Daylight Saving Time
Happy Daylight Saving Week. It’s the annual calendar shuffle. I’m in Michigan, which observes the change, while most of my work is in Hawaii and Mexico, both of which wisely skip it.

Word of the Year
Dictionary.com has named “67” as the word of the year.

TikTok Hotel Chronicles
My usual TikTok scroll stopped cold this week after seeing a guest at a New York hotel post a video pointing out inconsistencies in the in-room dining menu. It now has 176,000 likes and 31,000 shares. My thoughts:

A. It happens. Every hotel marketer knows the pain of something going out too fast or guest-facing collateral being released without marketing review and ending up wildly off-brand.

B. This is the kind of clip to bookmark when departments push back on branding or processes. It’s also a reminder that marketing should not carry brand consistency alone. When multiple teams are empowered to flag inconsistencies and help escalate updates, it builds a culture of shared accountability and attention to detail. And take this as a reminder not to take things personally. Someone flagging an edit, or inaccurate hours? Thank them for pointing it out before a guest does.

Hotel Marketers You Should Know
Meet Farid Audelo, Marketing Manager at Conrad Punta de Mita. I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Farid daily over the past two weeks as he onboarded as Conrad Punta de Mita’s newest team member, a property I’ve been task-forcing with over the past two months and on previous projects. Farid has extensive digital experience through a variety of agency positions, and is currently in the final phases of completing his MBA, which he’ll receive in December.

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⚡️ Canva World Tour: Product Launches // Canva

Canva launched its Creative Operating System, a unified platform combining a redesigned Visual Suite, design-focused AI, Canva Grow marketing engine, Brand System 2.0, and free Affinity integration. New tools like video 2.0, canva forms, email design and HTML export, pixel eraser, and AI-powered 3D and style match features streamline how teams create, publish, and analyze campaigns.

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Trending news, marketing news, and reports:

▶️ Canva takes direct aim at Adobe's egregious prices and moves Affinity to a free model // Window Central

▶️ The 2025 Social Media Salary Report // Link in Bio

▶️ The 100 Most Incredible Hotels in the World in 2026 // Fodor’s Travel

▶️ Reddit trends in 2025: How marketers can track what’s next // Hootsuite

▶️ How Hotel Institute Montreux Increased Leads By 50% w/ 1 Line of Text // Growbo

▶️ This Dessert-Only Tasting Menu in San Antonio Just Got a Michelin Star // Robb Report

▶️ Traffic is no longer a reliable growth metric // Growth Unhinged

▶️ Hotel leaders send urgent letter to end government shutdown // Boutique Hotelier

▶️ HBO ends White Lotus partnership with Four Seasons // Boutique Hotelier

▶️ Google Q3 Report: AI Mode, AI Overviews Lift Total Search Usage // Search Engine Journal

▶️ New AI-powered tools to make it easier to create and share on TikTok // TikTok

▶️ China now requires influencers to hold a degree, professional license, or certification to post about “serious” topics like finance, health, medicine, law, and education. // India Times

▶️ AI-Engine Optimized (AEO) News Release Template // Crackle PR

▶️ 7 Email Marketing Techniques to Increase Your Open Rates // Social Media Today

Tracking the agencies shaping the hospitality industry’s biggest moments while building an ever-growing resource list for hotel marketers.

✅ P-22 Agency named PR and social media agency of record for Conrad Punta de Mita.

✅ Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Tourism names MMGY Global as worldwide PR and social media agency of record. (via O’Dwyer’s)

✅ IDeaS announced a new technology partnership agreement with EOS Hospitality (via Lodging Magazine)

A weekly round-up of fresh inspiration and a closer look at experiential design, sensory branding, and the quiet details that define unforgettable spaces.

culinary & culture // Alpine Roots, Regenerative Rhythms at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay
Part of 1 Hotels’ Chefs by Nature series, this collaboration brings the Dolomites to Kaua‘i through Chef Norbert Niederkofler of Italy’s St. Hubertus. The menu combines alpine techniques with island ingredients, grounded in the shared values of sustainability and sense of place. Each course reflects the rhythm of nature, offering an experience that feels both local and deeply connected to the land.

culinary & culture // St. Regis x Ladurée
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts partners with Ladurée to introduce an exclusive afternoon tea collection celebrating the ritual of refined indulgence. The collaboration blends St. Regis sophistication with Ladurée’s Parisian artistry, offering signature pastries and teas inspired by iconic destinations around the world. Together they create a modern expression of timeless tradition, where elegance is savored one bite at a time.

experience // Outdoor Cinemas in the UAE
As cooler evenings return to the desert, outdoor cinemas across the UAE transform rooftops, beaches, and gardens into open-air theaters. From city skyline backdrops to private resort screenings, these cinematic settings blend nostalgia with modern luxury. Plush lounges, curated menus, and starlit skies turn movie nights into social rituals that capture the region’s evolving love for experiential leisure.

leadership & vision // Alejandro Reynal on the Future of Four Seasons
In his first full year as CEO, Alejandro Reynal outlines a vision for Four Seasons centered on purpose, personalization, and people. His approach balances the brand’s heritage of service excellence with innovation across wellness, design, and residential living. Under his leadership, Four Seasons continues to evolve beyond hotels into a lifestyle ecosystem that connects guests through experiences defined by authenticity, intention, and emotional resonance.

experience // Celestial Journeys at Four Seasons O‘ahu
Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu invites guests to connect with Hawaii’s night sky through immersive stargazing and celestial wellness rituals. Guided by local astronomers and cultural practitioners, the experience blends science and storytelling, linking the stars to ancient Polynesian navigation and spiritual reflection. Set against the calm of Ko Olina, it offers a rare moment of stillness and wonder where culture, cosmos, and connection align.

I’m Rachel Watroba, a passionate hotelier and luxury hotel marketer, and publisher of The Hotel Marketing 5.15.

Based on a communication method developed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the 5.15 is a weekly format designed to synthesize key insights in 15 minutes or less and be read in five minutes. This newsletter applies the same principle to hotel marketing: concise, actionable trends and opportunities curated for industry professionals.