An Interview with Amit Patel

The BLLA Events Team sits down with Amit Patel, Business Line Manager, Hospitality at Corporate Spending Innovations, as he prepares to attend the 2023 Boutique Hotel Investment Conference on June 7-8 at Florence Gould Hall.

BLLA: What are you hoping to get out of your participation in the Boutique Hotel Investment Conference?

AP: Our participation in this conference will help provide insight on where boutique organizations see growth opportunities around destination, experience, and services; as well as see how organizations streamline internal processes to continue to support higher guest engagement.

BLLA: How did you come to enter the hospitality industry?

AP: I entered the hospitality industry as a front-line worker over 20 years ago, which led into manager positions with brands like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. I transitioned to corporate oversight and executive roles within hospitality management organizations over the past decade but still stay very close to my operational roots.

BLLA: What is the mission statement of your company?

AP: Our mission is to help hotel organizations simplify the complexity of managing vendor payments across multiple properties, digitize back-office accounting processes to eliminate fraud, monetize vendor relationships through automation, and create time and revenue to support the guest experience.

BLLA: What does boutique mean to you?

AP: Boutique means crafting a unique, non-standardized experience stylized to a specific lifestyle theme with an individualized personal approach to service.

BLLA: What are the top three trends that you see in the boutique hotel investment space?

AP: I see high design/decor factors continuing to shape the market. Boutique hotels will also trend toward more unique locales or niche markets. Additionally, technology will play a more significant role in delivering more upscale personalized services to capture and build the guest experience.

BLLA: Why do you believe boutique hotels are a good investment?

AP: Travelers continue to look for new experiences in destination locations, or themed experiences in more local areas. As family/work balance continues to be a priority, travelers will value personalized unique experiences more than standardized services, which will drive demand and increase margins for organizations willing to cater to those individuals.