#224 - Hospitality Meets Billy Skelli-Cohen - Bold Mistakes, Bold Ideas

Episode Summary

In this inspiring episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with Billy Skelli-Cohen, CEO of Beaumier Hotels, a boutique group with 11 stunning properties across France, Switzerland, and Ibiza.

Billy’s story is not your standard hospitality tale. In fact, he jokes that he’s “a bit of a fraud” because he’s never actually worked in a hotel. From starting out in retail, to private equity, to leading some of Europe’s most iconic hotel projects, Billy’s journey is proof that there’s no single path to the top in hospitality.

Expect stories of bold ideas that paid off (a bike repair kit that became a PR sensation), bold mistakes (thinking Europe’s playbook would work in the US), and why listening twice as much as you talk might just be the best leadership hack out there (Must learn this, Phil)

Key Takeaways

• Employee Experience First – “It’s impossible to deliver great guest experiences without first delivering great employee experiences.”
• Boldness Pays Off – Sometimes the smallest left-field ideas (like a Dutch bike kit in a hotel room) create the biggest impact.
• Culture Matters – What works in one country doesn’t always work in another; leadership is an art, not a science.
• Stay Curious – Great leaders ask questions, observe, and never stop learning.
• People > Projects – The proudest achievements aren’t hotels or awards, but watching people around you grow and flourish.

Memorable Quotes

• “Hotels are never finished. There’s always something to improve, evolve, or reimagine.”
• “It’s impossible to provide good guest experience without a good employee experience first.”
• “I’m not afraid to say I now only want to work with people who are smarter than me.”
• “Sometimes the small, silly ideas end up becoming the PR story everyone talks about.”
• “I don’t look back too much. I don’t look too far ahead either. I try to stay in the present.”

Final Thoughts

Billy’s journey is a reminder that hospitality isn’t just about hotels, it’s about people, culture, and curiosity. From repositioning icons like The Pulitzer in Amsterdam to building soulful luxury hotels in magical destinations, his leadership shows that staying bold, present, and people-first is the real key to growth.

Show Partners

A big shout out to Today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.

RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.

It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.

Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/phil