Is a supper club your secret weapon?

Welcome back, hotel insiders—this week we’re talking archetypes, atmosphere and amber liquid inspiration. 

First up: traveler archetypes. Forget trying to be everything to everyone; traveler archetypes help you define your audience and own it. Then we dive into the magic of supper clubs—those intimate, buzz-worthy experiences that elevate dining into connection. And we head to Lexington, Kentucky, where a boutique hotel is pouring personality into rickhouse-inspired, bourbon-infused design.

It’s all proof that storytelling is what keeps independent hotels unforgettable.

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Bluegrass hospitality

At The Manchester in Kentucky, design goes way beyond decoration, all the way to identity. The boutique space is Lexington distilled: warm, layered and full of quiet acknowledgements to tradition.

Why it matters: The Manchester nails unforgettable by blending old and new: reclaimed materials, curated art and spaces that whisper of Lexington’s bourbon and equestrian heritage. The lobby, outfitted with wood walls and brick flooring, features multiple archways separating the main room and the lobby bar, a subtle nod to the rickhouse-inspired, bourbon-infused story of the hotel. Warm wood tones, leather upholstery and moody, color-saturated walls continue in the property's 125 individually decorated rooms that GM Gabe Isaac says are "inviting in a way that makes you want to stay longer.” This Distillery District hotel is full of small-but-meaningful details that inspire guests to say it feels like nowhere else. (A Hotel Podcast)

Above: A guestroom at The Manchester. (Courtesy)

One-night-only magic

Sure, dinner is nice. But dinner that feels like you’ve scored an invite to an insider’s table—with flowing wine and fast friends? That’s the magic of a supper club, built for guests who crave connection as much as cuisine.

Why it matters: Supper clubs are the kind of low-key magic that turn a stay into a story, allowing hotels to show off personality without overhauling the menu or the dining room. A long table, an intriguing theme, maybe a local chef cameo or a local producer partnership—and suddenly, instead of a standard restaurant service, you’re offering guests a curated evening that feels like a secret they were lucky to discover. Locals love it, travelers remember it and the property feels like the hottest ticket in town. That’s the kind of energy independent hotels thrive on. (Roadbook) 

Destination: synchronicity

AI is only as smart as the info you feed it—and in hospitality, messy data is the digital version of a double-booked room. Creating a “data lake”—one platform where all your systems flow together—turns that tangle into something AI can actually work with.

Why it matters: Most hotels run on siloed platforms, which makes it nearly impossible for AI to see the full picture. Once your data is synced and streamlined in a data lake, forecasting labor, adjusting rates and anticipating guest needs becomes faster, enabling AI platforms to work on top of the data, giving you "the right decisions to make," says Highgate Technology Ventures partner Kurien Jacob. (CoStar)

Choose your player

Leisure travel isn’t slowing down; in fact, recent Boston Consulting Group research says it will triple from $5 trillion to $15 trillion by 2040. Triptease rounded up 10 smart takeaways so hoteliers can cash in on the boom.

Why it matters: As an independent hotelier, clarity beats casting a wide net you can’t manage, which is why #7 stood out to us: Choose your traveler archetype. Forget “everyone” as your target—it doesn’t convert, and it drains energy. When you tailor your marketing to specific archetypes, you make every touchpoint feel intentional: the website resonates, social posts whisper “you belong here,” and guests arrive with expectations you can fully deliver. (Triptease)

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Mint Pillow is curated and written by Jennifer Glatt and edited by Lesley McKenzie.