, Mediacorp Special Projects, and IKEA. Her areas of expertise include food, drink, wellness, luxury, and travel.

🎉 Lodging Interactive celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025. Founded by DJ Vallauri in 2001, the agency serves the hospitality industry worldwide, offering digital marketing and innovative services like GuestCONNECT. Over four years, $6,000 was donated through their Annual Christmas Tree Contest. The agency emphasizes people over technology, highlighting long-term relationships with clients. They have won awards such as the HSMAI Adrian Award, reflecting their impact and success in the industry.

🍱 The Seafood Ristorante in St Andrews launches a new Autumn/Winter menu on November 20th. ????️ Executive Chef Davy Aspin emphasizes responsibly sourced seafood and local ingredients. Highlights include Orkney Scallops and East Neuk Lobster Spaghetti. The à la carte and set lunch menus offer flexibility, with lunch priced at £40 for two courses or £45 for three. Available 12pm-2:30pm daily, the menus reflect Scotland's seasonal bounty. Reservations at www.theseafoodrestaurant.com.

🧂 CMOs face scrutiny similar to restaurant owners justifying salt's ROI. Salt enhances dishes like brand boosts business. Isolating brand ROI is tough; it's foundational, improving marketing, sales, and product appeal. Yet, executives demand tangible proof, akin to performance marketing. Attribution models and brand lift studies try to satisfy this, but they miss the point. Brand, like salt, enhances overall success. Its true value lies in its subtle, essential presence, not isolated metrics.

🏨 U.S. hotel industry data for 7-13 December 2025 reveals mixed results compared to 2024. Occupancy was 58.6% (-1.6%), ADR reached $156.46 (+0.4%), while RevPAR stood at $91.76 (-1.1%). New Orleans experienced the most significant declines in ADR (-18.3%) and RevPAR (-29.9%) due to an event comparison. Tampa's occupancy dropped by 14.3%, and Washington, D.C., saw ADR and RevPAR decrease by 12.9% and 24.2%, respectively. CoStar's performance sample includes over 90,000 properties worldwide.

🍳 WOOHOO, the world's first AI-chef-led restaurant, opened in September 2025 at Kempinski The Boulevard Hotel, Downtown Dubai. The menu is crafted by AI model Chef Aiman, using data analysis to create unique flavors by assembling texture, acidity, and umami.

📈 In 2025, strategic leadership in sales evolves by inspiring belief rather than pressuring sales. Key tactics include asking questions like, "What would a great year look like for you?" and mapping client goals. Howard Schultz's approach at Starbucks emphasizes creating a belonging space, boosting stakeholder alignment time, and increasing referral rates, thereby reducing churn. This belief-driven strategy fosters loyalty, with clients seeking to join, not just buy, creating a meaningful brand identity.