Explore Raina Music: https://rainamusic.com/

Connect with Vikas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikassapranyc/

Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/

Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/

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In just a moment, you’ll meet Vikas Sapra—DJ, tech founder, and the guy who’s quietly rewiring how the world’s best hotels and restaurants think about sound. Vikas has played for A-list celebrities like Jay-Z and Kanye, just to name a few. He’s collaborated with Mark Ronson and Questlove. He’s the rare DJ who can play a rock set on Friday, an R&B crowd on Saturday, and a Brooklyn warehouse the weekend after that. And at every venue he’s played, the GM said the same thing: “Dude, take over our music. What does it take to get you full-time here?”

Well, after the hundredth time of being asked, he did. And that’s how Raina was born.

Today, Raina powers the sound in over 600 hospitality spaces—from Bishop’s Lodge in Santa Fe, to The Moxy in the East Village, to José Andrés’ restaurants, Tao Group’s rooftops, Auberge properties, and so much more. They’re a preferred vendor for Hyatt, and they’re doing something no one else is doing. They’re combining a DJ’s ear, an operator’s mindset, and a tech founder’s instinct for what to build.

Vikas’s thesis is sharp: music isn’t decoration—it’s a behavioral lever. The right tempo changes dwell time. The right familiarity changes the average check. And most operators, even the great ones, still treat it as an afterthought.

This conversation is about how he’s changing that.

Here’s my conversation with Vikas Sapra, founder of Raina.

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Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality

Luxury hospitality has a credibility problem: the industry keeps charging more while delivering sameness, ceremony, and aesthetic shortcuts that increasingly feel hollow. Joining the quad this week is Bashar Wali—hotel operator, industry veteran, and one of hospitality’s most outspoken critics—known for pairing irreverence with sharp, experience-backed insight. He wastes no time arguing that the old markers of luxury no longer match what modern travelers actually value: time, privacy, ease, and the feeling of being genuinely seen.

The conversation expands into a broader critique of ownership, brands, and the “muddy middle.” Bashar reframes hotels not as service businesses, but as retailers selling a perishable product—one that must earn loyalty through experience rather than points or perks. Ben pushes on capital constraints, Scott questions whether human-first hospitality can scale, and Edwin highlights how far the industry has drifted from its roots. The tension is clear: technology should remove friction, not replace human connection.

The episode ultimately lands on a sharper test for any hotel claiming luxury status: strip away the scent machine, the coffee table books, the scripted welcome—what’s left? If it isn’t care, competence, character, and soul, the product was never luxury to begin with.

This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey.

Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.

If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance

Special Guest:

Bashar Wali — This Assembly

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basharwali/

Your Hosts:

Zach Busekrus — Journey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/

Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/

Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/

Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Connect with Corey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-jones-a66a004/

Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/

Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/

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• How a rental gone wrong became a 400-property portfolio — and why saying yes to everything was the right move early on
• What "historic luxury" actually means, and how Corey's team blends 18th-century architecture with modern amenities
• Why Savannah's hotel-first culture forced his team to operate at a higher standard from day one
• How he's thinking about AI — including a dedicated budget line item for 2026
• The case for casting a narrow net in an industry that rewards specialization
• And why the operators who stayed disciplined through the post-COVID hangover are the ones getting the calls back