At Practice Hospitality, alchemy is more than just a philosophy—it’s a core value, a competitive advantage, and a proven strategy that drives results for our owners - and one of the ways we unlock a hotel's full potential is by forging partnerships that create richer guest experiences, more engagement, and higher revenue. Great hospitality doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it thrives in collaboration. The best hotels aren’t just places to stay; they’re hubs of culture, creativity, and connection. That’s why we believe in partnerships that bring our spaces to life, transforming them into destinations where guests don’t just check in—they engage, discover, and return for more.

At Americana Motor Hotel, our collaboration with Lowell Observatory makes us the preferred host for astronomers, historians, and VIPs. This connection not only taps into Flagstaff’s identity as a dark-sky city but also positions Americana as the top choice for space enthusiasts and science travelers. It’s more than a place to stay—it’s part of the story.

In Colorado Springs, The Mining Exchange is thriving as a cultural hub, thanks to partnerships that turn the hotel into a destination. Dizzy Charlie’s jazz residency draws guests in with energy and rhythm, while Auric Gallery’s curated exhibitions have transformed The Vault into an immersive art space. These experiences don’t just attract foot traffic—they increase dwell time, guest spend, and community engagement.

At Mojave Resort, a partnership with Shadow Mountain Tennis Club taps into the legacy of one of Palm Desert’s most storied courts, attracting high-value leisure travelers who return often to play in the sun. And at Drifthaven, collaboration with Gearhart Golf Links offers seamless access to one of the Northwest’s most iconic courses, giving travelers another reason to choose to stay there instead of bunking down with the competition.

Turning great properties into market leaders, creating destinations that resonate, and delivering measurable value to our owners, that is the kind of hospitality we practice. For us, partnerships aren’t just add-ons, but essential elements of the experience. Because when the right people come together, something bigger happens. That’s alchemy.

How Strategic Partnerships Elevate Hotel Performance & Profitability

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The Alchemy of Partnership: Crafting Experiences That Drive Results

In the intricate world of hotel management, it's easy to spot the players who merely follow the script. They Dot their i's, Cross their t's, and churn out experiences as predictable as a Monday morning. But then, there are the virtuosos—the ones who don’t just play the game but redefine it. There are those in the industry who operate with an intuitive understanding of what true hospitality means—who don’t just execute but elevate the experience. We don't just "get it"; we live it, breathe it, and, dare I say, revel in it.

Now, if you're scratching your head wondering what "get it" means, let me save you the trouble: you don't. And that's perfectly fine. Not everyone is destined to grasp the nuanced dance of genuine hospitality. It's an art form, a complex recipe of intuition, experience, and a dash of audacity. The industry is filled with those who follow trends, but few who set them. We believe hospitality isn't about checking off boxes or adhering to corporate formulas; it's about creating something undeniably human, something that resonates.

The best hospitality companies recognize that their work isn't just about managing hotels; it's about crafting soulful experiences that linger in the hearts of guests. We’re not content with the status quo. Instead, we challenge conventions, infuse creativity into every corner, and ensure that each property under our wing tells its own unique story. This means every project, every guest, and every moment are approached with intentionality. It means curating an atmosphere that isn’t just comfortable but compelling. Because if hospitality doesn’t stir something in the soul, then what’s the point?

A key advantage comes from being both owners and operators, offering a broader perspective that informs every decision. This duality provides a panoramic view of the industry landscape. We understand the meticulous balance sheets, the ROI calculations, and the investor calls. Simultaneously, we're attuned to the hum of the lobby, the rhythm of daily operations, and the smiles of satisfied guests. This comprehensive perspective ensures that our strategies are not only innovative but also grounded in operational reality. We don’t make decisions in a vacuum; we make them with a deep appreciation for both the art and science of hospitality. And that makes all the difference.

In an industry teeming with management companies, many boast about their size, their portfolios, and their global reach. But bigger doesn't always mean better. While others focus on scaling up, we've honed in on scaling deep—delving into the essence of what makes each property distinct and amplifying that uniqueness. We don't see properties as numbers on a spreadsheet; we see them as living, breathing spaces with potential waiting to be unlocked. Our approach isn't just about maximizing revenue but about maximizing experience, about making a hotel feel like more than just a place to sleep.

Our team is made up of industry veterans and fresh talent, blending decades of wisdom with contemporary flair. This fusion allows us to stay ahead of trends while remaining rooted in proven practices. We're not just reacting to the evolving hospitality landscape; we're anticipating it, shaping it, and, at times, even daring to disrupt it. We believe that complacency is the death of great hospitality. This means consistently pushing ourselves to think differently, to challenge assumptions, and to craft experiences that aren’t just memorable but transformative.

To those who resonate with this ethos, who understand that true hospitality transcends checklists and protocols, we extend an invitation. Let’s redefine the boundaries of what's possible in this industry. Let’s reject the cookie-cutter approach and instead build something remarkable, something enduring. Because at the end of the day, hospitality is about connection, about making people feel like they belong.

And to those still pondering what it means to "get it," we wish you well on your journey. Perhaps one day, the curtain will lift, and the intricate dance of genuine hospitality will reveal itself to you. Until then, we'll be here, orchestrating experiences that are anything but ordinary. We’ll continue proving that hospitality, when done right, is not just a service—it’s an art, a philosophy, and a way of life.

Have your People call our People and let's "get it" together.

Let's Practice this craft we call Hospitality...

Redefining Hotel Management: The Art and Soul of True Hospitality

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Hospitality: You Either Get It or You Don’t

Management companies have spent years showing their hand—their cookie cutter approach. What we need is a new way. A new perspective. The time has come for us to care and nurture, NOT manage.

Management (n.): the process of “dealing” with or “controlling” things or people.

In 2019 BC, an employee—a total badass—walked into my office with a piece of white paper folded in half. Her resignation. The work she was doing was stellar, so what the—? I pressed. She wanted appreciation. Verbal acknowledgement. The barometer of her success was words of affirmation, and I blew it. She didn’t need to be managed, controlled or dealt with—she needed a relationship. Nurturing. And, as our economy reemerges in fits and starts, I am reminded that we all want and deserve so much more than management.

We’re hotel people–but we’re also people-people. 

A hotel is merely a building, it’s the humans in it that give it life. I’ve carried this sense from the day the idea of hospitality started swirling in my brain, in my case conception (what can I say the nurses were accommodating). 

While I may have dropped the ball with that employee, throughout my career, I’ve been committed to nurturing my team. In the wake of the pandemic, it is increasingly clear that we need to change the way we manage people. 

But, the way we manage hotels needs to change, too.

I always hated that word, “management,” Seems so cold. Impersonal. Passive. What if I ditched this “management” word altogether? What’s our mission, anyway? In my view it is to spend our days engaging with people. We got into hospitality because we wanted to connect with people.

Does hospitality need another management company? 

We’ve been to the puppet show and seen all the strings. Management companies have spent years showing their hand—their cookie cutter approach. What we need is a new way. A new perspective. The time has come for us to care and nurture, NOT manage.

After the year we’ve had, are you really settling for “management”? You have agonized over every little detail. You lost sleep for a week choosing the right finish for the drain cover, and you want to hand that entire dream to someone to “manage”?

We’ve got to rethink management and as we rise again. For those still in the business—the industry lifers or the ones who believe in resurrection—hospitality is like standing in the kitchen after a 500-cover Sunday brunch service. Dazed, confused, wondering where the time went, and relieved you made it through the afternoon breathing in the heavy bacon air. 

If I built my company not around management, but around people—from employee to guest to owner—what would happen? What if we came from a place of “care”?

For owners, the stakes are BIG. You’ve invested all your savings, blood, sweat, tears, sleepless nights, and too many scotches to count. You’ve poured your heart and soul into this project. It is YOUR hotel. Your BABY. And now you’re going to hand it over to some company—to manage? 

Your hotel deserves better. You deserve better.

If you were looking for someone to care for your child, the apple of your eye, you would never hire a manager. You would seek out nothing less than a nurturer. A teacher. You would spend every waking moment making sure the person you hire showers that kid with wisdom, and you’d watch them grow into the brightest version of themselves. You would never settle. And you shouldn’t.

Often, too many management companies put their interest above all. It’s not about what’s best for you or your baby. It’s about their fees. It’s about feeding their machine on your back. It’s time for us to put what’s best for the owner first. We need to put the asset first.

In my hotels, we put you first. Plain and simple.

If it feels transactional, like management, we’re doing it wrong. It should feel like a relationship. A partnership. Trust. Understanding. Respect. 

I think about Chip Conley who did this incredibly well at Joie de Vivre. He knew every one of his hotel owners. He knew their families. Birthdays. Breakups. Barbecues. He made it personal. The owners weren’t managed, they were relationshiped. If you’ve been to his hotels, the ROI on that personal investment is indelible.

We put the owners first and the asset first, not our egos. We find people smarter than us and let them do their thing. If I win and you lose, I lose by definition. If you win, we both win.

It’s unrealistic to think that any company could provide this level of attention to 100+ hotels, but that’s not my endgame. The big keep getting bigger, and owners are getting lost in the shuffle. The way to do it right, and do it well, is to focus on quality over quantity. 

One-on-one relationships—with the owner, the asset, and the people you’re counting on to walk through your doors. Because no one wants to be managed. 

To the world, your asset is one hotel but to you and your manager—partner if it’s up to me—your hotel should be the world.

Be relationshiped, not managed. Human to human. Hotel by hotel. The choice is yours.

Does The World Need Another Management Company?

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Interview with Leslie Lew, VP Revenue and Distribution

We have all been there: finally getting to the point of booking THAT TRIP. You’ve scoured Instagram, prioritized your bucket list, and you’ve finally landed on the destination. You’ve worked out the financials. You’ve taken time off work. You’re this close to scheduling your spray tan. It’s time to book the damn thing. 

But just as the travel planning high makes it way to the final descent, you hit some turbulence—the painstaking process of booking a hotel room (hey, we can’t all book Clooney’s villa on Lake Como). As it turns out, 72% of travelers book their flights before their hotel, and it’s not surprising to see why: millions of reviews to sift through from Couch Hoteliers and Karens, and the realization that you’re just too old for a hostel, to name a few.

You’ve short-listed your choices and checked your budget—it’s booking time. As you scroll through clickbait offers from hotel marketing teams begging you to PICK ME, you find yourself wondering: Are hotel rooms really $300 a pop on a weeknight? Do I need to shave off a day from my plans in order to afford this thing? How is it possible that a hotel with a shared bathroom is going to cost me $1,000 for four nights? For a $50 resort fee, is someone coming to feed me grapes and tuck me in at night? 

After decades of the hotel business and hoteliers defining unique experiences—from check-in desks with fresh baked cookies to live mermaids in a tank—why are hotel pricing models still stuck in the past?

Leslie Lew has entered the chat. VP of Revenue Management and Distribution he is, an office bot-number cruncher he isn’t. Leslie is a deep thinker, driven by deliberate and decisive action. Leading with his heart, rather than his keyboard, Leslie is working on defying the boundaries of hotel revenue cycles and transforming the game to change the way we price and sell hotel rooms.

We sat down to demystify the hotel booking process, talk about the future of pricing, and how hoteliers are, well, terrible retailers. Just don’t tell Isadore Sharp. 

PH: How do you set the perfect hotel room price?

LL: First, you reject the norm culture of benchmarking prices of other hotels. If you price the hotel like a commodity, you become a commodity. Setting the perfect hotel price starts at the hotel design phase. You have to ask, why does this hotel exist and who is the traveler it serves? By defining your audience of travelers who will appreciate the product, amenities, and your hospitality, you establish a price point for people who want to buy.

PH: Why is it so hard to book a hotel room?

LL: Hotel distribution technology is extremely complex and the people who understand it are the ones left with designing the hotel booking experience. Hoteliers are incredible experience makers, but terrible retailers. Hoteliers have locked out retailers, along with their expertise and technology, from the hotel booking experience. To make the hotel booking experience easy, hoteliers need to become retailers. 

PH: What’s the future of hotel pricing? 

LL: The future of hotel pricing starts with fundamentally changing the hotel product to be shippable so that travelers can buy hotel products and experiences more frequently and at price points that meet their needs. A hotel stay is generally very expensive. $300 a night, $600 for a weekend. This rigid pricing model underserves too many travelers. Hotels need to ship their products and experiences to reach travelers where they are. Travel should not be a barrier to hospitality. By creating shippable products, hotels unlock infinite price points to travelers.

After the past year, one thing this world can agree on is that travel is more important than ever to our mental health and connectivity. In fact, there was a 200% spike in international travel when travel bans were lifted in 2021. The time to change the way we price and manage hotel inventory is now, and we’re grateful for Leslie, who at 33 made the decision to pick up running for the first time in his life and run the Boston Marathon, lacing up and leading us to greener pastures. It’s that kind of gumption that our business so desperately needs. Pioneers who will rethink an outdated system, bend and break it so that it appeals to everyone, not just an elite few. Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to go dust off our running shoes…

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More from Missives

Hospitality: You Either Get It or You Don’t

Does The World Need Another Management Company?

Demystifying Hotel Room Pricing