• The journey from standard to ultra-luxury hotel design
• Why great design doesn’t end at the ribbon-cutting
• What owners often forget after opening day
• Why “luxury” is more about time and space than money
• How lifestyle hotels are misunderstood—and often overpriced
• Trends that excite her (and the ones she thinks are overhyped)
• The role of sustainability and wellness in the next decade of hospitality

Most hotel owners don’t need more legal theory—they need lawyers who understand how hotels actually work. That’s exactly what Steven Shapiro is training his students to become.

Steven is the Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Law Program at American University Washington College of Law. In this episode, he and Chase talk about why hospitality law isn’t just about contracts, and why every law student should walk a hotel kitchen line or tour a property before they give legal advice.

From franchise agreements and liability to emotional intelligence and real-world risk, this episode explores how legal education can support hotel owners, developers, and operators in more meaningful, strategic ways.

Whether you’re a hotelier hiring legal help or just curious what a great hospitality lawyer should look like—this conversation lifts the curtain on a rarely discussed side of the industry.

Can doing good actually make your business more profitable?

In this episode of The Room Key, host Chase Keller sits down with Anna Blue, former President of the AHLA Foundation, for a candid and insightful conversation about workforce development, DEI, and what hotel owners need to know about building a stronger team and a better guest experience.

Anna shares her journey from social justice to hospitality, unpacks the real meaning (and business impact) of DEI, and explains why hotel owners—many of whom are immigrants themselves—have more to gain than lose by investing in their people.

Whether you’re skeptical of DEI or already on board, this episode doesn’t take sides—it seeks solutions. From practical tips on retention and recruitment to bold thoughts on anti-trafficking efforts and generational leadership shifts, this conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on what matters.

Because at the end of the day, great hotels are built by great people.

🔑 Topics Covered

• How Anna Blue accidentally entered hospitality
• What hotel owners get wrong about DEI
• Workforce programs that actually work (and are free!)
• Why guest experience starts with employee experience
• How to rethink hotel jobs as long-term careers
• The role of hotel owners in the fight against human trafficking
• Bridging the gap between what employees want and what ownership needs

Insurance might not be the most glamorous part of running a hotel, but it’s one of the most important. In this episode of The Room Key, I sit down with Tyler Trunnell, better known as “Mr. Hotel Insurance,” to dig into the details every hotel owner should know.

Tyler shares how to avoid costly coverage gaps, what owners often overlook when renewing policies, and the biggest risks facing today’s hospitality businesses. Whether you own one property or a portfolio, this episode will help you make smarter decisions and sleep a little easier at night.

We cover:

• Why hotel insurance is different from other commercial real estate coverage
• Common mistakes that leave hotel owners exposed
• How to balance cost with protection
• Real-world examples of claims and lessons learned
• Tyler’s best advice for owners looking ahead

When you’re facing failed QA inspections, bad guest reviews, and the threat of losing your franchise flag, there’s no time for slow fixes—you need a turnaround expert. Jake Isaacs has made a career out of stepping into these high-pressure situations and leading hotels back to health.

In this episode of The Room Key, Jake sits down with Chase Keller to discuss his remarkable journey: growing up across the U.S., launching his first business in high school, entering hospitality as a chief engineer, and quickly rising to general manager.

Jake walks us through a real-world turnaround story—how he revived a struggling SpringHill Suites in Dallas, passed critical QA inspections, rebuilt guest satisfaction scores, and did it all without big budgets. He shares insights on leadership, cross-training teams, removing “pain points” for guests, and why a $7 toilet flapper can be worth thousands in revenue.

Whether you’re a hotel owner, manager, or just love behind-the-scenes stories of operational success, this episode delivers practical takeaways and inspiring leadership lessons.

From Front Desk to Fairfield: A Conversation with Hotel Owner Vimal Ranat

Growing up in a hotel can teach you a lot about life—and about business. In this episode of The Room Key, host Chase Keller sits down with hospitality veteran Vimal Ranat, who shares his inspiring journey from working the front desk as a child to owning multiple branded properties, including a newly built Fairfield Inn & Suites.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The challenges and opportunities in today’s hospitality industry
• How cross-training staff can solve labor shortages
• Why automation and AI are changing hotel operations
• Vimal’s advice for hotel owners on growth, risk-taking, and building strong partnerships

Bonus Insight: Vimal reveals what it’s really like to do a joint venture for hotel development and shares his vision for the future of midscale and extended-stay properties.

Stay tuned for the Wake-Up Call segment, where Vimal answers rapid-fire questions about hotel ownership and his biggest lessons learned.

Only on The Room Key!

📍 Subscribe for more interviews, legal insights, and real-world hotel strategies: www.youtube.com/@TheRoomKey

If you're a hotel owner, manager, investor, or franchisee—this episode is for you. Stephen Barth is a hospitality attorney, professor at the Conrad Hilton College, and founder of HospitalityLawyer.com. He’s spent decades helping hotel professionals navigate legal risks, build emotionally intelligent teams, and prepare for the unexpected.

In this episode of The Room Key, we dive into:

✅ The most overlooked legal risks in hotel operations

✅ Emotional intelligence as a leadership tool

✅ What every hotelier needs to know about air quality, CO poisoning & fentanyl

✅ Why hotel staff should never give out a room key without ID

✅ The truth behind “the customer is always right”

✅ How legal specialization matters more than ever for owners in small towns

🎁 SPECIAL OFFER FOR OUR VIEWERS:

Stephen is offering free admission to the Hospitality Law Conference in Arlington, VA (Sept 16–17) exclusively to The Room Key audience. It’s a small, high-impact event for hotel owners, brokers, and deal-makers.

💬 To claim your complimentary pass, reach out directly to host Chase Keller, CCIM via email or LinkedIn. Spots are limited—act fast!

📍 Subscribe for more interviews, legal insights, and real-world hotel strategies: www.youtube.com/@TheRoomKey

Reach out to Chase - chase@roomkey.show