# #281: How to Turn Your Data into Hospitality Magic | with Josh & Dana Ellis

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-hotelier-5318336/281-how-to-turn-your-data-into-hospitality-magic-with-josh-dana-ellis.md
Podcast: [The Modern Hotelier](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-hotelier-5318336)
Published: 2026-05-28T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/281
Audio file: https://pdcn.co/e/pdst.fm/e/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.transistor.fm/9b9cbbd0/32fa2507.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-modern-hotelier-5318336/episodes/281-how-to-turn-your-data-into-hospitality-magic-with-josh-dana-ellis
Duration seconds: 3225

## Resource

How are luxury hotels currently underutilizing guest data, and what opportunities are they missing? In this episode, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with Josh and Dana Ellis, co-founders of Abra, to explore how AI-powered personalization is transforming the guest experience in hospitality. From luxury hotels in New York City and Maui to building one of hospitality’s most exciting AI startups, Josh and Dana share the story behind Abra and why they believe personalization is the future of guest loyalty. Dana brings firsthand experience from iconic luxury properties including Four Seasons, Peninsula Hotels, and Relais & Châteaux, while Josh combines expertise in AI, consulting, and mindfulness to help hotels unlock the power of guest data. The conversation dives deep into: How hotels can deliver true personalized service at scale Why guest data is still one of hospitality’s biggest challenges How team members—from housekeepers to bartenders—play a critical role in personalization Why AI should empower hospitality teams, not replace human connection The importance of creating memorable experiences that drive lifelong guest loyalty Josh and Dana also share behind-the-scenes insights into building Abra inside a live hotel operation, preparing for the HITEC E20X startup pitch competition, and how hotels can create “hospitality magic” through better data and smarter technology. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7UfjHnd4LwQ This episode is sponsored by Abra Hospitality Links: Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danasjaffe/ Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-ellis1126/ Abra Hospitality: https://abrahospitality.com/ For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/281 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedi…

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