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Artwork for Behind the Stays

Behind the Stays

Zach Busekrus
Hospitality Industry
Hospitality
Airbnb
Short-Term Rentals
Vacation Rentals
Entrepreneurship
Glamping
Boutique Hotels
Luxury Travel
Journey
Luxury Hospitality
Vacation Rental Management
AI In Hospitality
Customer Experience
Guest Experience
Unique Stays
Marriott
Cleaning Services
Sponstayneous
Travel

Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and hospitality brands and the hosts, operators, and entrepreneurs who’ve brought them to life. Every Tuesday and Friday you’ll meet the military veterans, retired flight attendants, tech entrepreneurs, school teachers, single moms, hoteliers, and real estate investors who are ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes358Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessEntrepreneurshipInvesting

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Artwork for Behind the Stays

Latest Episodes

Explore Epicurate: epicurate.vip/

Connect with Max: www.linkedin.com/in/max-porterkhamsy/

Connect with Zach: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/

Apply to join the Journey Alliance: journey.com/alliance/

Every on... more

YouTube

Explore Raina Music: rainamusic.com/

Connect with Vikas: www.linkedin.com/in/vikassapranyc/

Connect with Zach: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/

Apply to join the Journey Alliance: journey.com/alliance/

In jus... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Max Porterkhamsy
Founder of Epicurate, chef, former engineer
Epicurate (acquired by Journey)
Episode: How an Engineer-Turned-Michelin-Chef Built Epicurate, the Experience Platform for Luxury Stays
Noah Brodsky
CEO of Under Canvas, former Windermann Travel & Leisure executive
Under Canvas
Episode: This Week in Hospitality: The World Cup Bust, Spirit's Collapse, Priceline is Back, and Aman's Move in the Texas Hill Country
Vikas Sapra
DJ, tech founder and founder of Raina
Raina
Episode: He DJ'd for Jay-Z and Kanye — Now He's Rewiring Sound for Aman, Hyatt, and Jose Andrés
Bashar Wali
Hospitality entrepreneur and guest on the show
Independent hotels and hospitality brands
Episode: This Week In Hospitality: Hospitality’s Muddy Middle Is Breaking — With Bashar Wali
Corey Jones
Owner/Operator of Lucky Savannah, vacation rental portfolio in Savannah, GA
Lucky Savannah
Episode: Inside the Vrbo Where George Washington Stayed — and the Operator Turning Savannah Into a Historic Luxury Destination
Diana Stobo
Founder behind The Retreat Costa Rica
The Retreat Costa Rica
Episode: How a Health Crisis, a Divorce, and a Thai Monk Led Her to Create the #1 Spa in the World: Meet Diana Stobo of The Retreat Costa Rica
David Kaplan
Founder of Death & Co; entrepreneur in hospitality
Gin & Luck / Death & Co / Midnight Auteur Hotels
Episode: He Built the Most Iconic Cocktail Bar of a Generation. Now Death&Co's Founder is Coming for Boutique Hotels.
Scott Wiseman
CEO of Nocturne Luxury Villas
Nocturne Luxury Villas
Episode: Why a Marketing Executive at Accor Became the CEO of a Luxury Villa Brand — Meet Scott Wiseman of Nocturne Luxury Villas
Nadine Choe
Founder and curator of The Stanza
The Stanza
Episode: From Developing Aman to Building The Stanza: How Nadine Choe Built a Media Brand Where Taste Is the Moat

Host

Zach Busekrus
Host of Behind the Stays

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 235 ratings
  • Beyond the Bromides

    Zach takes the listener beyond hospitality bromides, diving deep into the unique sauce that makes each stay a destination. His questions are sharp, his guests bring substance, and I always walk away with an insight or two that I can apply to my own ventures.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @Janice
    United States3 months ago
  • Best Podcast

    My favourite podcast at the moment. Played all episodes even some of them a few times. Really insightful into current hospitality trends. Taking notes as I move to France to start building my own retreat.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Corealo
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Get to the point

    There’s a lot of good here, and Zach curates a really wide breadth of guests, but would benefit from being less preachy and going down long winded rambles, to then turn it over to the guest to answer a non-question. Get to the question and set the guests up to answer beyond “do you agree?”

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    clouwho2
    United Statesa year ago
  • Let Guests Shine More!

    Host talks a lot and is a bit preachy, but guests are interesting.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    MemoriNashay
    United Statesa year ago
  • The BEST for everything hospitality

    Behind the Stays is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the hospitality. I always learn something new!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hill_ari
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is described as essential listening for hospitality pros and investors seeking practical insights.
Guests are highlighted as the standout, with audiences appreciating depth when hosts let experts shine.
Listeners consistently praise the host for thoughtful questions and strong production quality.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How an Engineer-Turned-Michelin-Chef Built Epicurate, the Experience Platform for Luxury Stays
Q: What gap in the industry did Epicurate aim to fill?
The gap was the broken concierge ecosystem in vacation rentals, where lots of communication and sourcing happened via scattered tools; Epicurate centralized menus, scheduling, payments, and relationships to empower providers and concierges to work efficiently.
How an Engineer-Turned-Michelin-Chef Built Epicurate, the Experience Platform for Luxury Stays
Q: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue cooking as a career after your engineering path?
After backpacking in Europe and returning, I discovered a love for cooking that led me to culinary school, recognizing that the kitchen offered a creative and hands-on alternative to desk jobs.
He DJ'd for Jay-Z and Kanye — Now He's Rewiring Sound for Aman, Hyatt, and Jose Andrés
Q: What makes a space a good fit for working with Raina, and what is your ideal customer profile?
Discerning operators with large portfolios or complex, multi-space environments who care about guest experience and brand sound, particularly those needing transparency and centralized management across many properties.
He DJ'd for Jay-Z and Kanye — Now He's Rewiring Sound for Aman, Hyatt, and Jose Andrés
Q: How do you balance brand consistency with local flavor when managing a portfolio like Hyatt or Auberge?
Brand consistency comes from the brand-level dialogue with local market input. We tailor sounds to local contexts (e.g., New York vs. Vegas) while preserving a cohesive portfolio texture and narrative.
He DJ'd for Jay-Z and Kanye — Now He's Rewiring Sound for Aman, Hyatt, and Jose Andrés
Q: What is the process you use to discover the musical soul of a space and translate that into a program?
We start with a discovery call, review brand decks, demographics, and daypart needs, then provide multiple points of view before aligning on a full program. It's collaborative and scales from a single property to a multi-property portfolio.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Behind the Stays

What is Behind the Stays about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Behind the Stays is a hospitality-focused series that centers on the people behind unique stays—boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and experiential brands. Episodes frequently explore how identity, design, and storytelling shape guest experiences, with topical discussions around brand architecture, AI-driven distribution, loyalty ecosystems, and the evolving landscape of independent properties in a consolidation-heavy market. Notable throughlines include preserving authenticity at scale, the role of data and technology in hospitality, and practical takeaways for operators on marketing, guest experience, and growth. The show tends to feature founders, operators, and designers who blend luxury, culture, and community, making it valuable for... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Behind the Stays?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Behind the Stays:

1. The Short Term Show
2. Thanks For Visiting
3. The Outdoor Hospitality Podcast
4. This Week in Hospitality
5. Tax Smart Real Estate Investors Podcast

How many episodes of Behind the Stays are there?

Behind the Stays launched 5 years ago and published 358 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Behind the Stays?

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What guests have appeared on Behind the Stays?

Recent guests on Behind the Stays include:

1. Max Porterkhamsy
2. Noah Brodsky
3. Vikas Sapra
4. Bashar Wali
5. Corey Jones
6. Diana Stobo
7. David Kaplan
8. Scott Wiseman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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