As someone who has spent decades navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the hospitality industry, from consulting for luxury hotel properties to strategising with global restaurant operations, I’ve always prided myself on staying ahead of the curve.
Whether it’s reading industry publications, understanding the economic landscape, or exploring innovations from other sectors that can be translated into hospitality.
As we move further into 2025, the hospitality industry is undergoing a seismic shift. From cutting-edge technology to reimagined guest experiences, the trends shaping the future of hotels are both exciting and transformative. Below, I’ve broken down seven key trends of innovation and change, each with actionable points that every hotel General Manager (GM) should be thinking about today.
Disclaimer: Any apps, websites, or tools mentioned in this article are based on research and are not personal endorsements. There are many options available, and I encourage you to explore what works best for your property. The examples provided are intended to give direction, not definitive recommendations.
1. Technological Trends: The Digital Revolution
Technology is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity. In 2025, hotels that fail to embrace digital transformation will struggle to compete.
AI-Powered Personalisation:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising guest experiences. From chatbots handling bookings to algorithms predicting guest preferences, AI ensures preferences like room temperature or pillow type are met before check-in. By analysing data from past stays, AI can also suggest tailored experiences, such as spa treatments or local tours, that align with the guest’s interests. Imagine being a guest in your property and finding personalised recommendations for your anniversary getaway waiting in your room, all because AI utilised your marriage date from past stays.
Implementation Tip: Partner with platforms like Revinate or Duetto to integrate predictive analytics into your systems.
Contactless Everything:
The pandemic accelerated the adoption of contactless technology, and it’s here to stay. Mobile check-ins, digital room keys, and voice-activated controls are becoming standard. A seamless mobile app that allows guests to control room settings, order room service, and request housekeeping ensures convenience without losing the human touch.
Implementation Tip: For mobile check-ins and digital room keys, consider integrating solutions like Assa Abloy Mobile Keys or OpenKey, which are widely used in the industry for their reliability and ease of use. For voice-activated controls, explore Amazon Alexa for Hospitality or Google Assistant, which can be customised to manage room settings, provide local recommendations, and even handle guest requests. Additionally, ensure your property management system (PMS) is compatible with these technologies to create a seamless guest experience.
IoT Enabled Smart Spaces:
The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming rooms into intelligent environments. Guests can adjust lighting and temperature or order room service via voice commands. Imagine a guest arriving to find their room preset to their preferred conditions, with the curtains drawn and their favourite music playing. These small touches create a memorable, efficient experience.
Implementation Tip: Partner with IoT providers like Control4 or Crestron to install smart room systems that can be customised to guest preferences.
Predictive Maintenance:
Smart sensors predict equipment failures before they happen. For example, sensors in HVAC systems can alert maintenance teams to potential failures, ensuring rooms remain comfortable and operational. This proactive approach not only reduces downtime but also enhances guest satisfaction.
Implementation Tip: Use platforms like Fiix or UpKeep to implement predictive maintenance systems that monitor equipment health in real time.
2. Innovation Trends: Staying Ahead of the Curve
Innovation is the lifeblood of hospitality. Here’s what’s defining the next wave.
Dynamic Pricing Models:
Leveraging AI to adjust room rates in real time based on demand, weather, and local events can maximise revenue. During a major conference or festival, rates can be adjusted to reflect increased demand, while last-minute discounts can fill rooms during slower periods. This approach ensures optimal occupancy and revenue, even during fluctuating demand cycles.
Implementation Tip: Use tools like IDeaS or Duetto to automate dynamic pricing strategies.
Blockchain for Loyalty Programmes:
Blockchain technology creates secure, transparent, and flexible loyalty programmes. Guests can earn and redeem points across multiple properties or with partner brands, creating a seamless and rewarding loyalty experience. For smaller or independent hotels, consider partnering with a global loyalty platform that allows guests to earn points locally but redeem them worldwide. For example, platforms like Points or Loyverse offer flexible solutions for smaller brands.
Implementation Tip: For big-brand GMs, push corporate offices to localise apps and tech to accommodate your guests better. Brands often blanket solutions across regions without tailoring them to local needs. Advocate for localised loyalty perks that reflect your property’s unique offerings, such as exclusive dining experiences or spa treatments.
Virtual Reality (VR) Previews:
Imagine allowing potential guests to take a virtual tour of your property before booking. VR is becoming a powerful tool for driving conversions. A 360-degree virtual tour of your suites, amenities, and dining options can give guests a realistic preview of their stay, increasing confidence in their booking decision. From personal experience, when booking a hotel, I always check current photos and facilities, especially images of bathrooms and views, to see what it’s like.
Implementation Tip: Focus on showcasing key areas guests care about: bedroom size, views, bathroom quality, and facilities. Use platforms like Matterport to create immersive virtual tours.
3. Marketing Trends: Engaging the Modern Traveller
The way we market hotels is changing. GMs need to adapt to new consumer behaviours.
Hyper-Targeted Campaigns:
With data analytics, hotels can create highly personalised marketing campaigns that speak directly to individual preferences and behaviours. For example, targeting past guests with offers for spa packages or local experiences they’ve shown interest in can drive repeat bookings. For business travellers, consider offering extended weekend stays with curated local experiences, such as wine tastings or cultural tours, to encourage them to explore beyond their work commitments.
Creative Idea: Use AI tools like Salesforce Marketing Cloud to segment guests by behaviour and send tailored offers, such as a discounted weekend stay for guests who frequently book business trips.
Influencer Collaborations:
Social media influencers are becoming key players in hotel marketing. Partnering with the right influencers can amplify your brand’s reach and credibility. Consider collaborations beyond hospitality, such as partnering with chefs, fashion influencers, or local artisans. For example, a chef collaboration could involve a pop-up dining event, while a fashion influencer could showcase your rooftop bar through seasonal themes.
Creative Idea: Collaborate with influencers outside the hospitality industry. For example, partner with a fashion influencer to showcase your rooftop bar through a rotating seasonal calendar of fashion themes, from vintage threads to high-end couture.
Experiential Content:
Instead of just showcasing rooms, focus on the experiences your hotel offers. Create content around rooftop yoga sessions, pastry workshops, or local gin-tasting events to inspire potential guests to book. Highlighting these unique experiences can set your property apart from competitors.
Creative Idea: Offer a “behind-the-scenes” experience, such as a mixology class with your head bartender or a private kitchen tour with the executive chef, followed by a bite-sized tasting.
4. Design Trends: Spaces That Tell a Story
Hotel design is no longer just about aesthetics. It’s about creating immersive experiences that resonate with guests.
Biophilic Design:
Incorporating natural elements like living walls, indoor gardens, and natural light promotes well-being. Guests are increasingly seeking spaces that connect them to nature. A lobby with a vertical garden or rooms with large windows offering scenic views can create a calming, rejuvenating atmosphere.
Implementation Tip: Highlight these elements in your marketing materials to attract eco-conscious travellers.
Localised Aesthetics:
Travellers want to feel a sense of place. Hotels are moving away from generic designs and embracing local culture, art, and materials. For instance, a hotel in Bali might incorporate traditional Balinese wood carvings and batik textiles, while a property in Marrakech could feature vibrant Moroccan tiles and handwoven textiles.
Implementation Tip: Even Starbucks embraces localised design globally. Consider this for your F&B spaces to create a unique identity. For example, a hotel in Kyoto could incorporate traditional tea ceremonies into its dining experience, while a property in Mexico could feature local pottery and textiles in its decor.
Flexible Spaces:
The lines between work, leisure, and socialising are blurring. Hotels are designing multifunctional spaces that can easily transition from coworking areas to cocktail lounges. Modular furniture and movable partitions allow a lobby to host morning business meetings, afternoon tea, and evening social events, maximising space utilisation and guest engagement.
Implementation Tip: Look to properties like The Hoxton or Ace Hotel, which excel in creating versatile, community-driven spaces. These spaces often attract locals, creating a vibrant atmosphere that benefits both guests and the community.
Sustainability as a Design Principle:
Eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems, and waste-reducing practices are no longer optional. Guests are demanding sustainable design, and GMs must deliver. Using reclaimed wood, low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, and energy-efficient lighting reduces environmental impact and appeals to eco-conscious travellers.
Implementation Tip: Showcase these efforts through media or small cards/labels that explain the sustainable elements of your design. Partner with publications that focus on sustainability to amplify your efforts.
5. Staffing Trends: Elevating Service Through People
The heart of hospitality lies in its people. How you attract, train, and retain talent will define your hotel’s success.
Upskilling for Exceptional Service:
The modern guest expects more than just a smile. They want expertise. Investing in continuous training programmes ensures your staff can deliver personalised, anticipatory service. Equip your concierge team with deep local knowledge, like hidden gems for dining or unique cultural experiences, to turn a standard stay into a memorable one.
Implementation Tip: Create a “Guest Experience Manager” role to curate local experiences. For example, a concierge who recommends a local farm-to-table cooking class could earn incentives for driving guest engagement while supporting local businesses. For hotels that already have this role, develop incentive-based schemes to drive local business and co-partner with them.
Cross-Functional Teams:
In a fast-paced environment, siloed roles can slow down operations and frustrate guests. Cross-training employees to handle multiple tasks creates a more agile and responsive team. For instance, front desk staff who can assist with restaurant reservations or troubleshoot basic tech issues reduce wait times and improve guest satisfaction.
Comment: To the GMs already doing this, well done. You know who you are. This is a return to the golden days of hospitality, where versatility was key.
Employee Well-Being:
Happy employees deliver better service. Implementing well-being programmes, such as fitness classes, healthy meal options, and team-building activities, fosters a sense of connection and rewards staff for their hard work.
Implementation Tip: Create a “Well-Being Champion” in your culinary team to develop a healthy menu for staff. Offer discounted take-home meal packs for their families, creating a healthy team and a small revenue stream.
Cultural Competence:
With guests coming from all corners of the globe, your team’s ability to understand and respect cultural nuances is critical. Training staff to navigate language barriers, dietary preferences (such as halal, kosher, or vegan options), and cultural expectations ensures every guest feels valued and understood.
Implementation Tip: Go beyond greetings—train staff on cultural body language. For instance, in Japan, a bow is more respectful than a handshake, and in China, accepting a business card with two hands shows respect.
6. Business Trends: Redefining the Hospitality Model
The business of hospitality is evolving. GMs need to think strategically about operations.
Experiential Revenue Streams:
Beyond room revenue, hotels are monetising experiences. Pop-up events, wellness retreats, and culinary workshops attract new guests and generate additional income.
Creative Idea: For corporate hotels, host weekend “creative retreats” with workshops on photography, painting, or writing, featuring guest artists or book launches. For beach resorts in off-peak months, create indoor experiences like a themed movie season, where the hotel is transformed into a cinematic haven, complete with era-specific decor and film screenings.
Partnerships with Local Businesses:
Collaborating with local restaurants, tour operators, and retailers creates a more integrated guest experience while supporting the community. For example, a hotel in Florence could partner with leather artisans to offer personalised leather workshops, while a property in New York could collaborate with a local pizzeria for a pizza-making masterclass.
Creative Idea: In Florence, partner with trusted leather artisans to offer personalised leather garment experiences, complete with a boutique pop-up in your hotel. In New York, collaborate with a Brooklyn pizza joint for a masterclass in pizza-making, featuring a signature pizza on your menu for a limited time.
Partnered Local Loyalty Programmes:
Create a partnered local loyalty programme that rewards guests with exclusive, unforgettable experiences. For top-tier members, offer perks like private dinners with Michelin-starred chefs or curated shopping experiences with local stylists.
Implementation Tip: Ensure these partnerships benefit both your hotel and local businesses, creating a win-win scenario that drives repeat bookings and community support.
The Bottom Line
The hospitality industry is at a pivotal moment. The trends shaping 2025; from AI-driven personalisation to experiential revenue streams are not just predictions; they are actionable strategies that can redefine how hotels operate and compete.
For GMs, the focus must be on creating exceptional guest experiences while driving profitability through innovation, partnerships, and operational efficiency.
The future of hospitality is not about waiting for change; it’s about leading it. By embracing these trends, GMs can position their properties as industry leaders, delivering unforgettable experiences that keep guests coming back.
Paul Sarlas - Follow
Hospitality Innovator | Strategic Consultant | Concept Creator | Operational Excellence Leader | CEO/COO/MD-Level Leadership
