About this episode
In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast , Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko sit down with Warren Fields, CEO of Pyramid Global Hospitality , one of the largest hotel management companies in the world. Fields offers a rare inside look at how hotel operators really think, from the economics of rising costs and stagnant revenues to the ongoing talent challenges reshaping hospitality. The conversation spans the full landscape of hotel operations: why management companies are in the “value creation business,” how Pyramid negotiates healthcare, insurance, and labor efficiencies at scale, and why personalization is becoming the new standard for both branded and independent hotels. Fields also shares his views on AI’s practical role in hotel operations, the future of non-alcoholic beverage trends, and the generational shift reshaping hotel jobs and workplace expectations. Plus, he gives candid advice to travelers on how to get better service, reflects on the industry’s most outdated habits, and explains what truly makes a hotel stay feel memorable. A sharp, behind-the-scenes look at the business of running hotels today. This episode is brought to you by Amazon! To learn more, go to advertising.amazon.com Connect with Skift: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.