Every great hotel has a story, but the people behind it? They’re the ones who make it unforgettable. Along the Riviera Maya, where turquoise waters meet ancient culture and barefoot glamour, four hospitality leaders are shaping the future of travel, each with their own vision of what makes a stay truly memorable.
Meet Michelle Raoult, Director of Sales at Etéreo, Auberge Collection; Jan Hundrieser, General Manager of SLS Playa Mujeres; Ozkar Gutiérrez, Director of Sales & Marketing at Casa Malca, Tulum; and Ricardo Suárez, General Manager of NIZUC Resort & Spa. Four distinct personalities, four different perspectives, and one shared instinct: understanding that an exceptional hotel is about far more than its setting.
In a destination as diverse as the Riviera Maya, no single formula guarantees success. From contemporary design and immersive cultural experiences to thoughtful service and a strong sense of place, each property tells a different story. Behind every vision are the people who bring it to life: leaders who balance creativity with commercial insight, build lasting relationships, inspire their teams, and know the smallest details can leave the strongest impressions.
But what does it really mean to be a Game Changer in today’s hospitality industry? Is it about challenging expectations, anticipating what travelers want next, or having the confidence to do things differently? And how do you preserve a property’s individuality while responding to an industry that never stands still?
We sat down with these four leaders to talk about ambition, inspiration, leadership, and the changes they are most passionate about driving. Their answers offer a glimpse into the thinking behind some of the region’s most distinctive properties, revealing not only what sets each one apart, but also the ideas and people shaping its future.
Consider this your backstage pass to the minds behind the experience, where vision, instinct, and human connection make all the difference.
Michelle Raoult
Director of Sales | Etéreo, Auberge Collection
At Etéreo, Auberge Collection, Michelle builds trusted partnerships and shapes thoughtful experiences for guests long before arrival. For her, sales is about far more than filling rooms.
– What does being a Game Changer mean to you, and how does that shape your approach at Etéreo?
To me, being a Game Changer starts with recognizing how quickly people discover and choose travel. The traditional advisor relationship remains important, but it now exists within a broader conversation about discovery. The opportunity is understanding how these worlds work together.
At Etéreo, I want our sales approach to feel personal and collaborative. The best experiences don’t come from deciding what luxury should look like for someone. They come from listening, understanding why they are traveling and what matters to them, and shaping the experience together.
– What makes Etéreo stand out in a crowded luxury travel market?
Ultimately, it’s about how a place makes you feel, even before you arrive. Design, beaches, and rooms matter, but so does imagining a morning there, dinner, or waking up beside someone you love.
Etéreo has a softness and sense of calm, but also a lot of soul. The architecture, mangroves, ocean, light, rituals, and people create a feeling that cannot be reduced to one amenity or image. That moves someone from thinking, “This is a beautiful hotel,” to wondering, “What would it feel like to be there?” Our role is to help people feel a little of that before they arrive.
– How have relationships with travel advisors evolved?
The strongest relationships are built on honesty, communication, partnership, and openness. That means talking about what is working, where we need support, what the advisor hears from the client, and what we see from the hotel’s perspective.
A great advisor often knows a guest incredibly well and can offer insights we wouldn’t otherwise have. When both sides work toward the same goal—creating the right experience for the guest—the partnership becomes stronger. You feel you are on the same team, sharing what you know, solving things together, and building trust over time.
– What changes are you seeing in luxury travelers’ expectations?
Luxury travelers are more open to the unexpected. Expectations around quality, design, service, and food remain high, but they are almost the starting point. Guests also want discovery: hotels confident enough to be distinctive and offer something they haven’t seen everywhere else.
That pushes us to evolve the guest experience and take thoughtful risks while staying true to who we are. Younger travelers often value individuality, access, authenticity, and experiences that feel less scripted. More established travelers may prioritize privacy, discretion, and consistency. But curiosity connects them all. People want to discover something that speaks to them.
The opportunity is not to be everything to everyone. It is to stay clear about who Etéreo is and keep evolving without losing the character that makes it memorable.
– What is one misconception about hotel sales you would like to challenge?
The misconception is that sales is mainly about filling rooms. Commercial performance matters, but good sales also protects the guest experience.
Sometimes, that means knowing when not to sell. If a guest wants something we genuinely cannot deliver, I would rather have an honest conversation with the advisor than create a reservation based on the wrong expectations. A booking that begins with the right expectations is more valuable than one that simply adds a room to the books. Long-term trust matters more than a single reservation.
At Etéreo, sales works closely with operations, so the team has the context to personalize each stay. I don’t see sales as something that ends once a reservation is confirmed. In many ways, that is where our role in the guest experience really begins.
Jan Hundrieser
General Manager | SLS Playa Mujeres
For him, modern luxury begins with people. At SLS Playa Mujeres, he champions intuitive service, empowered teams, and meaningful connections that turn exceptional hospitality into lasting memories.
– What does being a Game Changer in luxury hospitality mean to you, and what changes are you driving at SLS Playa Mujeres?
Being a Game Changer means questioning traditional ideas of luxury and having the discipline to build something better. Today, luxury is measured less by marble and thread counts than by how a place makes you feel and how naturally it adapts to you.
At SLS Playa Mujeres, my priority is cultural. I want a team empowered to understand guests rather than follow scripts, with the confidence to anticipate needs and act on their own judgment. When people can bring their personality to their work, service becomes a relationship rather than a transaction. No amenity can replace that.
– What sets SLS Playa Mujeres apart in the Riviera Maya, and what do you want guests to take away from their stay?
SLS brings sophistication and playfulness together. We take hospitality seriously without taking ourselves too seriously, creating an atmosphere that feels elegant without being rigid and vibrant without being overwhelming.
We have reimagined the all-inclusive experience, so guests enjoy the ease of having everything taken care of without feeling that their stay is standardized. Every detail should feel considered and personal.
I want guests to leave with more than photographs. I want them to feel lighter, inspired, and more themselves. If they describe their stay as a feeling rather than a list of amenities, we have succeeded.
– How are luxury travelers’ expectations changing, and how is SLS Playa Mujeres responding?
Today’s luxury traveler is more curious, conscious, and discerning. Beautiful hotels are no longer enough; people seek meaningful connections with a destination, genuine wellbeing, and time that feels truly their own. They also expect personalization that feels intuitive, never intrusive or mechanical.
Our response is to build flexibility into the experience. We listen, anticipate needs, and let guests find their own rhythm, whether they seek celebration, stillness, or something in between. We are also deepening the sense of place through our culinary and wellness offerings, helping guests connect with the destination rather than simply enjoy where they are staying.
– What role should a luxury hotel play in its destination and local community?
A luxury property should never exist in isolation. We are here because of this extraordinary place and its people, and we have a responsibility to give back.
That begins with our team. Most of the people who bring SLS Playa Mujeres to life come from the region. Investing in their development, opportunities, and future is one of the most meaningful ways we can contribute to the community.
Beyond the hotel, we want to provide a platform for local talent and protect the natural environment around us. Environmental responsibility is not a marketing message; it is fundamental to preserving what makes this destination special.
– What is your vision for SLS Playa Mujeres, and how would you like it to be known in the Riviera Maya?
My vision is for SLS Playa Mujeres to become a benchmark for modern luxury in the region. Not the biggest or loudest, but the most memorable.
We will continue refining the guest experience, evolving our culinary and wellness offerings, and investing in the people who make the difference every day. For us, growth means greater depth, not simply greater scale.
Ultimately, I want SLS Playa Mujeres to be known as a place where luxury feels alive: where guests are welcomed as individuals, our team is proud to belong, and the community sees us as a genuine partner. If we achieve that, our reputation will follow.
Ozkar Gutiérrez
Director of Sales & Marketing | Casa Malca, Tulum
At Casa Malca, Ozkar brings together art, individuality, and commercial vision to challenge conventional luxury. For him, exceptional hospitality begins with human connection, not perfection.
– What does being a Game Changer mean to you, and what changes are you passionate about driving at Casa Malca?
Being a Game Changer means challenging traditional definitions of luxury without losing sight of what hospitality is truly about: human connection. Luxury is no longer just about perfection or exclusivity; it is about making people feel understood and valued.
At Casa Malca, art, nature, creativity, and an irreverent spirit coexist beyond conventional rules. I am passionate about showing that a hotel can remain true to its identity while achieving strong commercial results and exploring opportunities across luxury leisure, lifestyle, and MICE. Real change begins when we focus less on what we offer and more on how we make people feel.
– In a world saturated with travel content, what makes a hotel’s story memorable?
A compelling story must come from something genuine, not simply a marketing strategy. Beautiful hotels and spectacular images are everywhere. Personality captures attention, but emotion is what makes a story memorable.
At Casa Malca, art, architecture, design, and our extraordinary relationship with the Caribbean Sea create a sense of freedom and discovery that a photograph cannot fully convey.
The experience must live up to the promise. An image may inspire a visit, but an unexpected gesture or meaningful conversation can make someone return and share their story. The best marketing is not what we say about a hotel, but what guests feel compelled to say about their experience.
– How do you balance commercial results with creative risks?
Creativity and commercial performance are not opposing forces; strategically approached, they strengthen each other. Revenue Management, market positioning, and business development are essential, but numbers alone cannot build a meaningful luxury brand.
At Casa Malca, our strategy protects something invaluable: our individuality. We develop new markets, increase ADR, strengthen partnerships, and explore MICE and weddings without compromising the artistic, bohemian character that makes us unique.
Taking creative risks means understanding our audience, trusting our identity, and daring to communicate differently. Commercial performance gives us room to innovate, while creativity gives guests a reason to choose us beyond price.
– How has Tulum’s evolution influenced Casa Malca’s positioning for international luxury travelers?
Tulum has become more competitive and diverse. In this environment, differentiation is essential, but a clear identity is what creates lasting value.
For nearly five years, I have focused on strengthening Casa Malca’s international positioning, sustaining a strong ADR, and developing a proposition that goes beyond the traditional beachfront hotel. Our offering combines a world-class art collection, unexpected architecture, creative gastronomy, and wellness experiences in an intimate, surreal setting.
We have also strengthened our presence in MICE, positioning Casa Malca for exclusive gatherings, incentive trips, and personalized events. Our responsibility is not simply to explain why people should visit Tulum, but to show what makes Casa Malca an experience they will not find elsewhere. Being different is an advantage; staying true to our essence is our greatest strength.
– What convention in luxury hotel marketing would you challenge?
I would challenge the idea that luxury must always look perfect. Excellence matters, but some of hospitality’s most meaningful experiences emerge from spontaneity and human connection.
At Casa Malca, we embrace the unexpected. Our identity is artistic, irreverent, and surreal; we do not need every story to look the same because our ability to surprise sets us apart.
Some of hospitality’s most powerful moments happen when things do not go as planned. A difficult situation handled with honesty, empathy, and commitment can create something more valuable than a spectacular experience: trust. Some of my strongest professional and personal relationships have grown from moments when listening and taking responsibility mattered more than delivering a perfectly scripted response.
I would focus less on portraying perfection and more on telling the human stories behind each experience. Extraordinary moments may impress, but human connections are what people remember.
Ricardo Suárez
General Manager | NIZUC Resort & Spa
For him, luxury is defined by human connection, thoughtful innovation, and the people whose care turns exceptional hospitality into lasting memories.
– What does being a Game Changer in today’s luxury hospitality industry mean to you, and what changes are you most passionate about driving at NIZUC Resort & Spa?
Being a Game Changer means recognizing that several generations now travel together, from baby boomers and Generation X to millennials and Generation Z, often within the same family and villa. Their expectations differ, but they share one belief: luxury is no longer defined by marble floors or crystal chandeliers. It is defined by how you feel. The real difference comes from a team that understands each guest as an individual and responds with warmth and precision.
I am especially passionate about evolving our wellness offering. For younger generations, wellness is a way of life. While many talk about longevity, we have chosen to approach it as a science. Through our partnership with KALONI, medical professionals guide personalized longevity programs designed around each guest’s goals, extending our care beyond their stay.
– Guests may never see everything that goes into a seamless stay. Which behind-the-scenes aspect of hotel operations has the greatest impact on the experience they remember?
At NIZUC, housekeeping and maintenance follow the highest standards. As the only resort in Cancún with both AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star distinctions, and now a MICHELIN Key, excellence is part of our DNA. But what guests remember also depends on two things they never see: how our team communicates and how our people feel.
Through daily briefings and departmental meetings, everyone knows who is arriving and what matters to them. We give our colleagues the same importance as our guests because communication only works when people genuinely care. When our team feels cared for, they pass it on. It becomes a cascade effect.
– How do you empower your team to anticipate guests’ needs and make thoughtful decisions without relying entirely on established service protocols?
I want NIZUC to operate as an ecosystem of trust and transparency. I avoid micromanagement, but I am always present for my team. No protocol can anticipate every situation, so every decision is guided by what we call “NIZUC Magic”: recognizing a guest’s need before it is expressed and turning that understanding into something memorable.
For us, accountability means ownership. Every colleague can make decisions for the guest within our values and standards. When a decision works, we celebrate it; when it does not, it is a learning experience.
– In an industry driven by constant innovation, how do you decide which new ideas genuinely add value and which traditions are worth preserving?
My filter is simple: does this make our guests feel better, or does it only make us look more modern? Innovation should help us understand, discreetly, why each guest is with us, whether for a honeymoon, a family celebration, or a pause from everyday life.
Nothing should take us away from what defines NIZUC: our Mayan heritage and the warmth of our service. Our guests live surrounded by technology. What they seek here is genuine human connection, and no innovation will ever replace it.
– After years of experience in hospitality, what has most changed your understanding of what makes a hotel truly exceptional?
Over 25 years in hospitality and across several countries, I have learned what makes Mexican hospitality exceptional: its people. Mexican service comes from the heart; it is genuine, never transactional.
I understood this most deeply at Las Brisas Acapulco, our sister property within Grupo Brisas, after Hurricanes Otis and John. I saw colleagues leave their homes and walk for hours, crossing rivers in the rain, simply to reach the hotel. The people we were hosting were no longer just guests; they were people seeking shelter, and our team was there for them.
That experience reinforced what I believe: only people can make a hotel exceptional. And in Mexico, we have the very best.