Housekeeping Didn't Come
Lessons from the road, the classroom, and the minibar.
Welcome to Housekeeping Didn’t Come — where hospitality, adventure, and a little chaos all check in for the night.
Hosted by Rob W. Powell, former casino exec, improv comic, mountaineer, and hospitality professor (aka the Indiana Jones of hospitality education), this podcast dives into the wild, weird, and wonderfully human side of the hospitality world. From luxury lodges to national park cabins, cruise ships to classroom chaos, we explore what it really takes to deliver unforgettable guest experiences—and what happens when things go hilariously off script.
Whether you're a student, a hospitality pro, a curious traveler, or just here for the stories, you'll find something to love. Expect candid interviews, bite-sized insights, unforgettable blunders, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from years in the trenches (and a few nights without housekeeping).
So grab a coffee (or a cocktail), and join Rob as he unpacks the business of making people feel welcome, even when the bed isn’t made.
Housekeeping Didn't Come
Pack Like a Pro: Hotelier Edition S1E8
Ever considered what your packing style reveals about your leadership? Rob Powell takes us on a journey from the slopes of Kilimanjaro to the hallways of luxury hotels, uncovering the surprising parallels between how we prepare for adventure and how we run our businesses.
Rob's near-miss with bringing a solar-powered espresso maker up a mountain serves as the perfect metaphor for how the hospitality industry often approaches guest experience—adding unnecessary features while missing what truly matters. Through engaging storytelling and practical wisdom, he breaks down the essential elements we should all be "packing" whether for a summit attempt or a service revamp: comfort that makes a difference, adaptability that allows for graceful pivots, and touches of joy that remind us why direction matters more than speed.
The hospitality world suffers from chronic overpacking—marble lobbies, robot bartenders, and complicated apps that create more friction than function. Rob challenges listeners to conduct their own audit: What's useful in your guest experience? What's dead weight? And most importantly, what are you carrying simply because you're afraid not to? This episode offers a refreshing perspective for industry professionals, adventurers, and anyone interested in the art of meaningful preparation. Remember, as Rob reminds us, the best compass might just be the one you carry in your head—but don't forget your map. Ready to lighten your load and improve your guest experience at the same time? This episode is your essential packing guide.
Welcome back to Housekeeping. Didn't Come the podcast where we chase adventure, unpack the experience economy and occasionally forget clean socks? Hi there, I'm Rob Powell hospitality guy, mountaineer, occasional minimalist, and today we're diving into a skill set that every hotelier and every traveler thinks they've mastered, and that is packing. Traveler thinks they've mastered, and that is packing. Now, packing may not seem like a high performance business skill, but trust me, how you pack for the unknown tells me everything I need to know about how you lead a team, run an operation or treat your guests. Let's rewind. First time I climbed Kilimanjaro, I brought a solar-powered espresso maker. I'm kidding, but almost I brought a solar-powered espresso maker. I'm kidding, but almost. I thought what if I want cappuccino at 15,000 feet? What I should have asked was what's my Sherpa going to say when he has to haul this up a glacier? The answer he said nothing. He just gave me the look that said sir, this is not the Four Seasons, and even if it were, would you be making your own coffee?
Speaker 1:Lesson learned here's the real deal. When you're packing for a summit or a semester or a service revamp, you bring what matters. You bring comfort. For me, that is my wool base layer. For your guest. Maybe it's a quiet HVAC unit that doesn't sound like an F-16 taking off at 2 am. Adaptability that's my neck gaiter. It's a scarf. It's a mask. It's a headband. It's a potholder In business. It's your team's ability to pivot without panic. Joy For me, my compass, the real one, the brass Heavy, totally unnecessary.
Speaker 1:But it reminds me that direction matters more than speed. In hospitality, we overpack all the time. We throw in marble lobbies, robot bartenders, phone apps that take six steps just to order a towel. But are we packing the stuff that guests actually need? Do we give them warmth, clarity, a sense of place, or are we just stuffing our metaphorical suitcase until the zipper breaks and we blame the guest for not appreciating it? So here's your hospitality leadership challenge this week Audit your quote-unquote pack what's useful, what's dead weight and what are you carrying because you're afraid not to. And what are you carrying because you're afraid not to Remember? The best trips and the best guest experiences come from thoughtful preparation, not more baggage. Until next time, I'm Rob Powell, reminding you that the best compass may just be the one you carry in your head, of course, unless you forget to pack your map.