SAVVY CONVERSATIONS AT THE INDEPENDENT HOTEL SHOW 2026

Two days, plenty of conversations and lots to think about as SAVVY Collective joined independent hotel owners, operators and industry leaders at this year's Independent Hotel Show in London.

For SAVVY Collective, the show was a great opportunity to connect with people across the independent hospitality sector, share experiences, explore opportunities and discuss some of the challenges and changes shaping our industry.

Founder and CEO Steven Hesketh, Development Director Stephen Miles and the SAVVY team spent two busy days meeting hotel owners, operators and industry partners, with conversations ranging from hotel performance and commercial opportunities to the future of hospitality and what independent operators need from their business partners.

As a business built on real ownership and operational experience, these are exactly the conversations we want to be having.

AI, innovation and the independent hotelier

Away from the stand, the show's seminar programme offered plenty of food for thought, with artificial intelligence emerging as one of the key talking points.

From guest communication and revenue management to pricing strategies and operational efficiencies, discussions explored how AI is already influencing the way hotels operate.

For independent hoteliers, the opportunity is finding ways to embrace technology that improves performance, saves time and supports teams, without losing the personality, individuality and personal service that make independent hospitality so special.

The message was clear: AI is no longer a conversation about the future. It's happening now, and understanding where it can genuinely add value is increasingly important.

Investing in the next generation

Another important conversation centred on attracting, developing and retaining the next generation of hospitality talent.

This is a subject particularly close to our hearts at SAVVY, it’s one of our key services we offer.

Hospitality offers an incredible range of career opportunities, but as an industry, we still have work to do in helping young people understand just how rewarding and varied those opportunities can be.

It was also timely as we had our grassroots entry book for education Bee Our Guest, on the stand, opening up further conversations with industry about how we introduce hospitality to younger audiences and encourage more schools to explore the opportunities our industry offers.

Conversations that create opportunities

Of course, one of the biggest highlights was the opportunity to speak directly with independent hotel owners about their businesses, their ambitions and the challenges they face.

For some, the focus was on improving commercial performance and profitability. For others, it was about potential management partnerships, future investment opportunities or simply having access to experienced people who understand what it takes to own and operate a hotel.

Steven Hesketh, Founder and CEO of SAVVY Collective, said:

"One of the best things about the show was having so many open conversations with fellow owners and operators. Owning and operating hotels myself, I understand the pressures, the challenges and the opportunities that come with running an independent business.”

"That's what SAVVY brings to the table. We're not simply advising from the sidelines. We have real ownership and operational experience, and we understand what matters commercially as well as personally to independent owners."

Stephen Miles, Development Director, added:

"The show gave us a fantastic opportunity to meet independent owners, understand more about their businesses and share where SAVVY will make a real difference. There were some really positive conversations, and we're looking forward to building on those relationships over the coming weeks."

Keeping the conversation going

With our refreshed brand, growing leadership team and clear ambitions for the future, it was a particularly timely opportunity to introduce more people to SAVVY Collective and the expertise we bring to independent hospitality businesses.

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand. Two days well spent, plenty to take away and, importantly, some great new relationships and conversations to build on.

If you're an independent hotel owner looking to explore new opportunities, improve performance or find an experienced commercial and management partner, let’s continue the conversation.

Get in touch with the SAVVY Collective team at info@savvycollective.co.uk