The Unique Hospitality Podcast

Nov 13 2024 103 ep. 40 mins 2
The Unique Hospitality Podcast artwork

The rise of glamping and short-term rentals has created a golden opportunity, but there are a ton of hurdles to navigate. We grill elite operators in the space to arm you with all the knowledge you need ----- “I've been a loyal listener to your podcast, and it’s been a game-changer. The insights have been incredibly valuable" - Remo Kommnick, Owner of Doah House
                                                       

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The Future of Unique Hospitality - Round Table with Ben Wolff, Isaac French and Zach Busekrus

Nov 13 2024 80 mins  
Today's episode is a special co-production with the "Behind the Stays" Podcast. Zach Busekrus and I were joined by two of the biggest names in the unique hospitality space, Ben Wolff and Isaac French. You'll learn why their philosophy is "build less, spend more"; why Ben is betting big on wellness; and how their approaches to scale differ.Subscribe to Behind the Stays:AppleSpotifyB

The Glampground with a 94% Occupancy Rate, Celebrity Clientele and a Netflix Show

Nov 06 2024 80 mins  
With daily rates of $800+ per night and near-100% occupancy, Bolt Farm Treehouse is arguably the most successful independent glamping business in North America. Tori Bolt, one half of the husband-wife founding team at Bolt Farm, joins us to pull the curtain back on how they reached these heady heights. Topics covered include the secret to rave guest reviews, the personal brand appr

From Getaway to Nude Campsites - The Story of Topos Ventures

Oct 30 2024 77 mins  
There's a growing class of glamping consultants that cut their teeth at the venture-backed brands like Getaway (now Postcard Cabins) and AutoCamp. The experiences they gained from scaling high-end hospitality quickly equipped them with a wide range of skills that they take into client projects today.Samuel Morton and Nico Turek from Topos Ventures are great examples of this. Sam jo

What's the Most Popular Glamping Unit? - Data Deep Dive With Shari Heilala

Oct 16 2024 69 mins  
Connor's boss joins us on the pod this week! Shari Heilala is the Founder of Sage Outdoor Advisory, the leading provider of feasibility studies in the glamping space. Sage have been collecting data on the American glamping industry for years now, and they presented their 2024 findings at the Glamping Show in Denver earlier this month.Shari joins us to share the key findings, and we

How the glamping industry is evolving; how to choose the right form of capital; and how to prepare for a recession - Bryan Auchterlonie (Destination Capital)

Oct 09 2024 73 mins  
Bryan Auchterlonie is one of the most knowledgeable people in the outdoor hospitality space when it comes to capital. Through his firm, Destination Capital, he's worked with some of the biggest players in glamping, including Under Canvas, AutoCamp and KSL.He joins us on the pod to discuss everything from picking the right form of capital to his favourite hospitality destinations.Li

Why Nature Is Everything; How to Listen to Your Guests; and Bootstrapping a Glamping Startup - Blake Smith and Bygnal Dutson

Sep 30 2024 103 mins  
In what's rapidly becoming our favorite episode format, two of the best operators in the business join Nick and Connor in a wide-ranging, round-table glamping discussion. Blake Smith of Walden Retreats and Bygnal Dutson of Open Sky never disappoint when they're on the pod, and today is no exception.Links:Posh OutdoorsSchedule a call re Posh OutdoorsGlampitect North AmericaSage Outd

Gay Glamping! How Campit Resort Became an LGBTQ+ Haven

Sep 25 2024 49 mins  
We love niche concepts at The Unique Hospitality Podcast, and this week we were delighted to talk LGBTQ+ hospitality with Randy Henry, Ops Manager at Campit Resort in Saugatuck. Campit is a campground that caters specifically (but not exclusively) to the LGBTQ+ community. As well as discussing why this is important, we covered separate issues such as selling branded merch to your g

Meet the Guy Who Builds Hotels for Rockstars

Sep 18 2024 56 mins  
Mike Baxter loves three things: hotels, rock 'n' roll, and partying. That's what led to the creation of House of Gods, a completely immersive rockstar hotel in the heart of Edinburgh.In a wide-ranging conversation applicable to all hospitality operators, we discuss how to create a completely immersive experience for your guests; some cool ideas for upsells, and the bravery it takes

Common Traits of Projects That Get Funded (3 Case Studies)

Sep 11 2024 91 mins  
Nick Parker (Live Oak Bank) returns to the pod! He and Connor have worked on many hospitality projects together, and they have the inside track on the operators that get funding for the unique hospitality developments. You won't be surprised to learn that there are plenty of common traits among the most successful.We break down three projects that Nick Parker and Connor have worked

Glamping Design Secrets From Autocamp's Former Senior Design Director

Sep 04 2024 90 mins  
AutoCamp is one of the world's biggest glamping brands. After starting small with their first Santa Barbara location in 2013, their growth rate exploded following a $115 million investment from Whitman Peterson, a private equity firm, in 2019.Will Spurzem joined the company as Senior Design Director that same year, and he was the design genius behind the locations that followed. He