Sebastien Leitner
There’s so much happening in travel, distribution, and hospitality from a technology perspective, from how things are changing that this is an exciting industry.
Nancy Huang
Welcome to The Turndown. I’m Nancy Huang, director of Marcom at Cloudbeds and one of the producers of this podcast. As we wrap up the first season of The Turndown, we thought we would end it by flipping the script today and interviewing our host, Sebastien Leitner. So for those of you who don’t know Sebastien, he’s our VP of partnerships at Cloudbeds, and he is perhaps one of the most well known people in this industry. I mean, seriously, you can go to any conference and just about everyone is waving hi or saying hello to Sebastien.
He actually began his career working in hotels. He was a front office manager and a revenue manager, and he eventually moved over to Expedia into the exciting world of travel distribution, and he sort of stayed there ever since. He’s been at Cloudbeds since twenty seventeen heading up our partnership ecosystem, and he’s also served as the president and board member at HEDNA, which is one of the leading industry associations for distribution. In short, he has had a longtime affinity and career in the hospitality space, and his deep knowledge really brings a unique depth and perspective to this podcast.
Today, we are going to interview Sebastien, reflect on some of his favorite moments from this season, talk about some of the changes and trends he’s seen over the course of his hospitality career, and last but not least, I’m gonna put him to the test with my own version of his lightning round. So let’s roll the tape.
Hello, everyone. Welcome to The Turndown, the podcast for hoteliers. Today, I have with me Sebastien Leitner, the host of this podcast. We’re wrapping up the first season, and I thought we’d flip the script and interview you, Sebastien. You’ve been interviewing a whole number of people this season. So we thought we’d find out a little bit more about you. But first, why don’t we start with why we did this podcast? Because the first thing anybody might say is, another one, another podcast, yet another podcast. But what makes this one special and different for you?
Sebastien Leitner
Well, thanks for having me, and thanks for turning around the microphone, putting a spotlight on me today, which is gonna be somewhat awkward. But pleasure to be here. For me, it’s all about educating hoteliers around the world on things that are being solved every single day by other hoteliers around the world.
Cloudbeds is becoming a very successful platform with hoteliers around the world utilizing our software, and we feel that these hoteliers each have great stories to tell, have great best practices on how they’re addressing obstacles, how they’re overcoming difficulties, whether it’s with guests, operations, emerging technology, new trends, new channels, ChatGPT. What I wanted to do is give them the microphone, give them the spotlight, and ask them to share how they’re addressing some of the challenges they’re facing, so that other hoteliers can benefit from it.
Nancy Huang
And what would you say some of the most memorable conversations were that you’ve had?
Sebastien Leitner
There’s so many. What I’ve learned throughout the conversations was there’s no right or wrong answer. When you listen to hoteliers and hosts, they may have an opinion on a specific area that you may disagree with, but it works for them because they’re operating in a very specific region, they cater to a certain customer type, a certain expectation. Not everyone can afford a five star hotel and fantastic service including turndown.
Having discussions with hosts and hoteliers around cost efficiency and operational difficulties with a two or three star hotel is very different from a luxury four and five star hotel. So the takeaway, as I’m thinking of the conversations, was how differentiated they are from one another, and how refreshing a different perspective can be. I would say to listeners, find the property that comes closest to you that you can identify with, and you’ll probably find the most rewarding content.
Nancy Huang
That’s interesting. You talked with all sorts of hotel sizes, from as large as MGM Grand to smaller hotels like Giancarlo’s in Florence. But what are some of the commonalities that you saw?
Sebastien Leitner
I think everyone spoke about staff shortages, keeping teams engaged and happy. Turnover in the last two or three years has been an all time high. The hospitality industry is working on improving its reputation in order to recruit the next generation. There are general adjustments to compensation and salaries coming with that change. So the human factor of hospitality is at the forefront of every conversation.
How can I provide hospitality powered by humans or facilitated by humans that are motivated, engaged, and create great guest experiences? Through COVID and certainly after, we’ve seen a significant reduction in labor force. Some hotels just had to close down, and people found jobs elsewhere. A lot of previous receptionists, housekeepers, waiters haven’t come back to the industry fully, and owners and operators still struggle in recruiting, finding the right talent, and making sure that talent is motivated not only for this season, but for the next season.
Nancy Huang
You also spoke with a number of technology providers. Do you think they have similar views? Do you see any gaps between what their view of the industry is versus what hoteliers are thinking?
Sebastien Leitner
As technologists, we often think that technology can solve everything, and we’re sometimes reminded that it doesn’t. There are other priorities with hoteliers around the world. The conversations with technology providers were very interesting to discover what’s keeping them up at night, what are they thinking of, because they may be six months, a year, or two years ahead of what is actually being utilized on property.
A lot of the technology that hoteliers use might be outdated. They know they have to replace some of their technology stack, but they’re also running at ninety percent occupancy approaching a busy summer. It oftentimes feels like an oil change or an engine change while driving a hundred and fifty miles an hour. Sarah alludes to that, she’s going through a change in CRS system with huge amounts of inventory. That transition, even though hoteliers know they have to do it, is something many are dreading. It’s our role as technologists to remove some of that fear, take them by the hand and say it’s going to be okay.
Nancy Huang
That’s a great transition because right now you’re on the technology side, but you actually started on the hotel side. Tell us about your background and how you came into Cloudbeds from the world of hospitality.
Sebastien Leitner
My parents reminded me early on when I was five or ten years old that I always wanted to be a hotel manager. I was traveling with them through France, and we saw chateaus, and I was like, oh, I’m gonna turn this into a hotel. True to my commitment at the age of eight or nine, I pursued a career in hospitality. I worked in various hotels, started at a hotel management program with Le Meridien Hotels, moved up the ladder, and was close to becoming a general manager at some point.
But then I found my second passion which is technology. Expedia approached me while I was rooms division for a three hundred sixteen room, five star hotel in Berlin. Expedia said, here’s a tech company that wants to revolutionize travel, become a fantastic retailer, so I joined them. Not only did I do market management with Expedia, I also went further into technology and ran connectivity for lodging systems in various roles from account management to product to distribution accounts, which was commercial relationships with technology providers. That’s how I discovered Cloudbeds and eventually ended up here.
Nancy Huang
That’s quite the journey. I don’t know many young kids that know they wanna be hotel managers at eight or nine. That’s unique.
Sebastien Leitner
To be honest, I wanted to actually be the chef of the hotel restaurant, I wanted to cook. I spent six months in the kitchen and I was like, wow. I love cooking personally, but I don’t think I could do this full time. This was a fine dining restaurant, and I raised my hand. Kitchen is above most other jobs in terms of difficulty. The temperature, the rush of running two seatings at lunch, two seatings at dinner. It was intense, a lot of fun. But I saw what it did to people higher up, and I didn’t think that was the career path I wanted.
Nancy Huang
I’m sure you have interesting stories as a hotel manager. Any you’d wanna share?
Sebastien Leitner
I got to meet a lot of celebrities, some that are much smaller than I thought they were going to be size wise. Prince is extremely small. And then we partied with Robbie Williams one night at the hotel bar. He just came in and said, I want a piano in here, and he gave like a concert for about two hours, which was fun. Of course, that includes the fifteen pages of requirements that some celebrities have, from what type of flowers to what candies should be on the nightstand. But none that I would share at this point in time.
Nancy Huang
What is the current trend that most excites you about the future of hospitality?
Sebastien Leitner
What excites me most is that we are engaging with guests much before the guest actually arrives on property, and we’re having a conversation throughout the guest journey. It doesn’t require a reception anymore. The personal connection is still extremely important, but what every host and hotelier enjoys is creating that amazing experience that makes guests feel great about their stay.
I now have, leveraging technology, leveraging guest conversation engagement platforms, the opportunity to do that at many more touch points than I used to. Which means that by the time I actually have a face to face conversation, I may already know that guest much better than before. Where it’s almost a continuation of the WhatsApp conversation you’ve had with an owner, because the person remembers you. There was that immediate connection. So more touch points for greater guest experiences.
Nancy Huang
Do you think we’re gonna see more integration with conversational AI? Is that gonna come into hospitality?
Sebastien Leitner
Absolutely. What are the typical questions a guest may have? What time does your pool open? This is something that technology, an artificial intelligence led chatbot, should be able to answer within a second or two, and do that at scale. Previously it may have been a phone call or somebody going to the reception saying, is your gym open today? What time is breakfast? The typical questions that someone who is jet lagged or has arrived late might have.
A lot of the use cases around very specific questions and answering those can be scaled and fully automated. Allowing us to focus on the ones that are particularly tricky or different from the typical inquiry. Like candy preferences. Or what flowers should or should not be in the room.
Nancy Huang
Alright. I would like to do a lightning round with you. I’m gonna give you a choice, this or that. Departures or arrivals?
Sebastien Leitner
Arrivals.
Nancy Huang
Carry on or check-in?
Sebastien Leitner
Depends. I always carry on unless I’m traveling with family. Then there is no carry on suitable for two boys, one wife, and myself. They’re not at the age yet where they can carry on. There’s five books per child, two stuffed animals, and the list goes on. You have a carry on, but it’s not your luggage. It’s everything for the time at the airport.
Nancy Huang
Direct or OTAs?
Sebastien Leitner
Depends. If a hotel and host has a great website with a simple booking engine that I can use as effectively as Booking dot com or Expedia, I’m very happy to book direct, and I would always book direct. However, not all hotels have simple intuitive booking engines where I can book directly and feel that I’m utilizing a technology stack that is secure and safe. I don’t want to fill out a form and then wait to hear back from the hotel.
Nancy Huang
Vacation rental or hotel?
Sebastien Leitner
I think that conversation is completely obsolete. It is all about the product, the location, where am I traveling, why am I traveling. That is much more important than whether it’s a hotel or a vacation rental. And maybe it could be both. We’ve made staying in a vacation rental over the last decade much more accessible and easier, even for short term stays, making it a viable option. I disagree with Sarah. I would stay in a vacation rental if it is the best option given proximity, budget, and purpose of stay.
Nancy Huang
Instagram or TikTok?
Sebastien Leitner
TikTok. I’m going TikTok. I don’t spend any time on Instagram. I never understood it. I enjoyed TikTok for a moment in time when it made the news, and it had a popcorn experience for me. It was actually entertaining. However, after some time, it keeps serving you the same type of content, so you’re not really discovering anything new, which is why it’s moving down on my list as entertainment.
Nancy Huang
London or Paris?
Sebastien Leitner
That’s a tough one. I would have dinner in Paris and work in London.
Nancy Huang
New York or Los Angeles?
Sebastien Leitner
I would definitely pick New York.
Nancy Huang
Turndown or wake up call?
Sebastien Leitner
I do appreciate the hotel that offers turndown service. I don’t think the old school wake up call is current anymore. We have too many devices. Although, I’ve stayed in hotels where you do get a personal phone call, and there’s somebody actually talking to you, not a recording. I was impressed. Can I have both? If I stay at a property that offers turndown service, yes, they can wake me up through a phone call too.
Nancy Huang
What’s next on your travel bucket list? Not work travel. Your dream destination.
Sebastien Leitner
There are probably two. One is Prince Edward Island. Closer to home, I want to take my kids to see Canada. I’m new to this country, I’ve only been living here for ten, fifteen years roughly. I’m only a new Canadian, less than five years. So I still have yet to discover this fantastic country. Prince Edward Island on the East Coast is something that is on the bucket list.
And then I wanna go back to Brazil. What’s the third on my bucket list? Probably a trip with my wife only, no kids, Tokyo five days, just eating sushi. I’ll be fine.
Nancy Huang
That sounds lovely. Do you think there’s gonna be a surprising destination hit of twenty thirty? What’s gonna become the hot new destination?
Sebastien Leitner
If the pandemic has taught us something, it’s that it’s not about the distance you travel. It’s about what you want to experience. And experiences can happen near, within a drive, to medium and far. There is a much greater willingness to discover near than ever before. Especially in light of the impact that travel has on the environment, we need to be much more flexible into where and how we travel. What are the more sustainable versions? Can we use a train? Can we use a more economical version to travel than a plane or a car?
I’m looking forward to finding solutions that create more sustainability in travel while maintaining the ability to experience. We travel for leisure to decompress, to experience something outside of our work environment that makes us feel rewarded. That can happen in various forms.
Nancy Huang
I think that’s a perfect way to end this podcast and our first season of The Turndown. Sebastien, I wanna thank you for joining me today.
Sebastien Leitner
Thank you for asking me tough questions, but it was good. I was very nervous going into this conversation, but I think we did okay. What do you think?
Nancy Huang
I think so too. Well, I guess it’s up to the listeners ultimately.
Sebastien Leitner
Please subscribe to this podcast. If you’re on episode nine or this last episode now and you’re just subscribing, you’re gonna have to wait until the next season. Subscribe now, and season two will be on its way to you later this year.
Nancy Huang
Thank you for listening to The Turndown. Don’t forget to subscribe and tune in next week as we discover new exciting guests.
