Beyond The Lobby – Edition 13

^{BIG IDEA FOR THE WEEK}
Stress Is a Signal, Not a State

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Your mind isn’t stressed because work is busy or guests are demanding. It’s stressed because you're stuck between two desires at once.

You want happy guests, but you also want sane hours.

You want perfect reviews, but you need realistic boundaries.

Stress is what happens when you haven't decided yet. Anxiety piles up when you have hundreds of these unresolved decisions buried beneath daily operations.

Acknowledge these conflicts as clearly as you'd notice a cracked ceiling or a leaking faucet.

Make a choice:
Either decide what matters and let go of the rest or intentionally choose to revisit later. But never pretend the tension isn’t there.

The clearer you see your internal conflicts, the easier they are to resolve. Journal them, talk them out, and clarify the underlying choice.

Three ideas that can help:

• Pause and label: Clearly name the conflicting desires.

• Make micro-decisions: Pick one, even temporarily, to reduce tension.

• Schedule reflection: Set aside time to address unresolved conflicts – don't let them pile up.

Each moment you're not fully present – managing the lobby, solving guest problems, mentoring your team – you've lost that moment forever.

Stress takes your attention away from the reality right in front of you.

Remember: One day, everything you know and own will go to zero. So why not choose clearly, stay present, and live fully right now?

Peace from mind is better than peace of mind.

See it through the lens of hospitality: It's tempting to think you need more hours, more staff, or more resources to deliver great service. But the truth is, more time doesn't fix scattered focus. Real hospitality is built from clear priorities. Knowing exactly what matters most to your guests and doubling down there. Great hotels don't do everything. They do fewer things exceptionally well.

^{OPERATIONAL INSIGHT}
Your Rules Aren’t Sacred (Let Guests Bend Them)

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Rules exist for a reason. But here’s something to consider: your guests aren’t booking a hotel to learn your policies.

They’re here to unwind, recharge, and feel taken care of. So when a minor request bumps up against a policy, ask yourself: Is enforcing this worth the frustration?

Late checkout?
A little flexibility goes a long way.

Want breakfast after the cutoff?
An extra coffee and croissant won’t break the bank.

Need an extra pillow over the allocated limit?
Just send it up, no questions, no friction.

Sure, if every guest broke every rule, chaos might follow. But that's not real life. Most guests respect boundaries.

When you gracefully handle the exceptions, you’re not weakening your system.

You’re strengthening relationships.

Letting guests gently bend the rules is hospitality’s easiest competitive advantage. Use it.

^{CRISIS PLAYBOOK}
When Your Best Employee Quits Without Warning

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Imagine getting the inbox notification you dread – the resignation letter.

No warning, no signs – and one of your top employees is just gone.

It stings. Not just because they were good. But because everyone knew they were good.

The team feels it. Morale takes a hit. Guests may not notice it yet, but they will if you're not careful.

Here’s how to steady the ship:

1. Don’t spiral. Steady.
   The knee-jerk reaction is panic: plug the hole, reassign everything, find a replacement yesterday.
   But first, breathe. A calm response sets the tone for everyone else.

2. Tell the team early and directly.
   Don’t let it trickle through whispers. Share the news openly: “X is moving on. We’re grateful for their work. Here’s how we’re covering things for now.”
   It’s not just information, it’s reassurance.

3. Split the role, don’t dump the role.
   Assigning all their tasks to one person? That’s how you lose your second-best employee.
   Break up the load. Distribute it temporarily. Make it clear this isn’t forever.

4. Focus on guests, not the gap.
   Make a list: What were they responsible for that touches the guest directly? Prioritize that.
   Internal tasks can wait. Guest experience can’t.

5. Use this as a systems check.
   If one person’s absence breaks your operation, the problem wasn’t the person – it was the structure.
   Document what they knew. Simplify what they did. Build resilience before the next surprise.

And remember: loyalty doesn’t live in contracts.
It’s built daily through culture, communication, and care. People leave. That’s life.
But how you handle it? That’s leadership.

One exit doesn't have to become a domino. Show your team you’ve got their back.

^{WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING}
Cooking Up a Reason to Stay

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Once upon a time, the hotel restaurant was where you went because it was downstairs.

Now, it’s where guests want to go - because it’s downstairs and unforgettable.

According to EHL Hospitality Insights, 2025’s culinary trends are all about immersive experiences: open kitchens, chef’s tables, kitchen parties, guest chef takeovers, and even local cooking classes.

People don’t just want to eat. They want to experience what they eat.

They want to meet the chef. Smell the herbs. Hear the backstory of that third-generation pasta recipe.

Hotels are catching on. F&B isn’t just a service anymore, it’s a strategy.

A great meal might earn a tip. But a great culinary memory earns a return visit, a viral post, a story told over and over again.

So what does this mean for your hotel?

→ Host a kitchen-side dinner once a month.
→ Invite a guest chef to run the menu for a weekend.
→ Let guests make something: bake bread, bottle their own gin, or roll out local dumplings.

You don’t need a Michelin star. You just need something they’ve never done before – something they’ll remember.

^{SHOWER THOUGHT}
💡 Heat, Pressure and Time. The three things that make a diamond are also the three things that make a waffle.

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

↓↓↓

If you don’t know about me –

I come from a tech background – Run a strong company that has built resilient software across banking, automotive and QSR sectors.

But I lately found 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 your hotel – hit the button below to request a demo call 👇