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Artwork for The Hotel Investor Playbook

The Hotel Investor Playbook

Michael Russell
Boutique Hotels
Real Estate Investment
Hospitality
Hotel Management
Direct Bookings
Hospitality Industry
Hospitality Management
Short-Term Rentals
Investment Strategies
Glamping
Guest Experience
Cost Segregation
Operational Excellence
Guest Satisfaction
Hostels
Luxury Hospitality
Real Estate Syndication
Real Estate Investing
Social Media Marketing
Franchising

Welcome to The Hotel Investor Playbook, hosted by real estate investor and hospitality operator Michael Russell. Michael is the co-founder of Malama Capital and Howzit Hostels, and has built a personal real estate portfolio exceeding $20 million.With an operator-first mindset, Michael brings a practical perspective to hotel investing. On the show, he breaks down what it actually takes to scale fro... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes90Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessInvesting

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Artwork for The Hotel Investor Playbook

Latest Episodes

He's not a hotel investor. He built his career in multifamily and self-storage, growing a portfolio that peaked near $1 billion across more than 4,000 units. But the way he underwrites deals, ranks markets, and raises capital works across every asset... more

Most hotel investors build the product first and spend years chasing an audience to fill it. This guest flipped the order entirely.

In this episode, Michael Russell sits down with a travel content creator who built a following of over a million peop... more

Most people walk past the ugly deal. That's exactly why the ugly deal is where the money is.

In this episode, Michael Russell sits in the hot seat as a guest on the Lights On Podcast, sharing the unfiltered story behind how he acquired a rundown one... more

In this episode, you'll learn how to diagnose whether your property is actually a candidate for wellness positioning, and if it is, how to implement it in a way that lifts ADR without blowing out your expense line.

A hospitality strategist who spent... more

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Recent Guests

Emily Johnson
Consultant helping boutique hotel owners drive revenue through wellness strategy
Elevate Hospitality Collective
Episode: The Wellness ROI Audit Every Boutique Hotel Owner Needs to Run | Emily Johnson E86
Christian Osgood
Real estate investor, hospitality operator
Robin Hood Village Resort owner/operator
Episode: The $0-Down Hotel Deal That Still Cost $1.5 Million | Christian Osgood E85
Hillary Folkvord
Boutique hotel operator and hospitality entrepreneur
Family hospitality business / Montana properties
Episode: The Boutique Hotel Mistake Killing Your Occupancy (And the Fix That Took One Operator From 40% to 80%) | Hillary Folkvord E84
Emanuele Pani
Hotel investor and hospitality operator from Sardinia, Italy
Independent investor; operating in South Florida and Italy
Episode: From $50 in His Bank Account to a 140-Key Hotel in Italy | Emanuele Pani E83
Chris Broomfield
Founder of Evergreen Cabins
Evergreen Cabins
Episode: This Contractor Built a $6M Hospitality Brand With $90K and Zero Outside Investors | Chris Broomfield E82
Mike Messeroff
Personal freedom coach working with hospitality leaders
Episode: Stop Deferring Your Joy: How High-Performing Leaders Stay Sharp Without Burning Out | Mike Messeroff E81
Ashley LaRocque
Owner of Juniper Lodge and founders of Juniper Treehouse project
Juniper Lodge / Juniper Treehouses
Episode: How 2 Women Turned a $1.2M Zillow B&B Into a $4M Treehouse Hotel (No Investors) | Ashley LaRocque E80
Dustin Feider
Tree house designer/builder and founder of TreeWalkers
TreeWalkers
Episode: The $600K Treehouse Earning $200K a Year | Dustin Feider E79
Ryan Sudeck
CEO of Sage Investment Group
Sage Investment Group
Episode: The Hotel-to-Apartment Strategy That Turned $8.5M Into $18.9M in 19 Months | Ryan Sudeck E78

Host

Michael Russell
Host of The Hotel Investor Playbook and operator-investor with Malama Capital and Howzit Hostels; focuses on scaling from short-term rentals to boutique hotels with a practical, operator-first perspective.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 119 ratings
  • Empowering for hotel entrepreneurship

    Found this podcast recently as I make my way back into hotel entrepreneurship. Appreciate how Michael covers many topics in his interviews that I’m also interested in knowing, and how transparent everyone is on the call about their financials. Very valuable.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jennifer-lo
    United States3 months ago
  • Always time well spent!

    Informative, entertaining, and highly relevant. Michael is a wonderful host and provides tremendous value across many facets of hospitality leadership.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mike Messeroff
    United States3 months ago
  • Solid info

    This podcast along with others helped me have the confidence to pull the trigger on buying a motel. It’s been a huge help!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    conradbio
    Canada6 months ago
  • Actionable Tools and Strategies

    I absolutely love Hotel Investor Playbook! The format is fantastic—easy to follow, well-structured, and genuinely fun to listen to.

    What really sets this podcast apart is how practical and actionable it is. Michael breaks down real hotel investing concepts into clear, usable advice you can actually apply, without the fluff or hype. It feels like sitting down with smart friends who have already done the deals and are telling you exactly what to watch for and how to think about them.

    If you’re i... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AI Grandma, Apparently
    United States7 months ago
  • Great content

    Really good stuff coming from Mike and Nate. I appreciate their insight and experience level regarding hotel investing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bb5218
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the show's actionable, no-fluff approach to hotel investing.
Guests consistently bring useful, battle-tested tactics for growth and optimization.
Sponsorship mentions highlight the show's credibility and solo-host chemistry.
Hosts are described as transparent and practical with real-world deal guidance.
The format is seen as a reliable masterclass in hotel deals and operations.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The $0-Down Hotel Deal That Still Cost $1.5 Million | Christian Osgood E85
Q: How do you structure capital raises with relatively few partners?
Prefer four or fewer active partners in a joint venture and use equity strategically, keeping syndications as a last-resort tool for larger raises when necessary.
The $0-Down Hotel Deal That Still Cost $1.5 Million | Christian Osgood E85
Q: What was the biggest financial surprise after the purchase?
The realization that the deal required a large out-of-pocket investment due to partnerships underfunding operations, leading to a final outlay of about $1.55 million.
The $0-Down Hotel Deal That Still Cost $1.5 Million | Christian Osgood E85
Q: Why did you decide to buy a hotel when your background was in multifamily?
It was an opportunity seen through seller financing and a belief that a unique property with strong branding could be turned into a revenue engine beyond standard occupancy, despite the complexities of hospitality.
Stop Deferring Your Joy: How High-Performing Leaders Stay Sharp Without Burning Out | Mike Messeroff E81
Q: What does the coaching program offer and how can someone participate?
The guest describes moving toward a private circle called 'the extraordinary,' a curated group for top leaders, with applications via mikemesseroff.com/apply. He also promotes LinkedIn and Substack for ongoing guidance and resources.
Stop Deferring Your Joy: How High-Performing Leaders Stay Sharp Without Burning Out | Mike Messeroff E81
Q: How important is it to take breaks from work to maintain presence and gratitude, and how should leaders implement this?
The guest emphasizes that presence must come first and that short daily practices (meditation, gratitude journaling) are scalable for busy leaders. These routines reduce stress, improve decision-making, and help leaders show up more fully for their teams, which in turn improves organizational culture.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Hotel Investor Playbook

What is The Hotel Investor Playbook about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A hands-on show for hotel investors and hospitality operators, focused on practical deal sourcing, financing, operations, and growth strategies. Episodes frequently explore converting underperforming assets, scaling from short-term rentals to boutique hotels, and leveraging technology, branding, and OTAs to boost occupancy and revenue. Notable angles include international development, bootstrap financing, and unique concepts like micro-resorts and tree-house hospitality, all with actionable takeaways you can apply to real-world acquisitions and management. The format tends to feature operators and investors sharing hard-won lessons, sometimes with case studies that illustrate the financial and operational levers behind successful hotel owne... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Hotel Investor Playbook?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Hotel Investor Playbook:

1. Action Academy | Millionaire Mentorship For Your Life & Business
2. The Short Term Show
3. BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast
4. On The Market
5. Thanks For Visiting

How many episodes of The Hotel Investor Playbook are there?

The Hotel Investor Playbook launched 2 years ago and published 90 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Hotel Investor Playbook?

Recent guests on The Hotel Investor Playbook include:

1. Emily Johnson
2. Christian Osgood
3. Hillary Folkvord
4. Emanuele Pani
5. Chris Broomfield
6. Mike Messeroff
7. Ashley LaRocque
8. Dustin Feider

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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