Beyond The Lobby – Edition 12

^{BIG IDEA FOR THE WEEK}
Be A Stoic Hotelier

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Hotels look calm, even peaceful, from the outside. But behind the curtain? It's chaos.

Sometimes, a whole week can get packed with unexpected problems.

You didn't pick these battles. They're just part of the job.

But how you handle them is a choice.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb says it perfectly:

Here’s how that plays out for you:

1. Fear becomes prudence. Instead of losing sleep over one bad review, you build smarter systems to catch problems earlier, before they're public.

2. Pain becomes transformation. Losing that reliable staffer hurts. But now’s the time to ask yourself: How can I make my hotel less reliant on any one person? How can I make the whole team stronger?

3. Mistakes become initiation. Messed up a reservation or housekeeping dropped the ball? Don’t just fix it. Figure out how to avoid the entire category of mistakes again. Build a lasting solution.

4. Desire becomes undertaking. Want better ratings, happier guests, higher occupancy? Great – turn that into practical improvements your team can actually pull off. Small wins stack up fast.

Stoicism isn’t about being passive or emotionless. It’s about seeing each problem clearly, acting deliberately, and improving consistently.

Chaos is guaranteed in hotels. But panic isn't required.

You choose how you respond.

^{OPERATIONAL INSIGHT}
One Question to Rule Your Morning Meetings

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Most morning meetings are predictable.

Occupancy numbers. Staffing concerns. Maintenance checks.

Important? Sure. But there's a better question worth asking, too:

"What small thing did you notice that annoyed guests yesterday?"

Notice that we’re not asking about big crises or headline complaints. Those are easy. They already get all the attention.

The magic is in the small stuff.

The awkward Wi-Fi login. The coffee arriving lukewarm. The bedside outlet that’s impossible to reach.

Small annoyances quietly chip away at guest satisfaction. Few leave a bad review because of one difficult outlet, but ten little irritations can add up fast for anyone.

Here’s how you tackle it:

• Ask this question every day.
  No exceptions. It keeps your team tuned in to what guests actually feel, not just what you track.

• Empower quick fixes.
  These problems usually take minutes, not days, to solve. Make sure your team knows they're allowed to address these things immediately, without approvals, paperwork, or meetings.

• Look for patterns.
  If three guests had trouble with the Wi-Fi yesterday, you've found an early warning sign. Fixing recurring annoyances before they're widespread turns frustration into delight.

When you start your mornings with the small stuff, you're actually handling the big stuff before it happens.

^{CRISIS PLAYBOOK}
When the Neighborhood Throws You a Curveball

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You can plan for almost anything inside your hotel.

But outside? That's another story.

Construction starts across the street – jackhammers at 7 AM. The city suddenly blocks your entrance for emergency repairs. A neighborhood festival turns your quiet street into a noisy maze.

Not your fault, but definitely your problem.

Guests don't separate "hotel issues" from "city issues." It's all just their experience. And right now, it's rough.

Here's how you get ahead of it:

1. Acknowledge first. Don't wait until the front desk is flooded with complaints. Get ahead with quick communication – texts, emails, lobby signage. Be clear: "We know it's noisy. Here's what's happening, and here's how we're helping."

2. Buffer proactively. Stock up on earplugs, white-noise machines, or even complimentary coffee vouchers at a nearby café away from the noise. The gesture matters more than the cost.

3. Flex your policies. Be ready to offer late check-outs or early check-ins if it helps guests dodge peak disruption. If guests feel you've got their backs, they'll forgive almost anything.

4. Close the loop. Once things quiet down, follow up personally: "The noise should be wrapped up – thanks again for your patience." This makes your hotel the hero of a story that started badly.

You can't control your neighborhood. But you can control the narrative – by being proactive, generous, and genuinely human.

^{WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING}
This Hotel Turned Concerts Into Calendar Events.

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Every casino or hotel can book a few concerts. Hire good acts, sell tickets, move on. But Mohegan Sun isn't just selling tickets this summer, they’re building summer rituals.

Their summer 2025 lineup is carefully curated to turn a night out into an annual pilgrimage. They’re going beyond filling seats – they’re giving guests something to anticipate, remember, and talk about.

This matters because guests don’t rave about predictable stuff. Good hotels are everywhere – good beds, good food, nice views. But unforgettable hotels give people something more meaningful: a story they can take home.

Think about your property. You don’t need a superstar lineup, but you can still create traditions. Maybe it's an annual rooftop movie series, a locally famous pop-up chef, or a monthly lobby concert guests schedule their stays around.

Your hotel isn't just a building with rooms – it's a backdrop for the memories people are already looking to make.

Mohegan gets it: They’re not selling tickets; they’re selling a place on your calendar.

What traditions could your hotel start that guests come back for – year after year?

^{SHOWER THOUGHT}
💡 The number of people older than you never goes up.

^{SPONSORED BY HAVEN}
How I Contribute To The Hospitality Industry.

↓↓↓

If you don’t know about me –

I come from a strong tech background – built resilient software for banking, automotive and QSR sectors.

But I finally found true love in hospitality. It’s so full of life and it’s where caring for others is the breadwinner.

However, as a traveller I have gone through a fair share of displeasures and what’s unfortunate is that even the worst experiences had sincere people putting in their best.

But with a lack of data and systems, the staff is usually just overwhelmed.

That’s why my team and I are building Haven. To help hoteliers and hospitality professionals get ahead of guest frustrations and avoid the most basic pitfalls that destroy guest experience.

Hotels that use Haven –

1. Catch service delays before guests complain.
2. Upsell without being pushy.
3. Fix guest issues before they check out.

If you are curious to learn how Haven can help, simply respond to this email and I’d be happy to tell you more over a call.