Hospitality Daily Podcast Digital Detox Done Differently: How Hector Hughes Built Unplugged into a Hospitality Phenomenon
Aug 3, 2025
Hector Hughes, co-founder of Unplugged, transforms wellness travel by offering immersive digital detox experiences in nature. He discusses how typical digital detox options fail to engage guests and what makes Unplugged unique. Danica Smith, guest experience correspondent, probes into Hector's journey through a silent retreat in the Himalayas, highlighting the significance of disconnecting from technology. Together, they delve into the deeper commitment needed to truly embrace digital detox in hospitality, fostering genuine connections and community.
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Digital Detox Needs Full Experience
- Simply offering digital detox as a hotel amenity rarely works because people are not motivated to be offline when surrounded by distractions.
- Unplugged builds its guest experience entirely around disconnecting to make spending time offline aspirational and cool.
Silent Retreat Sparked Unplugged
- Hector's aha moment came after a 10-day silent retreat in the Himalayas where he gave up his phone and found profound mental calm.
- He designed Unplugged as a three-night fixed stay to allow guests to reach the same deep offline state rather than short visits that don't have full benefits.
Commitment Happens Pre-Arrival
- Guests initially resist handing over phones because it feels extreme, but commitment happens before arrival through behavioral psychology.
- Success requires making digital detox an emotional, aspirational experience that guests brag about, not just a hotel add-on.