Today, we sit down with Shawn Tarter, CEO of RealTime Reservations, to discuss one of the biggest announcements at HITEC—the company's strategic acquisition and vision for transforming hotel technology.

Shawn shares the story behind meeting Stay's founder at a previous HITEC, how that relationship evolved into a partnership spanning more than 2,600 hotel properties, and why creating a unified platform for ancillary reservations is the future of hospitality.

The conversation explores the industry's push toward a truly connected guest journey, the importance of consolidating hotel technology, and why accurate data is the foundation for AI-driven innovation. Shawn also offers valuable advice for hoteliers navigating vendor fatigue, emphasizing the importance of cultural alignment and customer-focused product development.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why RealTime Reservations acquired Stay and what it means for hotels
• How a single checkout experience can transform the guest journey
• The role of AI in hospitality—and why clean data comes first
• Strategies for reducing tech stack complexity and vendor fatigue
• What's next for Real Time Reservations and the future of hotel technology

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kmsMEf2QlCg

Links:
Shawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-tarter-221b52b2/
RealTime Reservation: https://www.realtimereservation.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/298

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

In this special HITEC edition of The Modern Hotelier, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Rodd Herron, Regional Sales Director at Sirma, to discuss how hotels can move beyond disconnected technology systems and prepare for the future of AI.

Rodd explains why fragmented hotel tech stacks continue to challenge operators and how integrating data across PMS, POS, spa, golf, and other systems creates a more unified guest experience. The conversation also explores practical strategies for implementing AI without unnecessary complexity, why security and compliance should be part of every AI conversation, and how hotels can avoid costly mistakes by taking a thoughtful, phased approach.

Whether you're evaluating AI for the first time or looking to connect your existing technology ecosystem, this episode offers valuable insights into building a smarter, more connected hospitality operation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why disconnected hotel systems remain a major operational challenge
• How AI can unify data across multiple hotel platforms
• The importance of security and compliance in AI adoption
• Why planning and starting small leads to better AI implementation
• How Sirma helps hotels integrate technology and future-proof their operations

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/I4WSbmAVycg

Links:
Rodd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodd-herron-28186a1/
Sirma: https://sirma.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/297

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

In this special HITEC edition of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Apaleo co-founder Philip von Ditfurth and SVP Revenue Florian Montag to explore the future of hospitality technology, AI, and open platform architecture.

The conversation dives into why Apaleo chose a composable, API-first approach long before it became an industry trend, how leading hotel brands are leveraging technology to improve both guest experiences and operational efficiency, and what hoteliers need to do today to prepare for the rise of agentic AI.

Philip shares lessons learned from building technology platforms across fragmented industries, while Florian offers a hotelier’s perspective on AI adoption, governance, and the importance of creating a future-ready technology foundation. Together, they discuss why flexibility, open infrastructure, and strategic technology decisions will define the next generation of successful hotel operators.

Key Topics Include:

• The power of open APIs and composable hospitality technology
• Why AI readiness starts with the right technology foundation
• Lessons from innovative hotel brands like citizenM
• Building a future-proof hotel tech stack
• The balance between guest experience and operational efficiency

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uBwm8n1ExM8

Links:
Philip on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-von-ditfurth-1a570/
Florian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fmontag/
Apaleo: https://apaleo.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/296

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.