- Hospitality Daily
- Posts
- The Palisociety Model of Proprietor-Led Hospitality
The Palisociety Model of Proprietor-Led Hospitality
with Jorgan von Stiening, President at Palisociety
Josiah Mackenzie
November 16, 2023
Together with
Palisociety is one of the fastest-growing lifestyle hospitality companies today, and they recently invited me down to Los Angeles to meet with their President Jorgan Von Stiening to talk about their brands and perspective on hospitality. They hosted me at one of their LA properties, and I felt they executed the details so well - from the interior design that feels both comfortably nostalgic and whimsical to little surprise and delight moments throughout - like the insanely good cookie in my room 🙂
Today, we’re learning about how the company got started, how they operate with a "proprietor-led point of view" - and other things they do differently that have been so successful for them so far.
👋 First time reading? Subscribe here
TOGETHER WITH HIREOLOGY
Hireology State of Hiring in Hospitality Report 2023
Hotels, resorts, and other hospitality businesses have never fully recovered the jobs they were forced to eliminate at the onset of the pandemic and now — more than three years later — are still struggling to attract talent for these roles. Workers in this sector have the upper hand, forcing employers to adjust their offerings and processes to meet their needs or risk losing top talent and taking a hit to the bottom line.
The key for employers in the hospitality space is to better understand the mindset of today’s skilled workers so you can adjust your offerings and processes to stand out. Hireology recently surveyed more than 400 hospitality industry job seekers to understand the modern hospitality worker and created a report that outlines the six common characteristics found in this group and what it means for you as an employer looking to fill open roles, better serve guests, and maximize revenue for your business.
FEATURE STORY
The Palisociety Model of Proprietor-Led Hospitality
with Jorgan von Stiening, President at Palisociety
Jorgan von Stiening // Credit: Josiah Mackenzie - Hospitality Daily
Palisociety's journey began in Los Angeles with the original Palihouse West Hollywood in 2008. "The brand was created as a reflection of the taste and style of Avi Brosh, who's the CEO and the lead designer," Jared told me.
The first hotel that we had literally used his own furniture. And it's still there. There's a big farm table at Palihotel Melrose that was his dining table for years. So it's very much a reflection of the way that he lives, his style, his sensibilities. And I think that's really important for the brand.
Avi Brosh // Credit: Palisociety
This “proprietor-driven” approach is not just about the aesthetic but extends to all aspects of the brand.
Everything that you can touch is [Avi]. Everything that you cannot touch is his wife, Kirsten, who is the principal of brands. The website, the photography, the collateral, the playlist, the scent, the partnerships, the uniforms.
It all has to be really cohesive, right? It's not just about what the property looks like. It's also about how the property and the brand speaks to you. And it's a reflection of them. You go to their house. This is how they live. It's not overly fancy. It's very bohemian, eclectic, town and country chic. And we pay a lot of attention to making sure that that's how the properties ultimately reflect.
Small Hotels, Big Dreams
One of the defining characteristics of Palisociety is its focus on small, neighborhood-centric hotels.
Our hotels are about 65 keys on average, which is very small compared to industry standards. That’s intentional.
This is a strategic choice aimed at creating spaces that feel more personal, more connected to the local culture, and more like a home away from home.
Credit: Palisociety
Our properties are built to function as pillars of the local neighborhood. A lot of hotel companies try to do that. A lot of brands try to do that. Everybody throws around words like local and authentic. But I think we really do that.
Part of that is being a small footprint hotel, something that has more of a neighborhood feel, something where the manager and the staff really are capable of connecting more to people that they see on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. And I think F&B plays a huge part of that.
Fostering Brand Loyalty through Exceptional Experiences
At Palisociety, guest experience is paramount. Every aspect of a guest's stay is meticulously crafted to ensure satisfaction and encourage return visits.
We operate from a point of view that is very proprietor-driven.
Credit: Palisociety
Their personalized touch builds loyalty and makes guests choose Palisociety time and again.
Expanding the Brand While Maintaining the Essence
As Palisociety grows, it continues to diversify its offerings without losing sight of its core values. The introduction of new brands like Le Petit Pali speaks to the company's adaptive but consistent approach.
Credit: Palisociety
We saw an opportunity in the past couple of years ago to enter the very high-end, really bespoke bed-and-breakfast market. We saw a couple of properties that were located in Carmel (California) that really didn't fit into what we currently had, but we knew that these were really, really high-rated markets. We knew that they were just beautiful, little quaint properties.
So we saw that opportunity, and we saw a few other opportunities that were sort of hovering in our pipeline, and we created the Le Petit Pali brand. Le Petit Pali is really the most bespoke brand that we have from a design standpoint. They're very small, very modest buildings in really, really fantastic markets. It's our version of a bed and breakfast, really.
We opened the two Le Petit Palis in July in Carmel. We have three more under construction, one Laguna Beach, one in Brentwood, and one in St. Helena in Napa Valley. So it's been a big growth area for us. I think a lot of these markets are really underserved with really interesting product. So it's been a big growth avenue for us.
Looking Ahead
Beyond its growth plans for its brands, the Palisociety team is looking for more ways to engage its guests, including launching a new loyalty program in 2024.
It's not going to be a point-based program. Our guest wants something specific and is going to be stimulated by something specific. We know that because they're stimulated already by what we offer. So understanding how to tailor a loyalty program to excite them is a big initiative for 2024.
Credit: Palisociety
Palisociety presents a compelling case study of what founder-led hospitality can look like at scale. By blending striking interior design with thoughtful service, their properties are standing out - and inspiring us all for what hospitality can look like.
Who do you know that would appreciate this today? Click here to forward this email.
What did you think of today's email? |