There's just something about people in hospitality.
The Hotels team here at CoStar News has been on the road a lot in the last month at conferences, doing interviews, all of it. Every time I'm out in the industry, I'm reminded of the fact that yes, there's just something about people in hospitality.
The real ones live it. It's like they exude it. Every interaction is a chance for hospitality, and — unless you're all amazing actors — it's real.
It's why I wasn't surprised to read about consummate hospitality guy Chip Conley's latest venture in the New York Times this week.
Many of you I'm sure knew Conley when he was an active lodging industry executive — as founder of Joie de Vivre hospitality, and later with Airbnb — or at least know of him. He's one of the pioneers, I'd say, of the modern boutique hotel movement. He opened the Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood in the 80s. It was a hangout for musicians, entertainers, politicians and revelers in general.
That hotel launched the Joie de Vivre hospitality company, which would go on to open several similarly vibe-y hotels and later get acquired by Hyatt's investor parents. Now Jdv by Hyatt is a collection of quirky, fun boutique hotels (and, this just in, the Phoenix — once slated for closure — seems to be back open).
Anyway, Conley's latest venture has been a mission, if you will, to enhance people's midlife eras. He runs workshops and retreats under the Modern Elder Academy brand that are designed to "reimagine aging and create exciting and meaningful chapters in midlife and beyond."
Of course his hotel background would resurface, and according to the New York Times article linked above, he's bringing his hospitality magic to co-living communities.
It's genius. Conley and his Modern Elder Academy partner initially financed a community of 26 townhouses, which are owned by mostly female alums of the MEA programs. Now the pair are dipping a toe in shared rental homes near the MEA campus in Santa Fe.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with Margaritaville CEO John Cohlan a few years ago. The company's Latitudes senior living communities were designed, Cohlan said, because people who love and live that Cheeseburger in Paradise life do, in fact, grow up and get older, so why not expand the brand?
That's genius. That's ... hospitality.
Sign me up for a Golden Girls house.
Email me or find me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CoStar News or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.