ILHA Suite Talk

Insights Beyond Hospitality: What can luxury hospitality learn from immersive entertainment?

Our guest, Laura Hess, is an experience strategist and founder of Reuleaux. After exploring 500 immersive productions, she created the REMARKABLE 2025 report, a weighted evaluation rubric that measures emotional resonance, exchange, magic, and engrossing moments that leave a lasting imprint. In this conversation, she shares how luxury hospitality can adopt non-transactional touchpoints, sensory design, and playful facilitation to create transformative guest journeys. Also featuring: * Susie Arnett – Transformational Concierge; Editor and Director of Wellness Programming, Six Senses * Sharon Hirschowitz – Head of Communications, International Luxury Hotel Association In this episode: * Translating immersive entertainment principles to hospitality: from sensory signatures to “crossing the threshold” rituals. * The Hermès “unshoppable event” an experience offered purely as a cultural gift. * Play, agency, and human-centered design in check-ins, spa experiences, and departure rituals. * When technology supports storytelling and when it isolates. Follow the podcast and explore more insights: ⁠⁠ilha.org⁠⁠ [ilha.org]

What Can Luxury Hospitality Learn from the World of Luxury Wines and Spirits?

In this episode of ILHA Suite Talk, Chris Gabaldon, President and CEO of Moët Hennessy North America, joins Susie Arnett, Transformational Concierge Editor and Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses and Sharon Hirschowitz, Head of Communications at the International Luxury Hotel Association for a conversation on brand storytelling, emotional resonance, and how legacy brands stay relevant without losing their identity. They discuss: - How heritage and innovation can coexist - What luxury hospitality can learn from the pace of premium spirits - Why emotional connection—not status—is the new currency for high-net-worth guests - The role of digital in extending the guest relationship beyond the stay An inside look at the strategic thinking behind some of the world’s most enduring luxury brands. Follow the podcast and explore more insights: ⁠ilha.org⁠ [ilha.org]

The Impact Hospitality Handbook

In this episode of ILHA Suite Talk, Sharon Hirschowitz, Head of Communications at the International Luxury Hotel Association, speaks with Donte Johnson and Jason Bass, co-authors of The Impact Hospitality Handbook. They share how a hotel in Baltimore became a space for social impact during a two-year period of crisis. From offering hotel space to independent restaurateurs to redirecting housekeeping savings to local nonprofits, they walk through the steps that turned isolated actions into a sustainable framework. In this episode • How they connected daily operations with community outcomes • What worked and what didn’t when budgets were tight • How to engage teams around a shared purpose • What future guests and hotel staff are beginning to expect Follow the podcast and explore more insights at ⁠ilha.org [ilha.org]

Insights Beyond Hospitality: From Price Tag to Cultural Capital

In this episode, Ana Andjelic, PhD in Sociology and Brand Strategist, author of "The Business of Aspiration," joins host Susie Arnett, Transformational Concierge Editor & Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses, and Sharon Hirschowitz, Head of Communications at the International Luxury Hotel Association, to discuss how luxury hospitality brands can leverage cultural capital to enhance guest experiences. Ana explores the shift from conspicuous consumption toward taste-driven experiences, the rising importance of curated and collectible moments, and why understanding niche communities is crucial for resonating with today's luxury guests. Key insights include: * Defining and utilizing "cultural capital" in hospitality * The power of curated experiences and connoisseurship * How luxury hospitality can learn from fashion and retail * Creating lasting guest relationships through meaningful storytelling and personalization * Extending brand connections beyond the guest’s stay through authentic experiences * Empowering hotel staff to embody and deliver genuine brand values 👉 Follow to stay updated on trends redefining luxury hospitality. ilha.org [ilha.org]

Insights Beyond Hospitality: Neuroscience Meets Luxury Hospitality

In this episode, Dr. Paul Zak, Founder of Immersion Neuroscience, shares how neuroscience is helping redefine the guest experience in luxury hospitality. His research uncovers the emotional signals behind memory, connection, and trust. These are core elements of a stay that stays with the guest long after they’ve left. Susie Arnett, Transformational Concierge Editor and Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses, and Sharon Hirschowitz, Head of Communications at the International Luxury Hotel Association, explore how these insights translate into hotel operations, team culture, and long-term guest relationships. 🎧 Highlights: • Identifying peak moments and reinforcing them • Understanding the emotional impact of staff engagement • Applying technology to deepen guest connection • Designing experiences that are remembered and shared • Training teams to deliver with presence and purpose Read the full Q&A on Substack: susiearnett.substack.com [susiearnett.substack.com] Follow the podcast and explore more insights: ilha.org [ilha.org]