18/08/2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_Mt38Cd4DI
A $500 hotel room can land on the bill at $700 and April Cheng says the service better be worth $700.
In this episode of ROI Masterclass, host Liat Siegel of Hadar Interiors sits down with April Cheng, founder of Travel Chic World, joining from Hawaii. April built her agency on personalized, relationship-driven travel planning after starting at a hotel front desk out of college, moving through account sales at the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and running the convenience store and retail division for the Sullivan Family of Companies in district management and HR.
She breaks down what actually makes a property bookable cleanliness, layout, furniture, and whether the design matches the guest's personality and why she only books properties rated three stars or higher with vetted reviews or personal experience. She explains why decor has to meet practicality, from hiding an outlet inside the design to making sure nobody trips over a styling piece. She makes the case that every front-facing employee, down to the valet and bell desk, should be trained on why the property chose its colors, its furniture, and its brand aesthetic because that knowledge sells rooms.
She also shares the amenity shifts she's tracking: kitchens and condo-style accommodations, free breakfast that can be worth more than $100 a day at a high-end property, resort credits, spa and wellness demand, and balcony requests driven by a post-COVID appetite for fresh air. For anyone building or buying, her advice is to be on the ground walk the blocks, meet the neighborhood, and design something true to the area.
⏱️ Topics covered: front desk lessons, customer service as differentiation, rebuilding after losing all sales in 2020, hotel design and layout as booking criteria, staff training on brand aesthetics, housekeeping feedback and turnover time, amenity trends, aloha spirit, and milestone-driven client relationships.
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