AI, guest experience and hybrid hospitality under the spotlight at Independent Hotel Show 2025

Changing perceptions of luxury and the latest trends in hospitality – from AI to experiences – will shape the 2025 agenda of the Independent Hotel Show on 6-7 October at London’s Olympia.

 

With more than 80 industry leaders speaking across three stages, the event will tackle a range of challenges, trends and opportunities for the independent, luxury and boutique hotel sector.

 

Many sessions at this year’s event will be interrogating the show’s central theme of ‘Redefining Luxury’, with a keynote session from Roger Saul, best known as the founder of British luxury brand Mulberry, and a panel discussion titled ‘What is luxury? Evolving notions in challenging times’, featuring Jacques-Henri Brive of Chivas Brothers, Natasha Shafi of Mr & Mrs Smith and Nicola Harding of Nicola Harding & Co.

 

The show’s Innovation Stage will host sessions including ‘How independent hotels can win in the age of AI search’ with Formula’s Adam Hamadache, a deep dive into the latest STR data on occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room across independents and branded hotels with Michal Rao, and upcoming boutique design trends with Kilburn Communications’ Hamish Kilburn, OCCA’s Kate Mooney and Mike Baxter of House of Gods.

 

Plus, there will be a discussion on wellness beyond the spa with the Newt’s Chris Bancroft, Thomas Ferrante of Gilpin hotel and Lake House and Timna Rose of studioAtara.

 

Bancroft said: “It is a great privilege to be asked to be a part of the programme at the Independent Hotel Show again, it sparks great conversation and sharing of knowledge between the speakers and attendees about the latest trends in the industry.”

 

Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality, will be joined by Claudia Abt of citizenM, Mark Grant of epx, Rachel Dobson of Lynx Purchasing and Raj Chakraborty of Macdonald Hotels to discuss cutting costs without compromise, while Sunday Times economics editor David Smith will be taking to the stage to discuss the global economic landscape and the challenges and opportunities on the horizon for independent hotels.

 

The Hotel Business Stage will explore how independent hoteliers can respond to the evolving demands of their guests and the wider market. Sessions will focus on the impact of AI, enhancing the guest experience and the growing influence of hybrid hospitality, offering practical insights into how operators can adapt their strategies for today’s changing industry landscape.

 

Panellists Craig J Bancroft of Northcote, Henry Jackson of Knight Frank and Ian Taylor of Kaleidoscope Hotels will be taking to the stage to explore how an owner can sell their hotel. The sessions will discuss the key steps of successful sales from preparing financials to understanding buyer psychology.

 

This will be followed by an exclusive presentation from Scot Turner of Auden Hospitality unveiling the results of an in-depth survey into hotel F&B by HotStats, which he will then discuss along with Simon Numphud of AA Media and David Connell of Exclusive Collection.

 

Another key discussion on the Hotel Business Stage will be ‘Beyond the Room: The Rise of Hybrid Hospitality’. This session will explore how the lines between hotels, private members’ clubs, branded residences and lifestyle destinations are increasingly overlapping.

 

Moderated by Petra Clayton of Custard, the panel will feature Matthew Parsons of Etude Agency, Naomi Heaton of the Other House and Tej Walia of Foxhills Collection, who will examine how today’s traveller is looking for more than just a place to stay, and how operators can adapt their offering to meet these changing expectations.

 

On the Social Business Stage, practical sessions will focus on using technology and design to improve operations and accessibility. ‘How to Actually Use AI in Your Hotel’ will explore ways to save staff time and streamline processes without replacing the team. The interactive session will feature Alice Ashe from Scrumptious Marketing, offering actionable advice for hotels juggling multiple operational demands.

 

The Accessible Design Talks series will host ‘Clear Communication: An Accessible Design Talk’, outlining what independent hoteliers need to do to attract disabled customers by ensuring their properties are inclusive, welcoming and easy to navigate.

 

Hospitality Action will also host a workshop to discuss how operators can better equip managers with the skills to support junior team members and prevent burnout.