Transformative Retreats - Ben Uyeda and Adam Wininger - Defining Hospitality - Episode #212

What is the power of providing unique experiences?

Today, Dan chats with the Co-Founders of Reset Hotels, Ben Uyeda and Adam Wininger, about their unique hotel venture designed for the next generation of conscious travelers. Ben and Adam share insights from their journey in hospitality, emphasizing the importance of midweek group bookings for corporate and wellness retreats, and creating meaningful, immersive experiences in the vast, open spaces of Joshua Tree. The conversation explores the concept of 'reset' in hospitality, the value of modular construction in remote areas, and future visions including art installations, unique retreats, and potentially an interplanetary hotel. Join the conversation as they discuss how thoughtful design and unique experiences can transform simple stays into unforgettable journeys.

Takeaways:

• Excellence in hospitality (and any field) comes from attention to detail and continuous improvement—strive to perfect the small things, not just the big vision.
• Make sure you’re intentional about the guest experience. Always consider how you want people to feel during and after their experience with you, whether in hospitality, business, or daily life.
• Prioritize midweek group and retreat bookings. They are a key driver of business success.
• Be willing to evolve your ideas and operations as you learn from real-world experience. The best concepts often emerge from adapting to changing circumstances.
• Move beyond generic spaces—offer unique, authentic moments (like outdoor activities, art installations, or surprise elements) that guests will remember and share.
• Design experiences that encourage genuine interaction, such as group hikes, yoga at sunset, or shared reading materials.
• Make it easy to deliver “magical” experiences by building thoughtful, repeatable systems (e.g., providing thank you cards and mailing them for guests).

Quote of the Show:

 ”I've always thought of hospitality as the craft of the welcome.” - Ben Uyeda

“ We fully intend to do all that. Just creating little moments of surprise for people out in the desert.” - Adam Wininger

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-uyeda-6927215/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-w1818654323333/ 
• Website: https://www.stayreset.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reset.hotel/ 

Shout Outs:

• 1:16 - Entrepreneurs Organization https://eonetwork.org/ 
• 2:48 - HD Vegas https://hdexpo.hospitalitydesign.com/ 
• 8:24 - U2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2 
• 8:28 - Meadowlands Arena https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowlands_Arena 
• 9:32 - Hype Beast https://hypebeast.com/ 
• 19:09 - Burning Man https://burningman.org/ 
• 24:29 - W Hotels https://w-hotels.marriott.com/ 
• 24:35 - SoulCycle https://www.soul-cycle.com/ 
• 28:06 - Rick Rubin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin 
• 29:30 - Jesse Itzler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Itzler 
• 32:21 - Will Guidara https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Guidara 
• 33:24 - NoMad Library https://nomadlasvegas.mgmresorts.com/en/restaurants/nomad-library.html 
• 35:27 - Eleven Madison Park https://www.elevenmadisonpark.com/ 
• 38:22 - Storm King https://welcome.stormking.org/ 
• 43:23 - Goose https://www.goosetheband.com/ 
• 46:00 - Mass MoCA https://massmoca.org/ 
• 46:26 - Pappy and Harriet’s https://pappyandharriets.com/ 
• 48:12 - Post Ranch Inn https://postranchinn.com/ 
• 48:21 - Chateau Marmont https://www.chateaumarmont.com/ 
• 55:29 - YPO https://www.ypo.org/ 

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/