The Modern Hotelier #162: How Independent Hotels Are Shaping the Future of Personalized Travel | with Summer Shoemaker
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Summer Shoemaker: I love everything about Independent Hotels. Working in an Independent, your ability to create your own story and create your own experiences, it's second to none. And I think that's what our customers are looking for. The independent hotel is becoming more and more popular. Guests love to travel into Independent Properties. But there's a lot of things that we need help with and that's where Curator comes in. 
Steve Carran: Welcome to an episode of The Modern Hotelier. We are on premise at San Diego Mission Bay Resort. We are joined by Summer Shoemaker, the gm. How you doing today, summer?
Summer Shoemaker: I'm great. Thank you for being here 
Steve Carran: Great. Thanks for sitting down with us. So can you give us a little background about you? Where did you grow up?
Summer Shoemaker: Well, that is, a little bit longer story than some, but I actually grew up in a mix between, uh, Northern California, Colorado, and a little bit of Hawaii with divorced parents. I had actually the great benefit of being able to see and experience a lot of different places.
my dad was in Colorado, my mom Northern California, and then my dad moved to Hawaii and I think that's where I got a little bit of the travel bug. Sure.
Steve Carran: Sure, sure. being a general manager on property of this caliber I can imagine presents some challenges. How has Curator made your job easier?
Summer Shoemaker: Gosh, well, you're, you are right. There's always, um, every, every day is a new day and, new challenges come up every day. And I think one of the best things that Curator offers us really is a foundation of resource that most independents don't have. Curator is able to provide us with a lot of, backup in order to make sure that we're vetting all of the different vendors.
We have emails that are coming into our inbox all day long. We don't know what to believe. We don't have time to go through all of the due diligence, and, and curator is there to, to help support us in that. 
David Millili: And you give some more examples on how Curator helps you save time and resources.
Summer Shoemaker: Well the bottom line really for us is that we are really good at taking care of our guests. we are not so good at vetting technology, and especially as complicated as technology has become over the years. understanding and making sure that the best technology at the best price is what we're putting in.
It takes a lot of time and effort. To install, you know, just as the small example, which is a big part of our industry, but technology, but all the way through to even mini bar products. making sure that we have a great product at a great price is really what sets us apart. You bet. Okay.
Steve Carran: What would you say to a Hotelier or fellow GM that's considering joining Curator?
Summer Shoemaker: I would say go for it. there is no risk. It is a absolutely a zero risk, um, opportunity. The resources that they provide are, uh, there, there is no cost for the first six months. there's really no, no risk. They come in, they'll go through all your contracts, they vet all of the different, current contracts and invoices that you have, they'll go through and verify and then they'll come to you with the solutions. and at that point you can make a decision of whether or not it's something that you think is gonna work for you. That's great. 
David Millili: Are there any standout wins that you've had with working with Curator?
Summer Shoemaker: I think there's quite a few most recently we've had actually Revetted our, uh, audio visual provider and that provider, with their help, we were able to get, Well into over $200,000 in benefit to the hotel. Um, between both, revenue strategy and then also in, in cost savings. and then to, to, not small things, but very important things of let's just say our house wine program and using, departure for example.
And we basically cut all of our house wine cost down by 50%. And, Between all of the properties that are able to contribute into that buying program, we leverage a much better price, um, and volume, and really helps us, um, build profitability.
Steve Carran: We're in San Diego, a lot of hotels, lot of chains here as well. How does Curator help you compete with those larger chains as an independent hotel? Yeah. Well, in independents you have to be, really willing to, and you like to create your own, story, you're building your own brand. every property is a little bit different and we get to build our own experiences, but at the end of the day, there's a lot of things that we don't wanna do on our own, but we, end up having to, and that's where curator comes in, is they are that backup for us.
Summer Shoemaker: To make sure that we are doing it right, that we have all of the knowledge and resources, and that those vendors that we're working with, um, are, are going to be, on board and on the same page with us. And when we need curator to come in and help us, they're there to 
David Millili: What do you love about independent hotels?
Summer Shoemaker: I love everything about independent hotels. I did work in brands for a little while at the very, very early beginnings of my career. And brands are great. They definitely serve a great purpose. but working in an independent, your ability to create your own story and create your own experiences it's second to none, and I think that's what.
Our customers are looking for the independent, hotel is becoming more and more popular. Guests love to travel into independent properties. but there's a lot of things that we need help with and that's where curator comes in. 
Steve Carran: That's great. That's great. Well, thank you for sitting down with us Summer. This was great, beautiful resort. If you're ever in San Diego, you have to check it out. Thank you so much. And uh, yeah, make sure to check out the Curator Collection.
Summer Shoemaker: Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for joining us. 
David & Steve Audio: Have great day.