In this episode, we're learning from Craig Stanghetta, Founder and Creative Director of Ste Marie, to explore why the most successful hospitality concepts are designed around emotion rather than just aesthetics. Drawing on his background in theatre, Craig shares how story, risk, and a balance of comfort and wonder shape spaces guests actually return to. He also shares what emotional design looks like in an increasingly AI-driven world and why human connection remains hospitality's most durable advantage.

Want more?

• Listen to Craig's interview on Hospitality Design
• Check out Craig's work on Instagram or the Ste Marie website

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this special bonus episode, we break down Actabl's Q3 2025 Hotel Labor Benchmarking Data and explore what it means for hotel operators planning for 2026. Sarah McCay Tams, Head of Research and Editorial for HotelData.com, walks through the major trends shaping wages, overtime, headcount, and productivity across U.S. hotels. She’s joined by experienced operators Shanell Marinuzzi and Peter Kilbourne, who share practical insights on staffing models, forecasting accuracy, cross-training, and using overtime strategically. Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of how top-performing hotels protected margins in 2025 -- and what to do now to better align labor with real-time demand in the year ahead.

Resources:

• See the charts: Q3 2025 Hotel Labor Benchmarking Data
• Read: How Hotels Used Labor Efficiency to Protect Margins in 2025
• Read: The Future of Hotel Labor Management: A Smarter, People-First Approach to Profitability
• Request a call with Actabl to learn about how they can help you right-size labor

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, we're learning from Daniel Lauber, founder of CERVO Mountain Resort, in a conversation with our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker about reimagining what hospitality can be today. Daniel shares how CERVO evolved from a modern hunting lodge concept into a holistic “way of living” rooted in community, culture, and connection. He explains why mindfulness and enjoying life can naturally coexist, what authenticity really means beyond alpine clichés, and how design, rituals, and programming can create meaningful spaces for guests, staff, and locals. For hospitality leaders, this episode offers a deeply thoughtful look at innovation, guest expectations, and the human side of building a resort that feels alive.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands