2025 Boutique Hotel Owners Conference Agenda
Day 1
September 29
9:30 AM
Registration Opens
9:30 - 10:30 AM
Louie's
Segafredo Zanetti Coffee & Light Bites
More than just caffeine—this is a curated moment to warm up conversations, reconnect with colleagues, and explore the venue’s natural flow.
Expect specialty brews, nourishing bites, and intentional ambiance to match the caliber of attendees.
10:30 - 11:15 AM
Opening Ceremony: A Call to the Explorers
Ariela Kiradjian opens the gathering with a thematic invocation rooted in the spirit of exploration. Drawing from the symbolism of Terra Incognita, this moment sets our course—inviting hotel owners, operators, and creative leaders to consider the landscape ahead not as fixed, but as emergent.
Through grounding rituals and purposeful storytelling, we’ll orient ourselves around the unfamiliar: new models of ownership, bold shifts in design philosophy, and the evolution of independent hospitality as both a business and cultural force. This ceremony marks the beginning of a shared journey—one that honors instinct, challenges legacy systems, and embraces the power of forging your own path.
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11:15 - 12:00 PM
Top Issues Owners Face Today
Sponsored by Nestle Premium Waters & Simplotel
With Alex Kirkwood, Founder & CEO, Kirkwood Collection, Guy Maisnik, Partner & Vice Chair of Global Hospitality Group, JMBM, Maya Mallick, Owner & Creative Director, The Culver Hotel, and Justin Bain, Co-Founder, Director of Development, UMusic Hotel Development
A high-level discussion addressing the most urgent and complex challenges facing boutique hotel ownership in 2025. From rising capital costs and labor volatility to evolving guest expectations and pressure to scale without dilution, this conversation centers on the balancing act required to remain both independent and profitable.
Moderated with intention and candor, this session brings together owners navigating real-time decision-making under market uncertainty—leaders who are actively rewriting operating models, reinventing value propositions, and preserving creative identity in a shifting financial and cultural landscape. It’s not about surface-level trends—it’s about the structural forces reshaping the boutique sector and the tools required to move through them.
12:00 - 12:50 PM
Conscious Capital: Building with Soul and Scale
Sponsored by Greenberg Traurig / Liquid Crystal
With Samantha Ahuja, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, Thomas Brown, CEO, Ad Altius Advisors, Shannon Ching, Co-Founder, Reset Hotel, and Channing Henry, Managing Director, Head of US, PKF
Capital doesn’t have to compromise character. This session dives deep into how independent hotel owners are sourcing and structuring funding while staying aligned with their values. From direct investment models to long-horizon private equity and generational wealth strategies, we explore what’s truly working in today’s market.
Whether you’re raising, refinancing, or rethinking your growth path, this conversation is built for those who know that how money enters a business shapes what the business becomes. Expect sharp frameworks and real numbers from seasoned voices.
12:50 - 1:20 PM
Charting New Profit Paths
Sponsored by Simplotel
With Tarun Goyal, Founder and CEO, Simplotel Technologies, Kate McAnally, Fractional CFO, Grand Hotel McKinney, and Ariela Kiradjian, Partner & COO / Co-Founder, BLLA / StayBoutique
This hands-on workshop explores how boutique hotel owners and operators can leverage technology to boost bottom lines without compromising guest experience.
From increasing direct bookings to streamlining operations and optimizing revenue strategies, our speakers will break down actionable ways to improve profitability using the tools already at your fingertips—or those you should be considering.
Expect real-world case studies, tech-stack insights, and clear takeaways you can implement immediately to create a smarter, more profitable hotel business.
1:20 - 2:50 PM
Louie's
Lakeside Lunch
Gather outdoors for a relaxed yet intentional dining experience designed to spark authentic connection. Attendees are invited to sit lakeside—at cabanas, firepits, or shaded tables—each offering a different ambiance for conversation. Instead of formal programming, each table will include thoughtfully crafted question cards designed to open up meaningful, personal dialogue among guests.
This is a moment to go beyond titles and transactions—to share stories, laugh, and connect as humans first. Whether you're seated next to an old friend or a future collaborator, this lunch is about uncovering the people behind the projects, and building trust across the boutique community in a way that’s warm, memorable, and real.
2:50 - 3:25 PM
The F&B Frontier
Sponsored by Gecko Hospitality / Escoffier
With Sam Bakhshandehpour, Global Chief Executive Officer, José Andrés Group, Kevin Buck, Franchise Partner, Gecko Hospitality, Jeremy Nichols, Franchise Partner, Gecko Hospitality and Niko Viramo, CEO, Wild Thyme Restaurant Group
Food and beverage has emerged as one of the most powerful vehicles for storytelling and brand loyalty in boutique hospitality. This session gathers owner-operators and creative directors who’ve built restaurant and bar concepts that anchor their brand, drive revenue, and shape guest identity. We’ll explore development models, team culture, licensing deals, and strategies for building concepts that endure.
F&B is where culture and commerce meet. From interiors to menu curation to local partnerships, this session offers frameworks for elevating F&B from service offering to signature brand experience.
3:25 - 3:45 PM
Boutique Hotelier Manifestos
Sponsored by Capital One Travel & Segafredo Zanetti
With Kurt Bjorkman, COO, The Ranch at Laguna Beach, Mark Zikov, Director, Acquisitions & Development, Proper Hotels, and Rajvi Shah, CEO, The Serenite Collection
This session features rapid solo talks from three visionary boutique hoteliers, each delivering a personal manifesto: a distilled philosophy of why they do what they do, how they lead, and the values they’ll never compromise.
These manifestos aren’t about marketing language or mission statements. They’re unapologetically personal—born from late nights, difficult seasons, and decisions made with both heart and risk. Whether it's prioritizing regenerative practices over profit, refusing to scale at the expense of soul, or building hotels that feel more like homes than brands, these hoteliers speak to what it means to steward something with intention.
Attendees will witness how deeply-held beliefs shape not just operations and design, but entire guest experiences. These talks offer a rare glimpse into the inner resolve it takes to lead independently—and a call to clarify your own stance in a world that rewards sameness.
3:45 - 4:05 PM
Break
Built into the cadence of the day, this pause is an invitation to integrate ideas, check in with collaborators, or step away in solitude. Spaciousness is part of the architecture of this event—because clarity requires rest.
Whether you use it to catch your breath or spark a new dialogue, this moment belongs to you.
4:05 - 4:45 PM
The Architecture of Emotion
Sponsored by Segafredo Zanetti & Arch RoamRight
With Rob Blood, Founder & Chairman, Lark | Elder & Ash, Peter Twachtman, CEO, Lark Hotels, Sean Wilkinson, Principal / Creative Director, Might & Main & Meg Kennedy, Interior Design & Architecture, Elder & Ash
What makes a hotel unforgettable isn’t one thing—it’s the harmony of many. From the first moment of arrival to the subtle details guests may never consciously notice, the most impactful stays are shaped by the unseen alignment of brand, design, and operations working in concert. When these elements are intentionally crafted, a property doesn’t just function—it resonates.
In this session, leaders from Lark, Elder & Ash, and Might & Main share stories behind award-winning hotels that transcend category and convention. Together, they’ll reveal how creative collaboration, process refinement, and instinctive decision-making can transform a space into an experience. This is an invitation to step behind the curtain and explore how the intangible becomes unforgettable.
4:45 - 5:15 PM
Founders Fireside & Advantages of Owning a Small Hotel
Sponsored by Nestle Premium Waters / Greenberg Traurig
With Kimberly Walker, Founder, Nomada Hotel Group, David Bowd, Co-Founder & CEO, Salt Hotels , Cory Sobczyk, VP of Business Development, Arch RoamRight and Ben Uyeda, Co-Founder, Reset Hotel
What gives a hotel its soul? This conversation unpacks how thoughtful hospitality transforms space into story—creating properties that resonate far beyond check-in and checkout. Through a lens of creative direction, development, and cultural strategy, this session explores how boutique hotels become portals for connection, creativity, and memory.
We’ll dive into the frameworks and decision-making that bring emotional texture to physical environments—how concept, curation, and context weave together into a living narrative. For hoteliers who view their property as more than a building, this is a deep exploration of what it means to lead with meaning—and how to build spaces that guests carry with them long after they leave.
5:15 - 6:30 PM
Free Time
An intentional gap to breathe, connect, or wander solo. This window offers space for integration, impromptu meetings, or resetting before the evening begins.
Use this time as your own—there’s value in the pause
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Provence Patio
Dusk Reception
Under a canopy of trees, we gather for an ambient reception to close the day. The setting is intimate and natural, with live music, thoughtful beverages, and space for real conversation. No program, no agenda—just connection as the sun sets.
This is where the conference takes a breath and connections deepen. A sensory experience designed to slow the tempo and let the evening unfold naturally.
8:00 - 10:00 PM
Provence Room
Dinner, Open Mic & Game Night
Dress Code: “Canadian Tuxedo” aka Denim-on-Denim
An evening to celebrate the heart of hospitality—with laughter, music, and a mic that’s open to all. Over a candlelit dinner, the community comes together not just to dine, but to express. Step up to the mic and share whatever moves you: your hotel origin story, a bold manifesto, a favorite poem, a song you’ve written (or just love), or a few words on why you’re in this wild, beautiful industry. No scripts. No slides. Just soul.
And because boutique hospitality is never boring, the night also brings a playful twist: a British-style pub quiz to keep things lively. Expect unexpected trivia, cheeky team banter, and spontaneous moments that build new bonds. Whether you come to share, sing, play, or just cheer everyone on—this is our communal exhale. A space for joy, storytelling, and the kind of fun that reminds us why we’re here.
Day 2
September 30th
9:00 - 10:00 AM
Louie's
Breakfast & Mindful Mornings
Start your day in quiet clarity with a nourishing breakfast and intentional self-reflection. Choose from guided journaling prompts at communal tables, join a small hotelier’s circle for conscious dialogue, or simply enjoy stillness among peers. This soft opening cultivates grounded presence before a day of rigorous thought and connection.
The setting invites you to drop in—not just log on. Whether you’re sketching ideas in the margins of a notebook or engaged in a personal exchange that becomes a turning point, this morning ritual reminds us that insight emerges in moments of stillness as much as in structured panels.
10:00- 10:30 AM
Signals of Luxury: Interpreting the Codes Across Borders
With Daniel André Langer, CEO, Équité
What defines true luxury in a fragmented, fast-moving world? This thought-provoking conversation explores how boutique hospitality can draw inspiration from the broader universe of luxury—fashion, beauty, design, and culture—to stay relevant, resilient, and emotionally resonant.
Led by a leading international luxury strategist, this session reveals how cultural codes and brand signals are interpreted globally, and how the most iconic names in luxury create desire across borders without losing their soul.
From editorial storytelling to scent design, from packaging to pricing psychology—attendees will leave with a sharper eye for the details that matter, and a stronger understanding of how boutique hotels can express luxury with intention, restraint, and enduring appeal.
10:30 - 11:00 AM
GuestOS - Profitability Through Personalization: Why Guest Tech Is the New Revenue Stream
Sponsored by RBS
With Glenn Turner, CEO & Founder, Romeo Bravo Software
What happens when the hotel’s invisible infrastructure becomes its most powerful asset? In this future-facing session, we explore the rise of AI-driven operating systems for boutique hotels—where automation, personalization, and real-time intelligence converge to create seamless guest journeys and smarter back-of-house operations.
From predictive analytics and intelligent room controls to AI-powered service platforms and dynamic pricing, this conversation unpacks how a thoughtfully implemented “GuestOS” can enhance both the emotional and economic value of a stay.
As hotels move toward more responsive, data-rich environments, we’ll ask: How can technology elevate intimacy rather than diminish it? What should boutique hoteliers automate—and what should remain deeply human?
11:00 - 11:20 AM
Boutique Industry Report: Market Shifts to Watch
With a Rod Clough, President, HVS Americas
A focused download of the latest market intelligence curated specifically for boutique hotel owners. This session delivers high-signal data and interpretive insights on traveler behaviors, investor activity, performance benchmarks, and new directions in hospitality demand.
By spotlighting relevant trends and financial indicators, this session empowers attendees to make sharper decisions and anticipate what’s ahead. It’s designed for owners who want to stay ahead of the curve—not react to it.
11:20 - 11:50 AM
Salon Talks: Luxury Travel
Sponsored by Capital One Travel
With Hya Valdez, Head of Business Development, Capital One Travel, Jennifer Barry, Managing Director, CIIC Public Relations, Janet Semenova, Co-Founder, Boutique Travel Advisors
Luxury is evolving—and so is the way it’s booked, shared, and experienced. This intimate conversation gathers three powerful perspectives shaping that evolution: a luxury credit card travel portal, a high-touch travel PR firm, and an elite travel advisor working directly with the world’s most discerning clients.
Together, we’ll explore how modern travelers define luxury, what they value most, and how to create emotional resonance across every touchpoint—from the first digital impression to the final farewell. Expect insights on loyalty programs, storytelling, exclusivity, and what it takes to stay top of mind in a saturated market.
This isn’t about just being “nice”—it’s about being unforgettable.
11:50 - 1:00 PM
"Connect with Strangers" by BLLA
With Jennifer Barry, Managing Director, CIIC PR, and Mitch Prensky, Founding Partner, COJHO Hospitality Consultancy
This is intentional networking reimagined. Step into curated micro-gatherings designed to spark conversation across lines of role, experience, and geography. Each table begins with an elegant prompt to break the ice—not just on your title, but on your journey.
Attendees rotate across discussions in an atmosphere of curiosity and openness. Expect connections that run deeper than business cards and follow-ups—this is where collaborations, friendships, and new perspectives quietly begin.
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Louie's
Lunch
A spacious midday pause centered on connection and reflection. Tables by the lake, shaded cabanas, and nearby firepits create a relaxed atmosphere for meaningful conversation.
Each table is set with conversation starter cards designed to prompt personal, human exchanges. It’s a moment to deepen relationships, process the morning, and open new pathways for collaboration
2:30 - 3:00 PM
Narrative Alchemy: Turning Space Into Story
Sponsored by Gecko Hospitality / Escoffier
With Annabel Schwartz, Founder, House of Talana, Todd Towers, CEO, Farmboy Fine Arts,
& Ariela Kiradjian, Partner & COO / Co-Founder, BLLA / StayBoutique and Mitch Prensky, Founding Partner, COJHO Hospitality Consultancy
What gives a hotel its soul? This conversation brings together three creative leaders who’ve spent their careers shaping the emotional, cultural, and sensory resonance of hospitality spaces.
We’ll explore how storytelling isn’t just a branding exercise—but a layered, lived experience that flows through design, programming, culinary direction, and art. From crafting F&B that evokes memory and meaning, to curating cultural calendars that build loyal communities, to embedding narrative through fine art and spatial design—this is hospitality as a full-body medium.
Expect a candid dialogue on how independent hotels can move beyond aesthetics to build spaces that feel deeply human, purposeful, and unforgettable. For owners and creatives alike, this session offers frameworks for developing properties that connect on every level—intellectually, emotionally, and sensorially.
3:00 - 3:30 PM
Regenerative Models for Land, Culture, and Hospitality
Sponsored by RBS
With Rachel Turchin, General Manager, The Horse Shoe Farm, Andrew Archibald, Managing Director, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, and Kurt Bjorkman, COO, The Ranch at Laguna Beach
This panel explores ownership models rooted in long-term vision, ecological balance, and economic justice. Leaders share how they’ve aligned their hotel businesses with regenerative frameworks—from financing structures that prioritize community wealth to operations that actively rebuild ecosystems while offering a compelling guest experience.
The conversation will also spotlight agrotourism as a rising force in regenerative hospitality—where working landscapes, farming, and food systems are central to both narrative and revenue. Ownership becomes a creative act when it’s built to endure. This session invites hoteliers to lead with principles, innovate with integrity, and explore models that restore land, culture, and connection.
3:30 - 4:15 PM
Closing Ritual: Where Will You Go From Here?
A poetic close to a transformative gathering. This communal ritual guides attendees through reflection, intention-setting, and creative visualization—anchoring the insights of the past two days in clarity for what’s next.
Designed as a collective exhale, this moment honors the journey of the explorer, the risk of ownership, and the beauty of moving forward with both boldness and grace.
4:15 - 6:15 PM
Provence Patio
Farewell Cocktails
Gather for a final toast beneath the sky, where mezcal spritzes meet lavender soda and slow jazz wraps the evening in warmth. With no agenda and no rush, this is a time to share what surprised you, what inspired you, and what you’re taking home.
Conversations continue around firepits, terraces, and tucked-away corners—closing the conference not with a goodbye, but a sense of shared momentum.