In an era where AI is optimizing everything—from pricing to property descriptions—the real competitive advantage in hospitality may no longer be data. It may be identity. In this episode, Janice Wilson, founder of the luxury forest retreat Menizei, and experiential designer Paula Oblen, founder of Hotelements®, break down what it actually means to build a “Category-of-One” hospitality brand. Drawing from Janice’s background in large-scale AI systems and Paula’s two decades designing high-performing experiential properties—including Casa Tierra with Bobby Berk—they argue that optimization alone leads to sameness. Instead, they explore how identity, emotional intention, and strategic design create durable moats that algorithms can’t replicate. From forest cocooning and longevity-themed A-frames to Return on Design™ and anticipatory guest experiences, this conversation reframes hospitality as both art and capital strategy. If you’re an investor, operator, or designer wondering how to stand out in an increasingly automated world, this episode is your blueprint for building something unforgettable—and financially defensible. Behind the Stays Listeners get an exclusive discount when they enroll in "From Place to Category" a destination.design educational experience by Janice and Paula. Use the code "BTS" (or simply reference it when you apply) to qualify.

Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.

Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

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Accor isn’t just polishing the Orient Express legend — it’s trying to industrialize it. With LVMH in the mix, the play shifts from “luxury assets” to a full ecosystem built on narrative: trains, hotels, yachts, and a throughline of romance and mythology. Scott sees the upside in that long-game brand equity, but the panel keeps circling the same risk: storytelling can sell the dream, yet only flawless operations keep it from collapsing into cosplay.

Then the mood turns pragmatic with Casago’s post-Vacasa reality check. A founder-led franchise business runs on trust and alignment as much as tech and scale, and Steve Schwab’s CEO transition lands as a stress test for franchisees already bracing for integration chaos. Ben argues owners should protect optionality while the dust settles; Scott and Edwin frame it as a “psychological contract” moment where perception matters as much as governance.

Finally, Hyatt’s ChatGPT integration signals that AI discovery is becoming a real distribution layer, not a gimmick. If travelers are asking for “the right stay” conversationally, brands will win by training the narrative, not bidding on keywords. Spice of the Week closes with a blunt takeaway: creative is the only differentiator left — and hotels are still wasting money boosting the wrong posts instead of scaling what actually works.

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.

Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.

If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 — Intro

09:40 — Story #1: Accor + LVMH build Orient Express into a full luxury ecosystem

24:32 — Story #2: Casago’s Vacasa-era growing pains trigger franchisee unease

33:31 — Story #3: Hyatt embraces ChatGPT discovery as the next distribution layer

46:29 — Spice of the Week

Your Hosts:

Zach Busekrus — Journey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Meet Jeremy Hill, Co-Founder and CEO of Arcana — a next generation nature resort complete with seasonally immersive science-based experiences that help guests feel nature’s true restorative powers.

In this return episode, Jeremy shares what’s changed (and what hasn’t), plus Arcana’s biggest leap yet: a newly acquired 56-acre property that gives the brand the zoning, septic capacity, and infrastructure required to scale — without diluting the Arcana promise.

In this conversation, Jeremy and I discuss:

• How Arcana performed in the real world after launch (and why the early guests helped propel the waitlist)
• What the team learned from the pilot site — from cabin entrances and guest flow to privacy, operability, and experience design
• The truth about “tiny cabins” and how Arcana thinks about unit size, outdoor space, and central amenities
• What Jeremy’s acquisition checklist looks like (proximity to a major city, the right zoning, and why septic is everything)
• How Arcana is repositioning an existing, cash-flowing resort with seven cottages and two houses into an Arcana-level experience
• Brand strategy: how to expand into new sites while still honoring the flagship brand promise (and when a sub-brand might make sense)
• How Jeremy is weighing construction loan options (traditional bank vs private lender) and the realities of taking on debt in Canada
• The longer-term vision: Arcana across North America, what an exit could look like, and why consistency is the superpower in experiential hospitality

Arcana is targeting a summer 2027 opening for the fully repositioned property.

Learn more about Arcana

Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn

Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.

Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.