As hotels increasingly rely on technology for everyday operations, companies like the Bright Group are blurring the line between providing a service to hoteliers and providing hospitality itself.
“The whole idea was, what if we start building the technology—very holistic, very comprehensive, filling the gaps, connecting all the systems together—and make it very easy to use for the first-time owner and the boutique hotelier?” the Bright Group CEO Deniz Dorbek Kocak told Hotel Management about the Group's early days.
The company provides property-management systems to hoteliers along with door locks and kiosks for check-in. But as the business evolved, its leaders opted to expand and acquire some properties in the Midwest to run themselves, launching a management arm in addition to verticals dedicated to construction and food-and-beverage. “We are building our corporate structure, and we have a big pipeline,” Kocak said.
Two Brands
Since acquiring the assets, the Bright Group has developed two hotel brands to appeal to different demographics. The tech-focused Vitality brand launched in Memphis, Tenn., in summer 2024 and expanded into Dayton, Ohio, in May. Upcoming hotels are slated for Marietta, Ga.; Orlando; Tulsa, Okla.; and Reading, Pa., and the brand is poised to have seven properties open by 2026.
Vitality hotels offer mobile check-in on personal devices or at kiosks in the lobby. But Kocak emphasized that if guests want a team member to check them in upon arrival, someone will be able to help. “It's a matter of reading the guests,” she said, noting that when she checks into a hotel after a long trip, she frequently doesn’t want to interact with anyone before going to her room. “And some days, I feel like I’d love to hear more about the destination, the hotel, and where is the nearest restaurant? It really depends, and I think it's important to read the client from the very first second. So that's our goal.”
While the initial Vitality hotels were large-scale business-focused hotels, Kocak wants to incorporate more lifestyle elements into the properties, particularly in terms of wellness and food-and-beverage options. “I'm a big fan of lifestyle concepts,” she said, noting that there are “different layers” to lifestyle hotels. “I really want to position [Vitality] as a lifestyle hotel with an extensive event space.”
The boutique lifestyle kodō brand, meanwhile, has minimalist design and emphasizes experiential stays through architecture, culture and gastronomy. The flagship kodō hotel in LA’s Arts District opened last year in a reimagined 100-year-old firehouse and includes an eponymous American-Japanese restaurant.
Kodō, Kocak said, is less of a hotel than a community gathering place, and the Bright team is considering a membership option and customized wellness programming for the brand. “We want to target all the experience-seekers,” she said.
In terms of design, Kocak said that while kodō currently has a strong Asian influence, she hopes the aesthetic will adjust as properties open across the world. “The idea is having one kodō in New York, one in London, and after that … one in Istanbul, and hopefully one in Dubai.”
Leveraging Technology
The Bright Group’s proprietary technology platform powers everything from smart locks to AI-driven guest services to real-time operational analytics. While the technology aims to create what the company calls “an effortless and streamlined stay” for guests, it also can reduce costs and streamline operations at the property level by automating manual tasks, accelerating response times and optimizing staffing models.
For now, the Bright Group is using its property-management system for door locks and the lobby kiosks. “Hopefully, by the end of next year, we [will be] able to start using our own technology in all the operating departments in the hotel.”
Ultimately, Kocak said hotel technology should be leveraged to create “hyper-personalized” experiences that elevate the guest experiences. For example, knowing what the guest prefers to drink at lunch, what type of wine they like with dinner and what kind of music they like to listen to can “surprise the guests … without really overdoing it.” At the same time, she added, making sure the team members at each property remember a guest’s name can be just as meaningful. “It's something that you can really teach your teams—how they can interact with the guest and how they can reach the guest,” she said.