Hospitality Daily Podcast 90 to 1: The Hotel Tech Future I’m Excited About - Eugene Leonard, Hotel Cafe Royal
Oct 30, 2025
Eugene Leonard, General Manager of Hotel Café Royal, brings his luxury hospitality expertise to the forefront alongside Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. They dive into how technology is revolutionizing the guest experience, from unifying 90 disconnected systems into one seamless communication platform to leveraging AI tools for rapid decision-making. Eugene emphasizes personalization through intentional listening and insights gathered from guest profiles while maintaining the essential human touch in service. Their discussion offers a fresh perspective on balancing technology and authentic hospitality.
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90 Systems To Run A Hotel
- Eugene recounts opening a hotel that required building 90 separate IT systems to run operations.
- He uses this to illustrate how fragmented technology made operations complex and inefficient.
One Channel For Guest Experience
- Eugene observes that tying multiple systems into one guest-facing channel is revolutionary for hotels.
- Consolidation removes friction and creates a single communication flow with guests.
Checkout Surprise Solved By Integration
- Eugene gives a concrete example: checkout teams often ask about onward transport without knowing concierge already booked a car.
- Integrated systems now show that the car is waiting, avoiding redundant questions and improving service.