The Hotel Investor Playbook
Welcome to The Hotel Investor Playbook, hosted by real estate investors and hospitality experts Michael Russell and Nathan St Cyr. As the founders of Malama Capital and Howzit Hostels, Michael and Nathan have a wealth of experience in owning and operating boutique hotels, hostels, and other experiential lodging properties. With over $30 million in real estate investments, including short-term rentals, long-term rentals, commercial retail, and hospitality properties, they bring a unique perspective on how to turn passion-driven investments into financial freedom.
In this podcast, they share their roadmap for transitioning from traditional real estate investments to boutique hotels, offering listeners the insights and strategies needed to succeed in this niche market. Whether you're looking to learn about identifying the right property, managing operations, or understanding the financial complexities of boutique hotel ownership, The Hotel Investor Playbook has you covered.
Join Michael and Nathan each week as they document their journey towards building a $400 million real estate-based business and bring you along for the ride. Subscribe now and start turning your real estate investment dreams into reality.
Episodes
41 episodes
A Masterclass In Experiential Hospitality With The Bolt Farm Treehouse Founders | Tori and Seth Bolt E40
Instead of chasing bookings, the founders behind Bolt Farm Treehouse create an obsession amongst their guests, and they do it with love at the center of everything. Their hospitality business heals relationships, attracts top-tier employees, an...
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54:26
$187M Hotel Portfolio by Age 30: How to Choose the Right Deals, Brands, and Ops Model | Sujay Mehta E39
Thinking about buying or operating a hotel, but not sure where to start?Sujay Mehta built a $187M hospitality portfolio by betting on himself, starting lean, and learning through execution. In this episode, he breaks down what most peopl...
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1:10:59
Turning Passion into Profit in Rural Hospitality | Dave Cook E38
What does it take to build a successful hospitality business in a small rural town, with no outside investors? Dave Cook, founder of Barn Door Hostel in Rumney, New Hampshire, walks us through his journey from hostel volunteer to hostel owner.<...
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44:03
Bootstrapped Hospitality: Scaling Your Hotel Portfolio Without Major Capital | Austin Phippen E37
Today’s guest bought a roadside motel in a town of 900 people and turned it into a thriving hospitality brand.In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, Mike and Nate sit down with Austin Phippen, a 26‑year‑old owner of Cha...
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37:22
Building a Scalable Outdoor Hospitality Brand Through Franchising | Brian Linton E36
In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, Mike and Nate sit down with Brian Linton, co-founder of Finding Promised Land, Camp Ferncrest, and The Rex Hotel. Brian shares how he transitioned from building a $20M apparel company to launching...
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1:00:46
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How to Know If Your CPA Is Helping You or Holding You Back | Kelly Tate E35
Not sure if your tax advisor is actually optimizing your returns, or just filing forms? In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, we’re joined by Kelly Tate, a CPA with over two decades of experience helping real estate and hospi...
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51:11
Why Hostels Are an Untapped Investment Opportunity in the U.S. | Mike & Nate E34
We're proving why hostels are one of the most powerful investment models in real estate. In this episode, Mike and Nate break down exactly why they’re going all-in on hostels and how they turn underperforming assets into award-winning hospitali...
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36:54
The Strategic Power of Third-Party Hotel Management | Bryan Fish E33
You don’t need to be an expert in everything to scale in hospitality, just need to align with the right consultants, operators, and partners who’ve done it before.In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Fish, CEO of Reliance Hospitality,...
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45:22
He Managed $320M for a Family Office - Then Walked Away to Build His Own Empire | Reilly Brennan E32
After helping scale a family office real estate portfolio from $3 million to over $320 million, Reilly Brennan walked away from the comfort of a W-2 job to carve his own path in boutique hospitality.In this episode, we sit down with Rei...
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47:12
Building a $6M Micro Resort with Only 3% Down Using a USDA Loan | Ian Joseph E31
In this episode, we dive into an uncommon but powerful financing strategy that could change how boutique hospitality projects get funded. Ian Joseph, founder of Branch, shares how he’s leveraging a USDA Rural Business Development loan to financ...
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47:42
The Ultimate Guide To Financing Your Next Hotel Deal | Suraj Desai E30
In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sit down with Suraj Desai, a hospitality finance expert who has helped close hundreds of hotel deals, to unpack everything you need to know about financing your next acquisition, renovation, or...
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53:30
Buying Hotels Is Just the Start: How to Build a Lasting Hospitality Brand | Keir Weimer E29
In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sit down with Keir Weimer, founder of Weekender Hotels, to unpack how he’s building a boutique hospitality brand designed for the long haul. Keir shares how he aligned his business with his per...
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48:10
Hotel Investing Insights from the CEO of One of America’s Top Hotel Brokerage Firms | Suraj Bhakta E28
What does it really take to scale from your first hotel acquisition to managing a hospitality portfolio worth tens or even hundreds of millions?In this episode, Michael and Nate sit down with Suraj Bhakta, CEO of NewGen Advisory, a leadi...
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52:09
Saturday Special: Behind the Curtain at Malama Capital | Mike & Nate E27
In this special Saturday edition, we’re flipping the script. No guest today — just Mike and Nate giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s going on inside Malama Capital.After a listener reached out asking to hear more about our ...
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25:33
How Sky McLean Built a $500M Hotel Brand from Scratch | Sky McLean E26
What do you do when you get fired from your job and get escorted out with a cardboard box? If you’re Sky McLean, you build one of the fastest-growing hospitality brands in Canada.In this episode, we sit down with Sky McLean, founder and ...
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38:30
Glamping for Profit: Low Cost, High Cash Flow, Massive Upside | Zac Willms E25
What if you could double your money in one season with glamping tents? Zac Willms is pulling it off — and building a profitable outdoor brand in the process.In this episode, Mike and Nate talk with Zac Willms, co-owner of a thriving glam...
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51:44
Olympic Discipline, Million-Dollar Loss, and Building a Hospitality Portfolio | Adam G Dailey E24
From Olympic Trials to Losing Millions—And Bouncing Back With a Boutique Hotel EmpireIn this episode of Hotel Investor Playbook, Mike and Nate are joined by Adam Dailey, a former 5x All-American athlete turned hospitality invest...
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1:07:10
From Motel Renovation to 300K Followers: The Innvestors Story | Brett McManus E23
What happens when two young investors decide to buy a rundown motel, renovate it themselves, and document the entire journey online? For Brett and Casey McManus—creators of the viral Instagram account Innvestors—it led to a booming bou...
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1:00:36
Ground-Up Boutique Hotel Development in San Francisco - High Risk, Higher Reward? | Mike Demson E22
Could you really buy a hotel development site in Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco—at a fire-sale price—and turn it into a boutique hotel with a projected value over $11 million?That’s the plan today’s guest, Mike Demson, is working on. I...
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53:12
What It Takes to Build a Revolutionary Hospitality Business | Brian Meyer E21
What if your next hospitality investment didn’t sit on land?In this episode, Mike and Nate sit down with Brian Meyer, founder and CEO of Flow Home—a luxury floating home rental business redefining waterfront living. We explore how Brian ...
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48:31
Cost Segregation Made Simple: Unlock Massive Tax Savings in Real Estate | Brian Bigham E20
“Do you enjoy paying taxes? Would you like to learn how to keep more of your hard earned money?In this episode of The Hotel Investor Playbook, Mike and Nate sit down with Brian Bigham, Vice President at Madison Specs and also kn...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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38:35
From First Responder to Ground-Up Developer: An Inspiring Journey | Andrew Owlett E19
Ever dreamt of creating your luxury resort from scratch? In this episode, we’re diving deep into the world of ground-up hospitality development with Andrew Owlett, a visionary building a boutique wellness resort in Virginia— with plans to expan...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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50:24
How AI is Disrupting Hotels—And Why Small Operators Have the Advantage | Ari Smith E18
💡 AI is revolutionizing hospitality, but not how you think.The big hotel chains? They’re struggling to adapt. The real advantage? It belongs to small, independent operators who know how to leverage AI the right way.On this episode...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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56:52
Buying, Financing & Operating a Seasonal Boutique Hotel | Ryan Edwards E17
🏨 How do you turn a seasonal boutique hotel into a $2M value-add opportunity?In this episode of The Hotel Investor Playbook, we sit down with Ryan Edwards, owner of a 17-unit boutique hotel in Maine, to break down the real strategies th...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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53:26
The Glamping Boom: Hype, Profits, & Pitfalls | Edward Haynes E16
Luxury glamping—game-changing investment or overhyped trend?In this episode of The Hotel Investor Playbook, we sit down with Edward Haynes, a specialist in unique stays and experiential lodging, to unpack the massive growth in...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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45:00