Hotel owners and operators are increasingly rethinking the boundaries of guest value—and it’s no longer just about the room.
The latest Hotel Business Hot Topics “Driving hotel revenue beyond the room,” in partnership Phunware, moderated Glenn HaussmanNo Vacancy Live, podcast host and founder, is a group of hospitality leaders. Chris TrickChief marketing and performance officer Sonesta International Hotels Corporation; Angela Berkey, senior director, reservation sales & CRM, CoralTree Hospitality; Jennifer Barnwell, president, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection; Rob Smith, CEO/president, Stonebridge Companies; Donny Neufuss, senior director, business development, PhunwareThe aim of the meeting was to examine how data, mobile platforms, and behavior-based personalized engagement are changing how hotels engage their guests and generate additional revenue.
Haussman explained that “when we talk about revenue the conversation starts and ends with RevPAR.” “But if you only focus on what you’re charging for the room, you’re missing the broader opportunity.”
That opportunity, according to the panel, lies in anticipating guest preferences and meeting them where they are—primarily on their phones.
Trick stated that “Your mobile is the remote controller of your life”. “It’s how people engage the online world with the offline world. It’s certainly how our guests engage with us. You know, for our guests, it’s really about convenience and control. It helps to form that personal relationship between the brand and the guest at all stages of the journey.
Sonesta uses data to create customized experiences, which can increase guest satisfaction and spend. He explained that if we knew a guest liked a certain spa treatment or preferred red wine, it wasn’t trivial, but revenue.
Berkey stressed the importance of empowering employees through data and not replacing them. She stated that “we really want to utilize data to make our agent’s conversations more successful.” It’s more than just efficiency. The team wants to be able to better connect with their guests.
The approach uses behavioral history in order to suggest upsells for extended stays, larger rooms or experiences within the room. “We are really interested in using data to make our agent’s conversations more successful,” she said. “It is not about automation to be efficient, it is about helping our team connect more meaningfully with guests.”
Smith said that while mobile tools are central to the new approach, there is still room for improvement. He noted: “We only have a small percentage of users checking in via their phones, but this number is growing.” The friction point is ease of use—if it’s not easy to use, people won’t adopt it.”
Stonebridge has invested in mobile key technology and frictionless check-ins to attract the next generation. “The Gen Z crowd and younger millennials—they want everything on their phones,” he said. “But even older generations are starting to expect that level of convenience.”
Barnwell, the Curator of Curator’s Barnwell, pointed out that digital communications is now a table stakes. There are no longer gatekeepers. “Guests are booking and researching independently and expect answers at their own pace.”
This means that hotels must be proactive. Barnwell explained that it’s better to push relevant content at guests than to wait for them to ask.
Neufuss explained how their experiences in sports and the media translate to hospitality. “We began with verticals like NFL and CBS Sports – where fan engagement is key,” he explained. The same rules apply to hospitality.
He said that with his company’s technology, hotels can use location-based services, guest journey data and app usage to push contextually relevant messages—like a drink offer as a guest enters the lobby bar or a yoga class promotion after someone opens the spa page.
He added, “It’s more than just blasting out promotional material.” “It’s about predictive personalization—understanding what the guest wants before they ask.”
As privacy regulations are tightened and third-party cookie usage decreases, this shift becomes more important. “With cookies disappearing, your app will become the new cookie,” said he. “Guests opt in to share information, and you use that to deliver value—not just sell something.”
Panelists noted that, despite the trend towards digitalization, technology does not replace human interaction. “People still want human interaction—especially in a luxury environment,” said Berkey. “Technology shouldn’t replace human interaction, but rather support it,” said Berkey.
Trick said, “We are not creating one track for guests to experience.” We are offering options. Some people prefer to speak to a desk agent while others would rather have a digital key with no interaction. Both paths should be seamless.”
The panelists agreed that it was important to redefine the way hotels look at revenue and value for guests. Barnwell said, “It is no longer about the number of heads in beds.” “It’s about how much each guest is worth over the course of the stay—and what they might be willing to spend if we understand them better.”
Metrics have expanded beyond RevPAR and include the guest lifetime value, spending per stay total, and mobile engagement. Neufuss, from Phunware, said that a guest doesn’t see you as a mere room. “They’re not a simple reservation for you. When you approach the relationship in this way, it turns into a transaction. But if you personalize it, it becomes emotional—and emotional loyalty is sticky.”
The goal is the same, regardless of the evolution in tools: to deliver value that feels personal, intuitive, and seamless. Whatever the offer, whether it’s an curated spa package or frictionless check-in, connecting with guests is key before, during, and after their stay.
Trick summarized, “Our goal is to make guests feel that the hotel was built just for them.” If we do that then revenue will come.”
The August issue of carries a full report on this Hot Topics Session. Hotel Business.
You can download the audio version of the website. No Vacancy You can get podcasts from the same place you get your shows.
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