In my 25 plus years in hospitality, I’ve seen trends come and go—some with lasting impact, others fading quickly into obscurity. But the movement toward experiential travel isn’t a trend; it’s a shift. A recalibration of guest expectations, preferences, and values that is reshaping the very foundation of how we build, brand, and operate hospitality spaces.

From my earliest days helping concept and launch boutique hotels to my more recent work shaping lifestyle-driven destinations across the U.S. and Caribbean, one thing has remained constant: people are seeking more than just a bed for the night. They’re seeking meaning. And the rise of experiential travel reflects exactly that—travel that’s immersive, personal, and intentionally rooted in the culture, cuisine, and character of its surroundings.

From Transactional to Transformational

We used to design hotels around convenience: proximity to airports, city centers, or convention halls. Today, we design around emotion, connection, and around the story that we want our guests to take home with them.

Experiential travel has unlocked this new mindset. Travelers want to feel transformed by their time with us, not just accommodated. They want to drink mezcal on a rooftop bar in Tulum with a local DJ spinning at sunset. They want to forage ingredients with a chef in the Blue Ridge Mountains, then enjoy a tasting menu under the stars. They want to learn the story behind the vintage surfboards in the hotel lobby, or why the tiles in the courtyard were sourced from a specific region in Portugal.

This isn’t just about the “cool factor.” It’s about curation. Authenticity. Emotional resonance.

The Lifestyle Lens

My career has revolved around lifestyle hospitality—from launching rooftop bars in Miami Beach to reimagining legacy properties in New York and helping develop branded residences and resorts throughout the Caribbean. Lifestyle, for me, has always been about one thing: intention. Every detail—music, lighting, scent, art, service style—is orchestrated to evoke something specific in the guest.

Experiential travel takes that idea and expands it. It’s not just about how a space looks or feels; it’s about how it engages the guest beyond the walls of the hotel.

Guests now view hotels as launchpads for exploration. So, we ask ourselves: How do we become part of that journey? How do we immerse the traveler not only in a destination, but in a sense of discovery?

Collaborating with Culture

Some of the most successful projects I’ve worked on embraced their local communities as co- creators. Whether it was a boutique hotel in the Caribbean that sourced all its bar ingredients from nearby farms, or an adaptive reuse concept that featured rotating art installations from local talent, these experiences didn’t just reflect their location—they celebrated it.

In the past, we might have looked at what the competition was doing down the street. We look at what’s happening in the neighborhood—who’s making waves, telling stories, crafting something meaningful—and we ask, “How can we partner with them?”

We have become the Tastemakers and Placemakers in this cultural collaboration that has become an expectation among experiential travelers. They want to support local artisans. They want to know where the coffee in their cup was roasted and who made the ceramic mug. That level of mindfulness, while demanding, creates opportunities for truly unique and memorable moments.

Technology with a Human Touch

One of the more fascinating aspects of this shift is the way technology is being used to enhance—not replace—the human elements of travel. We’re seeing more use of digital storytelling, AI-powered personalization, and mobile-first service platforms. But the end goal is still a connection.

The challenge—and the opportunity—is to strike the right balance. I’ve always believed that luxury is not about excess, but about ease. When technology removes friction from the guest journey, it allows our people to focus on what matters most: delivering thoughtful, intuitive, and genuine hospitality. That’s when magic happens.

The Business Case for Experience

Some hoteliers are still wary of experiential travel—seeing it as cost-intensive or too niche. But what I’ve witnessed, time and again, is that experience drives loyalty. And loyalty drives revenue.

Guests return not just because they liked the mattress or the view—they return because they felt something. And in a world increasingly shaped by social media and peer recommendations, a hotel’s ability to generate emotional engagement is often more powerful than its star rating.

In fact, many of the projects I’ve led over the years have proven that experience-rich properties outperform their more traditional counterparts when it comes to guest satisfaction, social reach, and even RevPAR. 

When you offer something, guests can’t find anywhere else—something felt, not just seen or consumed—you create demand that transcends rate sensitivity.

Looking Ahead

I have had the opportunity to work across many portfolios and brands that have spanned continents and concepts. And while each brand has its own identity and goals, the thread that connects them all is this growing demand for experiences that go beyond the expected. 

It’s an exciting time for hospitality professionals. Experiential travel is not just elevating the guest journey—it’s elevating our creativity as developers, marketers, and operators.

I believe it’s pushing us to question assumptions, embrace new partnerships, and get back to what inspired most of us to enter this industry in the first place: the joy of creating unforgettable moments.

Final Thoughts

Experiential travel is not a buzzword. It’s a blueprint. For relevance, for differentiation, and for long-term guest connection.

As someone who has spent a career immersed in building hotels that people don’t just stay in— but talk about, dream about, and return to—I believe this shift is not just welcome. It’s essential.

And those of us who embrace it will not only capture today’s traveler—we’ll help define the future of hospitality.