Stay ConnectedThe hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast will bring you the top news and topics from industry experts in different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes two thirty-minute weekly episodes, starting Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST. Presented by StayFi.
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On this morning’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers is joined by Michael Goldin and Jamie Lane for a quick-hit look at the stories shaping travel and hospitality to start the week.
The team covers WeatherPromise’s latest funding round, the massive winter storm disrupting U.S. flights, and what it could mean for short-term rental demand, and Airbnb’s newest services push with ready-to-heat meals from celebrity chefs.
They also touch on Mews’ recent momentum and wrap the episode by digging into a favorite Skift Megatrend and why it matters right now.
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Mews just raised $300 million in a Series D, valuing the company at $2.5 billion — one of the largest hotel tech raises ever. But this conversation isn’t about hype.
In this GMH exclusive, Wil Slickers sits down for a third time with Richard Valtr, Founder of Mews, to unpack what this funding actually unlocks and why Richard believes much of hospitality technology has been built on the wrong assumptions for decades.
They dig into why hotels still struggle with data ownership, how PMS platforms became gatekeepers instead of enablers, and why AI will only work if the industry fixes its foundations first. Richard also explains why RevPAR may be the industry’s “original sin,” why guest experience should be a measurable output, and why fully autonomous hotels are the wrong goal.
This is a wide-ranging, philosophical, and practical conversation about:
• What Mews’ $300M raise really changes
• Why hotel tech copied the wrong SaaS playbook
• Data standards, open APIs, and industry gatekeeping
• AI agents, automation, and what should (and shouldn’t) be automated
• Why hospitality is more human than ever, even in an AI world
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On this episode of GMH Hotels with Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk, as they break down four major developments shaping where lodging and travel are headed in 2026.
They start with Outsite’s new private-equity backing, a big vote of confidence in social extended stays and flexible work-travel lifestyles. Then they explore Google’s latest push into AI-powered travel planning and how big tech continues to encroach on discovery and booking channels.
From luxury pipeline news, they look at The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts' third hotel addition since its IPO, signaling strength in high-end hospitality. Finally, they discuss the Sphere Entertainment Co. National Harbor’s impact on meetings, events, and destination demand.
And of course, it wouldn’t be GMH without this week’s Unhinged Story: a Delta Air Lines passenger who literally plugged in a curling iron mid-flight and proceeded to style her hair section by section.
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On this episode of Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane unpack the idea that the thrill is gone for Airbnb and short-term rentals, a growing conversation about innovation, product fatigue, and where the sector goes from here.
Then they look at Hilton’s latest strategic move with the launch of Apartment Collection by Hilton, its 26th brand targeting furnished apartment-style stays, a direct challenge to the traditional STR category through a major hospitality player.
The team also dives into the Kasa acquisition of Mint House and what that signals about consolidation and operational scale in urban rental-style lodging.
Finally, they break down Airbnb’s efforts to build a hotel-focused team. A more direct sign that the company is trying to compete more directly with OTAs and traditional lodging channels.
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Kasa has acquired Mint House at a moment when much of the urban apart-hotel sector has collapsed. In this GMH special, Wil Slickers sits down with Kasa Founder and CEO Roman Pedan to break down how the deal came together, why Mint House chose Kasa, and what this acquisition signals about the future of urban short-term rentals and apart-hotels.
With Sonder now gone and capital having pulled back from the category, Roman explains how Kasa survived the shakeout, what it did differently, and whether consolidation is just getting started. They also discuss how Kasa plans to use the Mint House brand, what this means for property owners, and whether more acquisitions could be coming in 2026.
This conversation offers a clear look at one of the last scaled players standing in urban lodging and what comes next for the sector.
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On today’s GMH Hotels, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk cover the latest shifts shaping travel and hospitality in early 2026.
They break down continued weakness in overseas travel to the U.S., the Sun Country Airlines–Allegiant airline merger, Google’s move toward agentic AI checkout, and Marriott International’s expanding loyalty strategy tied to global cricket events.
The episode wraps with this week’s Unhinged Headline! A bizarre story involving a fake flight attendant on a Batik Air flight that proves travel is never boring.
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In this GMH Special, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift Founding Editor Dennis Schaal to unpack one of the most surprising travel tech stories of the year: Kayak’s CEO quietly attempted to take the company private. They walk through what actually happened, why the move was explored, and what it reveals about the pressure facing travel platforms in a world being reshaped by AI, Google, and shifting distribution economics.
The conversation explores how Kayak fits inside Booking Holdings, what a privatization attempt says about metasearch’s future, and why some of the biggest names in travel tech are questioning whether public markets still make sense. For hotels, OTAs, and anyone watching how trips are discovered and booked, this episode breaks down what this story really signals about where power and profit are moving in travel. Read the full article here: https://skift.com/2026/01/09/kayak-ceo-tried-to-take-the-company-private-scoop/
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On this episode of Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane dig into three stories shaping travel and lodging as 2026 gets underway.
They start with how credit card rewards are now rivaling traditional airline and hotel loyalty programs, reshaping how travelers earn, redeem, and choose where to stay.
The team discusses a major development in travel tech following reports that KAYAK’s CEO attempted to take the company private. Wil is going to host a short GMH special with Dennis Schaal to dive deeper into that story for anyone who wants the full backstory.
They close with a look at former President Trump’s proposal to ban large investors from buying homes and what that could mean for housing supply, short-term rentals, and the broader hospitality market.
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On January 7th, GMH Hotels returns with one of the show’s annual traditions 🔮Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk share their predictions for 2026, breaking down what they expect to shape the hotel industry in the year ahead.
From demand and pricing to labor, loyalty, technology, and guest experience, they lay out the trends they believe will matter most — and the assumptions worth questioning as the year unfolds.
This episode sets the foundation for the months ahead, giving hoteliers and industry leaders a clear view of what to watch, prepare for, and revisit as 2026 takes shape.
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Welcome back to Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, and the first episode of 2026! Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane kick off the year by sharing their predictions for what lies ahead across travel and hospitality.
From demand and pricing to distribution, technology, and guest behavior, the crew lays out the trends they believe will define 2026, along with the risks and opportunities operators should be watching closely.
This annual predictions episode sets the baseline for the year, giving listeners a roadmap of what to track, challenge, and revisit as the industry evolves.
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