The Modern Hotelier

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jesús Olivares Sánchez to explore how hospitality is being reshaped by AI, data, and rapidly evolving guest expectations.

Jesús shares his journey from engineering and financial services into hospitality tech, eventually joining Amadeus, where he now focuses on connecting the hospitality ecosystem through data, distribution, personalization, and advertising. The con...

In this special HITEC episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Branigan Mulcahy, CEO and Co-founder of Virdee, to explore how AI and digital wallet technology are transforming the hotel guest experience.

Branigan shares insights into Virdee’s partnership with Apple and Google to bring hotel room keys directly into mobile wallets, eliminating many of the friction points associated with ...

Recorded live from HITEC, Steve Carran sits down with the Alliant leadership team—CEO Tristan Gadsby, SVP of Customer Experience Andrew Pirret, and CRO Alberto Santana—to explore how technology is transforming the guest experience while keeping hospitality at its human core.

The conversation dives into Alliant's collaboration with Les Clefs d'Or, where concierge professionals are embracing AI and modern technology to enh...

In this special HITEC edition of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jeff Bzdawka, CEO of Hapi and a Hall of Fame inductee in hospitality technology. Jeff shares his unique journey from aspiring dentist to hospitality technology leader, reflecting on the experiences that shaped his career across Hyatt, Pegasus, TravelClick, Noland, and now Hapi.

The conversation explores the evolving relationship ...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Anthony Vita, VP of Global Partnerships at Revenue Analytics, to explore how modern revenue management is becoming more accessible to independent hotels and boutique operators.

Anthony shares his unconventional journey from e-commerce and luxury interiors into hospitality tech, and how that experience helped shape his perspective on data, pricing, and automation. Th...

In this special episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Will Gilbert, Co-Founder of Bodhi, live from HITEC, to explore how hospitality technology is rapidly transforming hotel operations, guest experience, and revenue performance.

Will shares how Bodhi has achieved 10X growth since last October, and why the company is positioning itself not just as a product vendor—but as a true hotel operating platform des...

In this special HITEC edition of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Tim Major, CEO of Operto, to explore how AI is transforming hotel marketing, direct bookings, and operational efficiency.

Tim shares how Operto One's autonomous AI agents help hotels combat predatory OTAs, improve direct booking performance, and optimize visibility across both traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered se...

In this special HITEC episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Ryan King, SVP of the Americas at Shiji, live from the Shiji Cafe and Marketplace on the trade show floor. The conversation dives deep into how hospitality technology is evolving—and where it’s still falling short.

Ryan shares insights from over a decade of attending HITEC and explores the industry’s ongoing str...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Eric Ettlin, Senior Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Digital at Aimbridge Hospitality, one of the largest hotel management companies in the world.

Eric shares his journey from early digital marketing roles in finance to leading global brand and digital strategy across hundreds of hotels. He discusses what it takes to scale marketing across complex, multi-bran...

What role do uniforms really play in shaping a hotel’s brand experience, and why are they often overlooked despite being one of the first things guests notice?

In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran are joined by Mia Liu, Creative Director of Drape & Stitch, a fashion-forward uniform brand redefining what hospitality teams wear and why it matters.

Mia shares her journey from growing up ...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Ayesha Molino, Chief Operating Officer of MGM Resorts International, to explore the evolving landscape of hospitality, entertainment, and large-scale resort operations in Las Vegas.

Ayesha shares her unconventional path from law and government into hospitality leadership, and how her experience in policy shaped her approach to decision-making at one of the world&rsq...

What is the “post-booking black hole” in hospitality, and how can hotels eliminate it to transform the guest experience using AI, destination intelligence, and modern engagement tools? 

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Michael Gahan, CEO of Tongo, for a deep dive into how hotels can transform the guest journey by stepping into the “post-booking black hole.”

Michael share...

In this special highlight episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran take a look back at the first half of the year, revisiting standout moments from over 40 conversations with leading voices in hospitality.

Across these curated clips, hoteliers, developers, and industry leaders share what it really takes to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving hospitality landscape—from building authentic guest ...

What should hoteliers be doing right now to stay ahead of these rapid changes? 

In this episode, hosts Steve Carran and David Millili are joined by Tom Luersen, President of CoralTree Hospitality, for a fast-paced breakdown of the biggest hospitality and travel industry developments from May.

The conversation dives into major shifts in the tech and distribution landscape, including new partnerships like Uber with Expedia and Mew...

How are luxury hotels currently underutilizing guest data, and what opportunities are they missing? 

In this episode, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with Josh and Dana Ellis, co-founders of Abra, to explore how AI-powered personalization is transforming the guest experience in hospitality.

From luxury hotels in New York City and Maui to building one of hospitality’s most exciting AI startups, Josh and Dana share t...

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with 2026 NYU SPS Incubator winner and founder of Clairdoc, Bakhtawer Baloch, for a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, resilience, and building scalable AI solutions in complex industries.

From her early entrepreneurial spark selling stickers as a child in Pakistan to studying and building companies in New York, Bakhtawer shares how her journey across consult...

In this episode, David and Steve sit down with Carmen Almos, Founder & CEO of Ashburton Hospitality, for a powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, and the evolving world of hotel ownership and asset management.

Carmen shares her remarkable journey—from growing up in South Africa and moving to Tennessee as a teenager, to discovering her passion for hospitality through her family's motel business. She opens...

How does someone go from taking their very first flight after college to becoming the CEO of a world-renowned cruise brand?

In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises and recent recipient of the prestigious 2026 CLIA Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Award. From growing up in a small Texas town to becoming one of the most influential leaders in the cruise industry, Dondra sha...

In this special collaborative episode of The Modern Hotelier, recorded at the Hunter Conference with Josiah McKenzie of Hospitality Daily, we share a compelling conversation with Azim Saju, CEO of ARK Holdings.

Azim discusses his multi-faceted role in hospitality—from hotel ownership and third-party management to development, acquisitions, and renovations—and unpacks how culture, financial literacy, and technology are re...