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The Layover: Daily Summaries Delivered
by LOST iN
A podcast at the intersection of travel culture and creative industry. Built for brand leaders, designers, hoteliers, and forward-thinking marketers, the series unpacks the people, ideas, and trends redefining global travel. From evolving consumer behavior to destination storytelling and innovation in hospitality, each episode delivers sharp insight through the distinct voice of LOST iN. If you're building the future of travel, The Layover is your essential briefing.
Latest Episodes
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- 1 weeks ago10 min
Albany’s Jill Delaney on Historic Travel, Local Culture & the Future of Destination Marketing
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Jill Delaney, President and CEO of Discover Albany, to explore why New York’s capital is one of the Northeast’s most overlooked cultural destinations—and how a city with more than 400 years of history is finding new ways to attract modern travelers.From historic landmarks and architectural treasures to revitalized museums, culinary institutions, and scenic Hudson Valley adventures, Jill shares why Albany is embracing its heritage while investing in its future. With convenient connections to New York City by Amtrak, a growing arts and culture scene, and deep roots in American history, Albany offers travelers a different kind of New York experience—one built around discovery rather than crowds.Jill breaks down what makes Albany worth exploring:- 400 years of history: Discovering one of America's oldest continuously chartered cities, including its Revolutionary-era landmarks and connections to Hamilton.- A new era for cultural tourism: How a major investment in the New York State Museum is helping revitalize Albany’s cultural offerings.- Architecture and hidden history: Exploring the New York State Capitol, its famous Million Dollar Staircase, and the stories behind the city's historic buildings.- Food with a sense of place: Why institutions like Jack’s Oyster House are an essential part of Albany’s identity.- Easy Northeast escapes: Making Albany part of a Hudson Valley weekend through scenic train journeys, cycling routes, wineries, and nearby historic towns.- Community-first destination marketing: Why supporting local residents, businesses, and cultural institutions is just as important as attracting visitors.The conversation also explores the changing role of destination marketing organizations and why building a great place to visit starts with maintaining a great place to live. Jill shares insights from Destinations International about the growing importance of resident engagement, community partnerships, and preserving the authentic local experiences that travelers increasingly seek.Whether you’re a history enthusiast, culture-focused traveler, weekend explorer, or tourism professional interested in the future of destination marketing, this episode offers a fresh perspective on Albany and the people helping shape its next chapter.Learn MoreExplore Albany’s historic sites, restaurants, museums, and travel experiences at albany.org, and follow Discover Albany on social media.Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood?Check out our award-winning city guides at https://lostin.com/collections/guides -- we pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts.We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam. Connect with usWeb: https://lostin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lostin_travel
- 3 weeks ago11 min
Meet Susan Freeman on Canada’s Food Island, Business Events & the Magic of Prince Edward Island
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Susan Freeman, executive director of Meet PEI, the destination organization focused on bringing business events, conferences, and travelers to Prince Edward Island. Susan introduces PEI as a bucket-list island destination on Canada’s East Coast—connected by ferry to Nova Scotia, by bridge to New Brunswick, and by air through major Canadian cities including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary.Susan shares why PEI has become such a memorable destination for both meeting planners and leisure travelers: it’s small enough to feel intimate, but layered enough that visitors can spend a week or two exploring its beaches, harbor villages, food culture, and hidden gems.Susan breaks down what makes Prince Edward Island stand out: - A strong business events market, hosting groups from 10 to around 1,000 people- A highly connected local community where partners, venues, and operators work closely together- The island’s reputation as Canada’s Food Island, known for oysters, blue mussels, lobster, and seafood- Warm summer beach season, crisp fall weather, and major culinary festivals- Traditional lobster dinners, shellfish festivals, food-and-wine events, and local culinary experiences- A slower, wellness-driven pace where visitors can breathe easier, walk the beaches, explore trails, and reconnectThe conversation also explores how PEI balances meetings and leisure travel, with business visitors often arriving early, staying late, and returning later with family. Susan highlights the island’s ability to make people “feel the heartbeat” of the destination through food, culture, hospitality, and a strong sense of place.Whether you’re a meeting planner, seafood lover, wellness traveler, family traveler, or someone looking for a quieter East Coast escape, this episode offers a warm introduction to why Prince Edward Island leaves such a lasting impression. 🦞 Learn MoreExplore meetings, events, and travel opportunities in Prince Edward Island at meetpei.com.Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood?Check out our award-winning city guides at https://lostin.com/collections/guides -- we pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts.We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam. Connect with usWeb: https://lostin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lostin_travel
- Oct 2, 20261h 1m
DCI’s Daniella Middleton on Travel Creators, Destination Marketing & the New Rules of Influence
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Daniella Middleton, partner and development counsel at Development Counsellors International (DCI), to unpack how destination marketing is changing in the creator economy. A self-described “digital traveler,” Daniella has spent two decades in travel marketing, leading high-impact digital strategies, multi-channel campaigns, international roadshows, and research into generational buying habits for meetings and event spaces. Daniella shares how she first entered the travel industry through a Craigslist job post, later stepped away to sharpen her digital strategy perspective, and eventually returned to travel with a clearer view of how creators, social media, and digital platforms were reshaping the way destinations reach travelers. Daniella breaks down how destination marketing is evolving through:The rise of travel creators as a hybrid of PR, advertising, social, and contentWhy creator partnerships need to be relationship-based, not purely transactionalHow destinations should vet creators based on objectives, audience, data, and brand fitThe growing influence of Gen Alpha and younger audiences on family travel decisionsWhy TikTok search, shares, saves, and TikTok Go are changing the path from inspiration to bookingHow B2B destinations and meetings brands are beginning to work with thought leaders and LinkedIn creatorsWhy print, guides, and physical media still have value when they serve a clear audience or stakeholder objectiveThe conversation also explores the difficulty of proving ROI in creator marketing, the blurred lines between journalists and influencers, the importance of qualitative signals like shares and saves, and why destinations need to move faster while still respecting public funding, transparency, and stakeholder accountability. Whether you’re a destination marketer, travel creator, publisher, agency strategist, or tourism leader trying to understand where influence is headed next, this episode offers a sharp, practical look at how the travel industry can build smarter, more authentic, and more effective creator partnerships.📍 Learn More Connect with Daniella Middleton on LinkedIn and learn more about DCI’s work in destination marketing, economic development, and talent attraction. Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood? Check out our award-winning city guides at https://lostin.com/collections/guides -- we pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts. We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam. Connect with us Web: https://lostin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lostin_travel
- Sep 3, 202658 min
GFHR’s Joe O’Connor on Worldschooling, Slow Family Travel & Building a Global Home Rental Community
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Joe O’Connor, a full-time traveling dad, worldschooler, and co-founder of Global Family Home Rentals, or GFHR—a community-driven rental platform built for families pursuing slower, more intentional travel. After years of dreaming about long-term family travel, Joe and his partner, Linds, eventually packed up their traditional life and began spending months at a time abroad with their daughter, living in places like Portugal, Greece, Italy, and Hawaii.Joe shares how their experience as a traveling family exposed one of the biggest challenges in the nomadic family lifestyle: what to do with your primary home while you’re away—and how to find trusted, affordable, family-friendly homes abroad without relying on traditional short-term rental platforms.Joe breaks down how GFHR is:Helping families rent or exchange homes for 30+ day staysCreating a vetted, invite-only community built around trust and transparencyOffering homes priced at cost, rather than for profitSupporting worldschooling families with homes designed for real family lifeMaking slow travel more affordable by unlocking primary residences around the worldEncouraging families to choose destinations based on homes, community, and lifestyle—not just tourist demandThe conversation also explores worldschooling, flexible education, micro-schools, remote learning, and how travel can become one of the richest forms of education for kids. Joe reflects on his family’s time in Syros, Greece, where his daughter learned, played, rode bikes, and built a life in the community—not just a vacation itinerary.Whether you’re a parent dreaming about long-term travel, a worldschooling family looking for housing solutions, or simply curious about what it takes to build a more flexible life around travel, this episode offers an inspiring look at how families can move from watching the dream online to actually living it.🏡 Learn More Explore Global Family Home Rentals at gfhr.co, or connect with Joe O’Connor on LinkedIn.
- Jul 28, 202611 min
Schwet’s Mauri Waneka on Detox-Retox Hospitality, Social Wellness & the Future of IRL Connection
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Mauri Waneka, founder of Schwet, a hospitality-meets-wellness concept built around saunas, pools, steam, social connection, and what Mauri calls a “detox, retox” approach to living well. Rather than positioning Schwet as just another cold plunge or wellness space, Mauri frames it as a new kind of hospitality product: sexy, social, design-forward, and rooted in connection.Mauri shares how her path from derivatives trading to real estate development to community building led to Schwet. After moving to Los Angeles, she began hosting dinners as a way to meet interesting people, eventually growing those gatherings into large-scale social experiences that blended business, art, science, entertainment, and culture.Mauri breaks down how Schwet is:Reimagining wellness as living well, not rigid self-denialBlending contrast therapy, social time, and nightlife energy into one hospitality experienceCreating a space where people can connect without phones, pressure, or the usual members-club stiffnessBalancing exclusivity with public access so the community stays fresh and dynamicBuilding a brand voice that is funny, irreverent, privacy-conscious, and intentionally anti-flexPositioning itself for a future where wellness, hotels, clubs, and hospitality increasingly overlapThe conversation also explores New York’s current social renaissance, why Mauri believes the city beats Los Angeles for spontaneous connection, and how boutique hotels inspired Schwet’s mix of locals, visitors, friends-of-friends, and new faces.Whether you’re interested in hospitality, wellness, community design, nightlife, or the next wave of social spaces, this episode offers a look at how Schwet is making wellness feel less precious—and a lot more fun.💧 Learn More Follow Schwet at https://www.getschwet.com/ to see the space, the vibe, and Mauri’s very unserious approach to serious hospitality.
- Jul 9, 202644 min
Convene’s Ryan Simonetti on Premium Workspaces, IRL Experiences & the Future of Business Travel
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Ryan Simonetti, president and CEO of Convene Hospitality Group, to explore the evolving intersection of hospitality, work, lifestyle, and travel. From his early roots around restaurants and hospitality through his father’s Martin’s potato roll delivery business to building one of the leading platforms for premium meetings, events, and flexible workspaces, Ryan shares how Convene is redefining where—and how—people come together.Ryan unpacks how Convene Hospitality Group is building spaces designed for a world where the lines between business travel, lifestyle, community, and experience are increasingly blurred.Ryan breaks down how CHG is:Turning meetings and conferences into experience-driven gatheringsDesigning premium workspaces through a hospitality-first lensUsing human-centered design to support productivity, connection, and brand identityReimagining third spaces for entrepreneurs, creators, and modern teamsBringing NeueHouse into its next chapter as a home for the curious and creativeScaling thoughtfully across markets while preserving high-touch service and local nuanceThe conversation also explores the rise of IRL experiences in an AI-driven world, the transformation of business travel, the importance of design in workplace culture, and why the future of conferences may look more like festivals, private dinners, wellness breakouts, and curated cultural moments.Whether you’re a founder, hospitality operator, event strategist, business traveler, or someone thinking about the future of work, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how premium spaces can help people gather with more purpose, creativity, and connection.🏢 Learn MoreExplore Convene Hospitality Group, Convene, and NeueHouse, or follow Ryan Simonetti on LinkedIn for more on the future of hospitality, work, and experience.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/convenehospitalitygroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convene-hospitality-group/ Ryan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-simonetti/
- Jul 2, 202614 min
OtherShip’s Robbie Bent on Sauna Culture, Sober Socializing & the Future of Emotional Wellness
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Robbie Bent, CEO and co-founder of OtherShip, a fast-growing wellness concept blending sauna, ice baths, breathwork, music, comedy, and emotionally driven group classes into a new kind of social experience.What started as a backyard ice bath community in Toronto has evolved into a cult-favorite wellness brand with locations in Toronto and New York, designed for people looking to connect, decompress, and socialize without alcohol.Robbie breaks down how OtherShip is:Reimagining sauna and cold plunge culture as a platform for emotional wellnessCreating sober social spaces through DJ nights, comedy, singles events, and guided classesUsing hot and cold exposure to help people feel more open, present, and connectedBuilding community around shared experiences instead of phones, alcohol, or nightlife pressureDesigning spaces that feel more like a boutique hotel or social club than a fitness studioScaling from a backyard experiment to major New York buildouts with a deeply loyal followingThe conversation also explores Robbie’s own path from sobriety to entrepreneurship, the rise of sober-curious culture, the loneliness epidemic in major cities, and why OtherShip’s most powerful product may not be the sauna or the ice bath—but the permission it gives people to be human together.Whether you’re interested in wellness, hospitality, nightlife, community building, or the future of alcohol-free social spaces, this episode offers a look at how OtherShip is turning recovery, connection, and emotional release into a new kind of modern ritual.🧊 Learn More Follow Robbie Bent on LinkedIn or Instagram, and explore OtherShip to learn more about its sauna, ice bath, and emotional wellness experiences.
- Jun 18, 20261h 3m
Mandarin Oriental’s Alex Schellenberger on Luxury Branding, Service & Global Growth
In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Alex Schellenberger, former Global Chief Marketing Officer of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, to explore how one of the world’s most iconic luxury hospitality brands balances heritage, growth, and modern brand building.From his early career at Procter & Gamble, Hugo Boss, Coty, and Accor to leading brand strategy for Mandarin Oriental, Alex shares how classical brand management principles translate into the world of ultra-luxury travel—where emotion, recognition, and service define the guest experience.Alex unpacks how luxury hospitality is evolving through:Preserving brand DNA while scaling Mandarin Oriental’s global footprintBuilding loyalty among ultra-high-net-worth travelers through recognition, access, and emotional connectionKeeping the iconic “I’m a Fan” campaign relevant after more than two decadesUsing celebrities and cultural figures as authentic brand ambassadors, not just paid endorsersApplying AI and guest data to improve personalization while keeping the human touch at the centerDesigning transformational experiences, from monk-led retreats in Japan to private museum access and champagne house immersionsThe conversation also explores why service memories matter more than room design, how Asian hospitality continues to shape global luxury, and why the future of high-end travel depends on both technology and deeply human moments.Whether you’re a luxury traveler, hotelier, brand marketer, or simply fascinated by what makes a hospitality brand iconic, this episode offers a rare look inside the strategy behind one of the most respected names in global travel.🏨 Learn More Explore Mandarin Oriental’s hotels, residences, and experiences at mandarinoriental.com.
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About The Layover
A podcast at the intersection of travel culture and creative industry. Built for brand leaders, designers, hoteliers, and forward-thinking marketers, the series unpacks the people, ideas, and trends redefining global travel. From evolving consumer behavior to destination storytelling and innovation in hospitality, each episode delivers sharp insight through the distinct voice of LOST iN. If you're building the future of travel, The Layover is your essential briefing.
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