- Fragmentation is the No. 1 pain point
Nearly every respondent cited integrations between systems as their biggest source of friction. As Danielle Goller, general manager of the Culver Hotel, put it plainly: systems simply "don't talk to each other." Rosalyn Van Hovel, general manager of Shore Haven Inn, described navigating more than 10 logins to complete daily tasks, calling it a direct drain on guest experience and team leadership. - Consolidation appetite is real but nuanced
Most respondents leaned toward "a few tightly connected best-in-class systems" over a full all-in-one platform suggesting hoteliers want fewer vendors but aren't ready to surrender best-in-class functionality entirely. Only a minority preferred a true all-in-one. This is a critical nuance for the market. - AI is being used but results are mixed
Current AI usage clusters around guest communication, revenue/pricing and marketing. Reported outcomes ranged from "significant time savings" to "too early to tell" to "concerned about reliability." No one reported transformative results yet–suggesting the industry is still in an early adoption phase. - Value vs. cost tension is building
The majority rated their tech spend as "acceptable but could be improved." Kurt Bjorkman, chief operating officer at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, flatly stated it
was "too expensive for the value delivered." No one reported strong satisfaction–signaling a readiness to cut underperforming tools. From BLLA’s Survey to Hotel Members 2026 - The exit-strategy problem (a standout insight)
Bjorkman raised a concern not often discussed publicly: many tech vendors–especially AI startups–are built for a 5-year exit, not a long-term customer relationship. As he described it, operators "start with a great company, develop amazing relationships, and then they’re acquired, and the entire thing changes." This is a growing trust issue between operators and vendors as the hospitality industry continues its buying spree. - The ideal future state: simplicity + intelligence
Respondents' vision for 2028 centered on a simple, AI-powered dashboard that surfaces key data and recommends actions with minimal friction. Ritesh Jariwala, managing director of Bridgeton, described wanting to quickly review stats in a simple dashboard– “maybe even hit a few approve buttons to implement strategies clearly laid out based on the data." David Bowd, CEO of Salt Hotels, envisioned "tech systems running in the background, aiding the team to give guests a fantastic experience without needing to worry about tech." Bjorkman went further, imagining an AI agent with "the ability to connect every platform at the property level–
giving the operator a single place for running reports and asking questions." - What they want from tech partners
Top expectations across respondents: measurable ROI, strong integrations, hands-on support and innovation. Tina Newman, DOSM of Castle Hot Springs, summed it up as "ease of integration with predictive updates." Tammara Croman, general manager of the Blind Tiger Guest House said that limitations in functionality from either a user, guest or owner perspective as the core ongoing frustration.
To ground this analysis in the lived reality of independent operators, BLLA conducted a survey among its hotel members – asking owners, general managers and executives to share candid perspectives on their current technology experience, pain points and vision for the future.
BLLA will continuously update the progression of these topics through surveys and live discussions at all conferences.
