The Resiliency of the Hospitality Industry

 

Jaime Bravo, General Manager of Hotel Bardo, a boutique hotel in Tulum, Mexico, joined us on Dirt Work to discuss the future of hospitality, picking up from a previous Dirt Work episode conversation when Global Architecture firm founder Scott Lowe said the future will be defined by hotels with less than 50 guest rooms.

Hotels are an ultra-operational form of real estate that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which has accelerated many trends in the industry, including the trend toward smaller footprints.

Bravo attributes this trend to boutique hotels’ ability to offer guests more of a local, emotional experience, as well as reduced exposure to COVID-19 impact, less infrastructure and overhead, and fewer rooms to rent to guests during slower times. In addition, location will be a major factor in hotel success during and following COVID-19, as current consumer preferences are to avoid major cities while traveling and to choose more resort-style destinations.

In Tulum, Hotel Bardo has seen an increase in the average length of stay from approximately three days to five driven by remote workers from more expensive markets like New York and Los Angeles that are seeking to work from vacation markets while away from the office. In other markets, hoteliers are getting creative – the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn is converting hotel guest rooms into daily creative office rentals.

Bravo believes that the people of the hospitality industry are resilient and innovative and that the industry will bounce back in time.

Catchup on Past Episodes of Dirt Work!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

professional advancement
The Measured Mindset: How Mentorship, Curiosity, and Listening Drive Professional Advancement and Growth
July 29, 2025

Not every path into analytics starts with code and spreadsheets. For some, it begins with curiosity, adaptability, mentorship, and a willingness to learn something entirely new. That’s the case for Mayank Malviya, whose journey from a humanities education in India to a career in U.S.-based market research reveals how initiative and mentorship can accelerate…

Read More
future-ready workforce
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Disrupting Outdated Education with Employer-Driven, Community-Powered, Practical Skills Training
July 28, 2025

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report…

Read More
The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care
July 28, 2025

The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care Most nursing homes have infection control down to a science. They’ve got medication protocols that would make a hospital jealous. Fall prevention? They track every risk factor. But ask them about their air quality and you’ll likely get a puzzled look. That’s a problem, because…

Read More
educators
JUST THINKING… About Bringing out the Best in Educators and Learners with Ross Kimball
July 25, 2025

As the educational landscape rapidly evolves—shaped by advances in communication technology, growing mental health awareness, and post-pandemic classroom dynamics—one key question persists: How can we better connect with and empower both educators and students in the classroom? The stakes are high: studies show that teacher-student relationships directly impact student motivation, academic success, and long-term…

Read More