The Astro Edit: What We’re Still Talking About After AHICE

You’re reading the second edition of The Astro Edit, our monthly deep dive into what’s moving and shaking in hospitality.

We’ve just wrapped AHICE, and let’s just say… there’s a lot to talk about. F&B, guest experience, lifestyle hotels and AI. Here are some of the key insights that stuck with us, along with Astro’s take on what it all means for our industry.

Power Session - Food & Beverage: New Benchmarks to expect for 2025 and beyond It featured Michael Stamboulidis (QT Auckland), Alison Hulm (Langham Hospitality), Jonathan Bowmaker maker, (Hilton Australasia), Lenny O’Connell (Marlborough Food and Wine Experience) and Sabrina Matai'a (SkyCity Auckland), a pretty sharp lineup of operators who know what they’re talking about.

Alison had some practical insights around how they’re approaching restaurant and bar spaces in a more forward thinking way.

“We look outside of who our competitors would be in the hotel space and look at what's happening in the restaurants and bars around us as well, particularly when we're looking at new developments and what we're going to do in those spaces.”

It’s not just about keeping up with what other hotels are doing anymore, it’s about seeing what locals are into and making sure your spaces stack up. She went on to say later in the session:

“Long gone are the days that hotels are these exclusive places where only the traveller got to eat in or only got to experience these spaces. And long gone are the days that you can afford to do that either.”

“So if you look at, say, Christchurch, you might have 400 people in your rooms upstairs, but you've got 400,000 around you. So who do you want to invite into your business?”

“A brand is a brand. But what makes you feel can come from the food and beverage or restaurants and bars experience and your people experience as well across the hotel. People in restaurants and bars, they're there to celebrate. They're there to sometimes drive business deals. They're with family, loved ones, etc. So they're memorable, emotive experiences that sort of remind people”.

Lenny added

“I think we've moved away from, I guess, the experience being a nice to have and now it's become quite essential.”

Astro’s Take: This really echoes what we’re seeing too, hotels starting to treat their restaurants and bars as destinations in their own right. When a local walks in and feels just as welcome as a guest, that’s when things start to shift. Those shared spaces are no longer just about feeding people, they’re about anchoring your brand in the community.

Jonathan backed that up but brought it back to brand. For him, F&B isn’t just something hotels offer, it’s a core part of the identity.

“The key need is food and beverage is no longer just an amenity for a hotel. It needs to be a brand-driven experience. It needs to be a major commercial driver behind the operations.”

“The hotels that can create a destination inside a destination, they're the ones that do the best and perform commercially for the operating company and the owners.”

“F&B is where you can get the personality inside the hotel. The experience that's in one location most likely isn't going to work for another. So make sure it's relevant for the market its driving.”

“You need to make sure that the lighting is right and you've got the right music programming, down to the uniform of the team members, the collateral provided, the menus, they all need to support the experience.”

Astro’s Take: This kind of detail focused thinking is what elevates a good guest experience into a memorable one. These aren’t just operational decisions, they’re brand decisions. Every touchpoint matters. The shape of a plate, the way a drink is served, the lighting, the layout, it all contributes to how your space feels. And that feeling? That’s what people remember, talk about, and return for.

Later in the session, the conversation turned to AI, and how it’s starting to play a role in hospitality operations. Jonathan spoke about Hilton’s use of AI tools to help drive sharper performance and decision-making, both from a guest lens and back-of-house.

“So AI can support in doing the things that we used to do in the old days when we had the F&B analysts, which was on-site, making sure they're going through the menus, understanding what is performing, what's not performing.”

“Software that helps guide us into not just what all our team members are selling, but who's selling more and who's not selling, why aren't they selling, and giving that live data that we can then interpret and then take forward into our operations to make sure that we understand that we're at our capacity and our potential.”

And Lenny added:

“You do need to find that right balance between making sure that we still promote the wonderful people within our team, but also embracing what those technology opportunities are. I guess for us, we are looking more AI in back of house, but looking at opportunities in front of house as well.”

Astro’s Take: This space is moving quickly and there’s real value in using tech to sharpen operations without losing the human touch. Whether it’s automating reporting or identifying what’s selling (and what’s not), AI can support your team to be more efficient and more creative. The future of hospitality isn’t less personal, it’s smarter and more tailored.

All up, this session was a timely reminder that F&B isn’t just a support act. It’s the emotional core of the hotel experience. And if you get the experience right, from first impression to final bite, you don’t just fill seats. You build loyalty, reputation, and long-term commercial success.

Power Session - The Interior Design Rules: Hot design, architecture and more. Another standout conversation from AHICE came during The Interior Design Rules panel, a wide-ranging discussion on refurbishment, brand identity, and designing for modern guest expectations.

Hosted by Ruth Hogan from HM Magazine, the panel brought together Chris Stevens (Ctrl Space), Richard Dalman (Dalman Architects), Tracey Wiles (Woods Bagot), Tarek Adasi (Hilton), all with sharp insights on how hotel design is evolving.

One of the strongest ideas that came through. That design constraints can actually lead to better results.

Chris said

“With limitations or with sort of constraints of an existing property actually brings a much more creative response rather than having a clean box to start with. So in some respects, having a refurbishment scenario, you are driven to make innovative and creative responses to these areas. And I think that creates a nice nuance and a memorable experience.”

Astro’s Take: Some of the best ideas come when you're forced to work with what you’ve got. A slightly awkward space, a tighter budget, a dated layout, these things can spark unexpected design moves. And taking on a refurb in stages can make it less daunting and more strategic.

Chris expanded on this idea of being intentional with every area, especially when space is limited.

“Every touchpoint, every area has really got to be fighting for that dollar and fighting for that sort of need and sort of attraction to get customers through the door, be that a guest, be that an external guest. And I think F&B in a social space provides an opportunity to bring the brand out to a wider audience and also give the guest an authentic, localised experience.”

Astro’s Take: This session brought a fresh lens, a reminder that good design doesn’t just shape how a space looks, it shapes how people feel in it. Whether it’s rethinking the flow of a dining space or softening a lobby into a social zone, design plays a big part in getting people through the door (and back again).

Tracey brought a global lens to the conversation, highlighting how hotel space planning is evolving and how we’re starting to see a return to more socially driven layouts.

“I think it's incredibly exciting what's happening with hotels. We used to go into, you know, back in the day, before my time, bars, restaurants, hotels, accommodation areas were social attractors.”

She noted that while that sense of communal energy has stayed alive in parts of Europe, it's now re-emerging across other markets especially through food and beverage.

“It disappeared and somehow European societies have held on to that as an attractor. Less so on this side of the world. So it's really great now seeing the F&B come in. And we've seen a real shift in the proportion of where the concentration is as well. Like we'll find anywhere up to 50% being F&B in relation to rooms as a global trend. And then even in the rooms, we're seeing nearly 50% being bathroom with the new sort of spa luxuriating.”

The conversation then shifted to lifestyle hotels and the idea that their success is rooted not just in design, but in experience. Tarek kicked off the conversation by framing lifestyle hotels as more than just a place to stay they're a destination in themselves:

“I think lifestyle hotels can do really well anywhere as it provides more than just rooms. It provides a destination, it provides an experience for our guests and for our owners obviously it maximises profits as well and it's a win-win for all.”

Richard then expanded on where the concept of lifestyle hospitality has evolved from:

“But lifestyle came out of boutique and boutique came out of the desire to not be cookie cutter is a great generalisation. But what we've found now with lifestyle is the idea of lifestyle has really been incorporated into so many of the hotels that we're doing. The essence of lifestyle which is experience, something which is a little bit less stuffy, it's a bit more relaxed.”

Chris followed, rounding out the perspective by emphasising what guests actually take away from their stay:

“It's all about providing something that people can take away rather than a hotel can be transactional sometimes. But I think that the step up and the opportunity really exists in providing a really good experience be that within the city that it's in, the region that it's in or within the building itself. So I think that's the true opportunity and there will always be a gap for a product that can deliver that.” Astro’s Take: Lifestyle is a feeling, not a theme. It’s in the flow of the space, the way the light falls, the way guests interact with each other and with staff. It’s relaxed, curated, thoughtful. We love seeing this shift toward warmth and intentionality, especially in properties that want to stand apart without over-designing.

The conversation wrapped with some powerful reflections on balancing brand identity with local relevance and why it’s worth investing in the full design process.

Tarek shared:

“From a brand's point of view, it's all about global consistency, that’s what makes the brand strong.”

“But local relevance is just as important. You’ve got to understand the owner’s objective and respond to that. Keep it globally consistent but locally relevant to hit both goals.”

Tracey then followed with a timely reminder:

“Sometimes the design process is sacrificed. Creating a real design language and narrative can get fast tracked for a playbook approach. But investing in the full process leads to stronger outcomes.”

Astro’s Take: This said it all, really. Whether you’re building new or updating an existing space, taking the time to get the design thinking right the story, the intention, the detail makes a huge difference to how a space is felt. Not just seen.

Keynote Speech: The rise of user-generated design and experiences in the New Zealand Market by Lylo Managing Director Tim Alpe. One speaker session that really captured the room was Tim Alpe , giving an insight into the thinking behind the LyLo brand and what it means to create guest experiences that people genuinely want to be part of.

From breaking traditional moulds to listening closely to the guest voice, Tim’s session was a reminder that experience design isn’t just a one off project, it’s a mindset.

“Gone are the days of, please tell me none of you ever have business centres in the bottom of the hotel with no windows and horrible rooms that you expect people to go work from. It doesn't work like that anymore, right? People want to go to places where they can meet other people.”

Astro’s Take: Today’s travellers are looking for connection not just convenience. Whether it's a space to work, eat, or relax, design matters. A corner table with natural light or a flexible lounge with social energy can shape how people feel in your space and whether they come back.

What stood out most was Tim’s approach to understanding guests not just through formal feedback channels, but through actual face time.

“Every Friday morning, when I'm in Auckland, I do a walk around the harbour, where I take between five and 15 people. It's the best way for me to learn about our business. It's the best way to understand why they booked with us, what they loved about the product, what they don't like about the product, what they hate about the product. So there's small things that you can do to really understand. So it's not just about asking when you're developing experiences and products, it's actually continuously asking what it's like. So you bring all that together.” Tim also challenged the industry to think bigger when it comes to true differentiation.

“How do you compete? How do you differentiate yourself? Yeah, you might have a better bar or a better food and beverage offering, but what are those experiences within the property that people go, actually, I want to stay there.”

Astro’s Take: The best insights often come when you’re walking, not surveying. Those casual, human moments reveal more about guest loyalty than any formal feedback form ever could.

And when it comes to standing out? It’s not always about a better bar or sleeker check-in. It’s about the experiences that feel organic the kind that spark a memory, a story, a reason to come back. Designing for those moments is where the real magic happens. And when it comes to designing new products or features, Tim’s advice was grounded but clear-eyed:

“The first takeaway I've got here is build it and they will come or they may not come. So when you're designing experiences, when you're designing products, think about your customer, think about the competitors, use the AI, use whatever you can to make sure that you've got the best experience, but also use the people in the business. We had 8,000 employees at average age of 24. Talk to them and they'll tell you what you should and shouldn't do.”

Astro’s Take: Your team knows what’s working and what isn’t. The best experience design isn’t top-down. It’s built from the ground up, with the help of the people who live and breathe it every day.

And finally, a powerful reminder that great service starts with culture.

“I think asking that continuous question, how much better can it be? I love that because if your staff are thinking that way, then they're constantly doing it. Reward them accordingly. Give them incentives to be able to give you advice and ideas, but also talk to the customers. Go for a walk with them. It sounds ridiculous, but I promise you it works. And lastly, the last thing I had here is just be customer obsessed.”

Astro’s Take: The phrase “customer obsessed” can get thrown around but Tim brought it back to something tangible. It’s not about perfection, it’s about care, curiosity, and always asking what could be better. That mindset trickles down, into service, into design, into culture.

And thats a wrap...

We love being part of conversations like these they push us, inspire us, and keep us curious. Here’s to making hospitality smarter, warmer, and a whole lot easier. See you out there.