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Luxe Élevé Newsletter: December 31, 2025

Newsletter

Starting 2026 on the Right Foot

AI is Transformational, but the Fundamentals Never Changed.

My strong recommendation to the hospitality industry is turn away from the shiny objects and build foundation before function, foundation before features. So much of the AI hype is tied to the hope (perhaps a little delusion) that AI would solve challenges the industry has struggled to solve but it has done little to solve it.

These challenges remain; data maturity and sovereignty, siloed disconnected systems, lack of truly owning the guest across the journey. In truth, AI has actually compounded these problems because AI expects… NEEDS these things to be mature and well-thought out to be effective. Imagine handing a new staff member 200 fragmented PDFs and hoping they’ll “figure it out.” This is what many have hoped for with AI. This is why so many AI projects and initiatives have failed.

We must return to the fundamentals. We must take full ownership of our data. Not just transactional data but product and service data, organizational data, guest intelligence, etc. We must create a broad AI strategy and we must govern our technology to support the data and strategy. To learn more about how to do this read this week’s blog post to learn more.

This Week @ Luxe Élevé

The AI Hype is Over, Now Pay Attention

Blog

In 1992, Bill Clinton’s campaign strategist James Carville posted a sign in the campaign war room. Three phrases. The one everyone remembers: “It’s the economy, stupid.” Not because it was…

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Three Approaches to Agentic AI Implementation: Which Path is Right for Luxury Hospitality?

Blog

Everyone’s talking about agentic AI. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini. Conversational AI is everywhere. Luxury resorts are being pitched by chatbots by vendors, watching OTAs build AI-powered booking experiences, and feeling overwhelmed…

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Worth Your While

The great AI hype correction of 2025

Four ways to think about this year’s reckoning

Tip of the Week: Ask These Three Questions Before Any AI Decision

Before signing with any AI vendor or launching any AI initiative, run through this diagnostic:


First, about strategy: Is this AI tactical (solving one problem) or strategic (transforming how you operate)? If strategic, closed solutions cannot scale across your needs.

Second, about risk: What happens if this vendor pivots, gets acquired, or exits hospitality? Can you access your knowledge base? Can you extend to other channels? What happens if you want to switch platforms?

Third, about architecture: Does this approach align with composable principles, or does it force you back into monolithic thinking?

If the vendor can’t answer these questions satisfactorily, or if the answers reveal lock-in, walk away. The AI decision you make today shapes your capabilities for years. Don’t choose based on what gets deployed fastest. Choose based on what positions you to lead when AI becomes central to how you operate.


That’s it for this week. Looking forward to next time!

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