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Housekeeping Didn't Come

Housekeeping Didn't Come

Von: Rob Powell
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Lessons from the road, the classroom, and the minibar.


Welcome to Housekeeping Didn’t Come — where hospitality, adventure, and a little chaos all check in for the night.


Hosted by Rob W. Powell, former casino exec, improv comic, mountaineer, and hospitality professor (aka the Indiana Jones of hospitality education), this podcast dives into the wild, weird, and wonderfully human side of the hospitality world. From luxury lodges to national park cabins, cruise ships to classroom chaos, we explore what it really takes to deliver unforgettable guest experiences—and what happens when things go hilariously off script.


Whether you're a student, a hospitality pro, a curious traveler, or just here for the stories, you'll find something to love. Expect candid interviews, bite-sized insights, unforgettable blunders, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from years in the trenches (and a few nights without housekeeping).


So grab a coffee (or a cocktail), and join Rob as he unpacks the business of making people feel welcome, even when the bed isn’t made.



© 2026 Housekeeping Didn't Come
Reiseliteratur & Erläuterungen Sozialwissenschaften Ökonomie
  • If Mardi Gras Were A Hotel It Would Be Over Budget
    Jan 28 2026

    Got podcast love, a plot twist, or a lost-and-found tale? Send fan mail here. Bonus points for wit.

    We stress-test a favorite thought experiment: if Mardi Gras were a single hotel, revenue would soar while margins tighten, and the only way through is smart judgment under pressure. We share a real event-weekend cascade that proves why budgets are tools and people are the priority.

    • Mardi Gras framed as a single hospitality asset
    • Peak demand raising revenue while compressing margins
    • Real-world failures across staffing, vendors and tech
    • Service recovery choices and comp strategy under strain
    • Why leaders protect experience and teams over spreadsheets
    • Budgets as tools, not commandments
    • The right post-mortem question: what did we protect

    Respect the math, respect your people, and always, always tip housekeeping


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    5 Min.
  • Tipping Doesn’t Reward Great Service (And the Research Proves It) S1E29
    Jan 26 2026

    Got podcast love, a plot twist, or a lost-and-found tale? Send fan mail here. Bonus points for wit.

    Feel that pinch of judgment when a tip screen spins your way before you even take a sip? We dig into why that awkward pause exists, what 50 years of research actually says about tipping, and how digital prompts have turned generosity into an exhausting decision loop. Along the way, we unpack the gap between what we believe tips do—reward great service—and what the evidence shows: social norms, habit, and high anchors often drive the number more than performance.

    We walk through a sweeping review of 319 peer-reviewed studies spanning economics, psychology, and hospitality. The findings are both uncomfortable and clarifying. When guests effectively control a chunk of worker pay, power shifts. Rules bend, emotional labor becomes survival, and tolerance for bad behavior can rise—not because anyone wants it, but because pay depends on it. Yet there’s a real paradox: many servers still prefer tipping for the perceived upside and autonomy. That tension matters for policy, culture, and team wellbeing.

    Technology adds a fresh layer. Pre-service prompts lower return intent. Tip fatigue and tipflation—more prompts, higher suggested percentages—are driven by tablet defaults, not by changing guest character. People aren’t angry at generosity; they’re tired of how it’s requested. We lay out practical design moves: fair base pay with transparent upside, post-service prompts with respectful anchors, visible protection against harassment, and evidence-led coaching that rewards skill and consistency. The goal is simple and hard: build systems that create trust for guests and dignity for teams.

    If you value hospitality that runs on intention instead of guilt, this conversation offers a roadmap. Listen, share it with a colleague, and tell us what you’d change first. Subscribe for more research-backed insights, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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    8 Min.
  • Why Hospitality Demands More Than A Smile
    Jan 20 2026

    Got podcast love, a plot twist, or a lost-and-found tale? Send fan mail here. Bonus points for wit.

    Think hospitality begins and ends with a smile? We open the door on what the work truly demands: operations, logistics, finance, labor management, risk, and leadership under pressure. The goal isn’t to look friendly while chaos swirls. The goal is to build systems so guests feel ease while teams shoulder the load with calm precision.

    Rob Powell, lecturer at the University of Arkansas Hospitality Management Program, shares the day-one talk that jolts students and steadies careers. We unpack the real trade of weekends and holidays, not as a warning but as a calling to create the milestones others remember. From the front desk to the pass, we explore how consistency, recovery, and emotional intelligence outperform the myth of perfection. You’ll hear a vivid Saturday night snapshot where a packed dining room glides while the back of house paces, a server stretches, and a manager dissolves conflict without a ripple—success measured by what the guest never sees.

    This conversation gets specific about the habits that make service resilient: prep discipline, par levels, station design, training for failure modes, and leadership that lowers the temperature when pressure spikes. We talk about building a career that respects craft, values invisible excellence, and turns tough hours into meaningful growth. If you’re deciding whether hospitality is your path, or you’re a veteran seeking language for what you already know, you’ll find clarity and fuel here.

    Subscribe for more unvarnished insights, share this with a teammate who needs a lift, and leave a review to help others find the show. If you’re learning, welcome to the profession. If you’re operating, thank you for the invisible work. And if you’re teaching, keep telling the truth early.

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    11 Min.
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