Want To Innovate? Travel and Observe

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Want to know what’s behind all the awards and recognition Lark Hotels has been getting recently for their creativity and guest experience? (7 Michelin Keys, Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice, and the list goes on…)

I got a chance to see this in action while listening to founders Meg Kennedy and Rob Blood reflect on their California road trip this week. When we sat down together at the Independent Lodging Congress this week, their creative process came alive through stories of challenges turned into opportunities. It wasn't about theories or trends but about experiencing problems firsthand and immediately working on solutions.

Keep reading for my top takeaways…

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Want To Innovate? Travel and Observe

Is THIS the Future of Boutique Hotels? (Road Trip Revelations)

Meg Kennedy and Rob Blood are the founders of Lark Hotels. Looking at the stats from more than 700 episodes of Hospitality Daily so far, my conversations with Meg and Rob consistently rank in the top 10 most popular—above some of the biggest names in our industry. I think it's because they teach us something essential - and that’s what we’re doing to learn about today as we hear them reflect on their recent road trip to Northern California….

Listen to the conversation on the Hospitality Daily Podcast

The big idea: The most effective hospitality innovation comes from leaders who regularly put themselves in their guests' shoes, experiencing both pain points and possibilities firsthand.

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We were coming because of the conference... and we're like, how are we going to do this trip with a four-year-old and still try to have adult time on a budget? That's a hard thing to solve for.

Some takeaways from this conversation:

Strategic Constraints Drive Innovation: Rob & Meg’s trip had specific parameters: it was budget-focused, they were traveling with a diabetic 4-year-old, and celebrating an anniversary. These constraints forced creative problem-solving and revealed market gaps they could fill.
Research Through Experience: They tested different property types and service models:
- Stayed at value-focused Calistoga Motor Lodge
- Used ResortPass to access luxury amenities at Stanley Ranch
- Experienced the challenges of finding appropriate room configurations
Solutions From Pain Points: Each challenge they had led to potential solutions and business opportunities:
- Extended Stay reimagined as "comfortable places for families"
- Partnership opportunities between amenity-light and full-service properties
- Room configurations and amenities for families
- ResortPass integration as a value-add rather than competition
Community Integration: The examples they shared from their Blind Tiger brand demonstrate how personal experiences shape compelling hospitality:
- Local personalities “host” specific rooms at their hotel (this concept they described is genius!)
- Insider recommendations come from real friendships in the community
- “Access partnerships” create genuine local experiences

Why It Matters: It’s one thing to be “creative” - it’s another to ensure that creativity leads to delighting guests and making money. By experiencing travel challenges firsthand, Meg and Rob identify opportunities others miss and create solutions that address real needs rather than perceived ones.

Listen now to the full conversation on this on the Hospitality Daily Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Spotify)

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-Josiah

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