In this thought-provoking episode of Hotel Moment, host Karen Stephens is joined by Alicia Zur-Szpiro, Co-founder and Creative Director of Wanderland London, a pioneering consultancy focused exclusively on kids and teens in the hospitality industry. Alicia brings her diverse background in game design, toy invention, and children's publishing to address what she sees as a significant gap in the hotel industry.

Together, they discuss:

Alicia emphasizes that delighting children and teens isn't just about keeping families happy during their stay—it's about securing their loyalty for decades to come. When a family has a successful hotel experience, they're likely to return year after year, creating tremendous lifetime value. Moreover, today's teens will soon be independent travelers making their own booking decisions.

Don't miss this eye-opening conversation that challenges the hospitality industry to rethink how it engages with its youngest guests—and the substantial rewards that await those who do it well.

Download The Global Kids Hospitality Report 2025 from Wanderland London.

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[07:21] The overlooked teen segment - Alicia highlights how the teen segment (roughly ages 11-18) remains largely invisible in the hospitality industry despite its enormous potential. While many hotels have offerings for younger children, teenagers often fall through the cracks. Alicia recommends treating teens more like adults in communications, avoiding speaking down to them or pandering. She suggests offering alternatives to screen time that could appeal to both teens and parents—such as classic board games or family games that create moments of togetherness after dinner. Small touchpoints throughout the stay, especially at check-in when teens are typically overlooked, can make a significant difference in how they experience the hotel.

[12:26] Building pre-arrival relationships with children - Alicia explains the value of the period between booking and arrival—which could be weeks or months—as a prime opportunity to build excitement and engagement with children and teens. While hotels typically focus pre-arrival communications on adults ("Would you like to book a treatment? Would you like to book a meal?"), shifting focus to younger guests can start building valuable relationships before they even arrive. Alicia suggests sending surveys or quizzes directed specifically at children rather than parents. "If the hotel can start to build that relationship with the child or the teenager, you're already halfway towards that really loyal kind of bonded relationship," she explains. This early engagement helps create anticipation and sets the stage for a more meaningful stay.

[13:22] Securing lifetime loyalty through family experiences - One of the most compelling points Alicia makes is about the long-term value of delighting children and teens. When families have a successful hotel experience that works for both parents and children, they're far more likely to return repeatedly rather than risk trying somewhere new. "When you know that a holiday works for you and your children, you're just going to go back time and time again, year after year," she notes. "Whereas adults on their own are more likely to be a bit adventurous because there's kind of lower stakes. Whereas if you've delighted the family and the kids, you've locked in that family for life." This creates tremendous lifetime value for hotels that can successfully engage the whole family.

00:00 - Intro 
02:17 - About Wanderland London and the kids industry 
04:22 - The size and potential of the kids and teens market 
07:21 - Understanding and engaging the teen segment 
12:26 - Pre-arrival engagement strategies 
16:37 - Creating memorable experiences in urban hotels 
18:47 - Teens as future decision makers 
21:00 - Brand loyalty formation by age 16 
23:17 - Small changes with big impact 
25:26 - The opportunity for hotels to lead in this space 
28:26 - Outro