Cayuga Hospitality Consultants

10/22/2026

Brian Schoettes reminds us that the best solutions often come when we stop talking and start listening:

"𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝: 𝐀 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧

This client win wasn’t about cost savings.

It was bigger than that.

They won by building a practice and impacting an entire community.

Here’s the move that did it:

𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝.

We surveyed the stakeholders, spent time on the ground with constituents in person to hear what they thought, and delivered the solutions to get them from the start line to the finish line.

To go along with the technical solutions, we had the processes and structures we thought were just right to get it all rolling.

And then we listened again.

We heard they wanted less structure and fewer processes, and a simplified approach that included more professional development and community building.

So we shifted.

We stripped away some processes and doubled the training time without ever compromising the solutions.

The result? Touchdown!

Not only is the initiative moving forward, but the people at the center of it felt heard, valued, and empowered.

We all know that listening, really active listening, is an awesome superpower.

It's a skill we can use with clients and colleagues, with our kids and families, and maybe most importantly, with the people we aim to serve in some way.

I’m not always great at active listening, but we got it right this time.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

What's your best "𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧" story?"

10/20/2026

Daphn Geze, in her recent article, explains how have grown rapidly worldwide and weighs the opportunities and risks face.

Branded residences for developers: learn how brand choice, development costs, and sales expectations affect returns before you commit.

10/15/2026

Some of the best hospitality ideas cost almost nothing and take an afternoon to install.

On a recent critique visit to a historic inn, our consultant, James Kuester, found a small honor bar tucked into a converted kitchen cabinet — a few bottles, some snacks, a handwritten price list, and a jar for cash. No staff involved. No transaction to manage. Just an assumption of trust, extended to every guest who opens that cabinet door.

When James asked the owner what their favorite detail in the entire kitchen was, they didn't point to the range, the counters, or the view. They pointed to the honor bar.

It works because it does two things at once: it solves a real, practical need — a guest wants a drink after hours and there's no bar service — and it does it in a way that says something about the property itself. here runs on trust, not transaction.

Not every improvement in this work is a correction. Some of the best ones are additions — small, generative, and inexpensive enough that there's no reason not to try them.

10/13/2026

Brian Schoettes, in his recent article, argues that should optimize rather than simply cut spend through better forecasting, scheduling, and structured , which improves guest service, employee satisfaction, and revenue as well as labor costs.

Read the full article here:

Hotel workforce management does more than cut wages. Learn how better scheduling lowers labor costs, improves guest service, and keeps employees engaged.

10/08/2026

Dan Voellm, in collaboration with Project Chambers, explores a different angle on Hong Kong and highlights the potential to elevate the local yacht economy.

Read the full article here:

- Guiding a "flotilla" of pilot projects to arrive at the same destination Hong Kong’s Yachting Economy needs holistic, dedicated leadership and proper segmentation of projects to deliver both financial and public benefits Project Chambers , by Dan Voellm, Alan Child, David Rees, John Berry Projec...

10/06/2026

Charis Atwood on and Who Owns It:

"Quantity verification is one of the scope gaps I see time and time again on hospitality projects.

I’ll ask:

*Is your Interior Design team providing the quantities?
*Is your Purchasing Agent verifying them?

The answer I often hear is, “We’ve got it covered.”

Sometimes they do. But not always.

And when no one clearly owns the verification, the cost can be significant.

I’ve seen:

• 250 extra chairs purchased for a casino — more than $200K in unnecessary cost.
• Incorrect FF&E tagging on plans go unnoticed, resulting in issues like too many nightstands and not enough desks.
• GC takeoffs for wallcovering that didn’t account for waste or overage.
• Guestroom quantity discrepancies because room types were never fully reconciled.

These aren’t just procurement issues. They are scope gaps — and they can become expensive ones.

Quantity verification should be more than simply counting what’s shown on a schedule. It requires looking across the design documents, room types, plans, specifications and project requirements to make sure the numbers actually work. And there are often glitches or mistakes in those documents that can throw things off if not noticed.

The question I encourage Owners and Developers to ask is:

Who is ultimately accountable for making sure the quantities are correct before the order is placed?

If the answer isn’t clear, you may have a scope gap.

That’s one of the areas where an experienced FF&E consultant can provide value — before a quantity error becomes a six-figure problem."

10/02/2026

Debbie Miller, in her recent article, explains how 's new EU-driven changes, which give and comparison sites more prominence over direct listings, could hurt direct bookings. She urges everywhere to diversify by strengthening their websites, first-party data, and understanding of true acquisition costs rather than relying on any single gatekeeper.

Read the full article here:

Direct hotel bookings are facing new pressure as Google gives OTAs more visibility. Here's what hoteliers need to know and do next.

10/01/2026

Cayuga is seeking a & Expert to join our network.

Candidates must have an established independent consulting firm specializing in , , and projects.

Preferred experience includes assigments from concept through opening together with capability in design, business strategy, brand development, service menu creation, staff recruitment and training, product and retail strategy, and operations.

Email [email protected] to submit CV

09/24/2026

Newsletter alert!

Learn more about our Cayuga Hospitality Consultants and read the recent articles about Preparing for the , for , and New .

Read the full newsletter here:

Cayuga Hospitality Consultants leverage deep industry experience to guide owners, operators, lenders, investors, and executives around the globe. Our expertise across hotels, resorts, clubs, recreation, and foodservice provides strategic insight and high-impact support for long-term success.

09/22/2026

Camilla Jensen is joining the Destination AI Summit, September 29 & 30!

Are you attending? Reach out to connect or stop by her LastMile Hospitality Booth!