Antony Cestra, chief development officer and partner at Stroop, is set to attend HOTEC Design, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 22-24 at the Omni Fort Lauderdale, Fla.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up-to-date on emerging trends.
Ahead of the conference, Cestra talked about new purchasing trends, AI in design and maintaining optimism in volatile times.
What are the most significant shifts you’ve seen in the industry over the past year—and do you view them as lasting changes or short-term disruptions?
I think the biggest shift is that hospitality has become far more experience-driven, with wellness and longevity playing an increasingly important role in how people choose where to stay. Guests are no longer looking for beauty alone; they are seeking meaning, restoration, and a genuine connection to place. They want environments that help them feel better, live better, and engage more intentionally. I see that as a lasting change, and it is very much aligned with how we think at Stroop. Our work is increasingly focused on shaping hospitality environments that foster wellbeing, social wellness, and long-term lifestyle value. Our experience with projects like the Akari Sauna has reinforced for us that design is most impactful when it creates space for ritual, restoration, and authentic human connection.
What are the most pressing challenges facing the hospitality industry today and how is your team navigating those challenges?
The biggest challenge right now is balancing rising costs with increasingly high guest expectations. Owners need projects to perform financially, while guests are looking for something far more meaningful, memorable, and differentiated. At Stroop, we navigate that by being very strategic early—making sure the concept is strong, the experience is clear, and the design supports the business case. For us, design is not just about aesthetics; it has to create value.
With there being so much talk about AI and the impact it will have on so many industries, what are some of the ways you're utilizing AI in your business, and what does that imply for the future of the hospitality industry?
We use AI as we would any other tool in the studio—to help us think faster, research more efficiently, and communicate ideas with greater clarity. But I do not see it replacing creativity, intuition, or human judgment, especially in hospitality, which is ultimately about emotion, experience, and human connection. To me, the real opportunity is using AI to remove friction from the process, so teams can spend more time focused on vision, relationships, and creating more meaningful guest experiences.
With so much volatility in the market, what factors make you optimistic about where the industry is headed?
What gives me optimism is that, even in moments of uncertainty, people continue to seek out places that truly move them. Travel is no longer just about escape; it is about connection, restoration, and discovering experiences that stay with you long after you leave. The projects that resonate most today are the ones with authenticity, emotional depth, and a true sense of place. That is what excites me about the direction we are taking at Stroop, particularly as we expand into development advisory through projects like Villa Ginori—a remarkable historic estate just outside Florence that we envision transforming into a wellness- and longevity-driven hospitality destination rooted in heritage, landscape, and contemporary living. To me, that is where the future of hospitality is headed: toward places with soul, purpose, and lasting meaning.
What are some advantages of more intimate events like HOTEC as opposed to large-scale conventions and trade shows?
I really value the intimacy of events like HOTEC because they create space for more intentional conversations. You are not simply exchanging business cards—you have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue around ideas, challenges, and potential partnerships. For our studio, that is often where the strongest relationships begin and grow into lasting working relationships.