Happy Friday and welcome back to Check-Out Fridays on Check-In with Bryan
This week, Bryan is coming to you from New York City, catching up with Executive Producer Tyler Alexander for an end-of-week debrief that’s equal parts travel diary, holiday preview, and behind-the-scenes hospitality talk.
In this Check-Out Fridays episode, Bryan recaps a whirlwind stretch that took him from Phoenix → Houston → Sarasota → New York City, with plenty of hospitality touchpoints along the way:
In this episode, Bryan & Tyler chat about:
🛎️ Hotel highlights in Sarasota & NYC
- A stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota and what made the service stand out
- A shout-out to the Holiday Inn on 26th Street in Chelsea and front desk star Rovina, plus thoughts on IHG’s new H5 design and why “New York nice” hits differently
🎄 QVC Holiday House & TikTok Shop
- Bryan’s experience at QVC’s Holiday House activation in NYC
- Meeting Kathy Hilton, hanging with Lara (@prettyconnected) and her dog Wink
- How TikTok Shop and affiliate-style shopping are reshaping how brands reach guests and consumers
❄️ Somewhere Nowhere’s Winter Wonderland igloo experience
- Rooftop vibes, holiday season energy, and why immersive experiences still matter in a city full of options
🎁 Holiday shopping, QVC gift sets & the Hulken bag
- Bryan & Tyler’s honest thoughts on Black Friday, “fake discounts,” and thoughtful vs. throwaway gifting
- The Hulken bag as a surprisingly practical city accessory
👨👩👦 Holidays, money, and what really matters
- Why time together often beats expensive gifts
- Stories from family holidays, QVC over-shopping, and how financial realities shape how we celebrate
🚢 Looking ahead: travel & episodes to come
- Bryan’s upcoming Virgin Voyages New Year’s cruise to the Caribbean
- Teasing upcoming Check-In with Bryan guests including Sarah Dandashy, Stephen Barth (hospitalitylaw.com), Scott Eddy, and more
- Plans for a festive New York holiday episode with Laura / Pretty Connected and friends
Throughout the conversation, Bryan and Tyler keep bringing it back to what hospitality really is:
not just five-star brands, but how you make people feel—at the front desk, at a rooftop igloo, online in a TikTok shop, or sitting around the table during the holidays.
👉 Don’t miss this week’s main episode!
If you haven’t already, go check out our Season 4 kickoff with Sarah Dandashy (@askaconcierge), where we dig into the difference between service and hospitality and why it matters more than ever in today’s travel landscape.
💌 Stay connected with Check-In with Bryan & Check-Out Fridays
If you’re a hotelier, hospitality leader, or travel-obsessed operator, make sure to:
- Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts
- Share this episode with a colleague who loves NYC, QVC, or holiday-season hotel stories
- Follow along for upcoming interviews on law, operations, branding, tech, and storytelling in hospitality
See you next week—and enjoy your weekend.
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