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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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded2 years ago
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InvestingBusiness

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Artwork for The Hotel Investor Playbook

Latest Episodes

Sarah Dusek had built Under Canvas when a private equity buyer took a majority stake at a valuation north of $100 million. Michael Russell opens the episode by asking what they were actually buying. Her answer is two words: embedded EBITDA.

In this ... more

Bruce and Emily Haupt run The Landgrove, a 16-room inn with a full-service restaurant and a 1,500-square-foot art barn, in a Vermont town of 180 people. They paid $1.8 million for it, and the down payment did not come out of savings. It came out of E... more

Adam Walz and Micah Thomas are the co-founders of Comeback Hospitality, and they are roughly 30 days from opening The Wesley, a 1960s roadside motel in Page, Arizona they are converting into a 50-room boutique hotel. To buy it, they called 62 banks a... more

Dustin Baker runs Hidden Gem Media, a performance marketing agency built to pull hospitality brands off the OTAs and onto direct bookings. By his account, one client resort went from roughly thirty thousand dollars a month in direct bookings to somew... more

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Recent Guests

Bruce Haupt
Former CFO of a multi‑billion dollar agency, now innkeeper and retreat operator
The Landgrove Inn / The Landgrove Studio
Episode: The 401(k) Rollover That Bought A $1.8 Million Inn | Bruce & Emily Haupt E98
Emily Haupt
Former Shell geologist and budget manager, now innkeeper and operator
The Landgrove Inn / The Landgrove Studio
Episode: The 401(k) Rollover That Bought A $1.8 Million Inn | Bruce & Emily Haupt E98
Adam Walz
Co-founder of Comeback Hospitality
Comeback Hospitality
Episode: First-Time Hotel Owners: How They Financed A Hotel After 61 Banks Said No | Adam Walz & Micah Thomas E97
Micah Thomas
Co-founder of Comeback Hospitality
Comeback Hospitality
Episode: First-Time Hotel Owners: How They Financed A Hotel After 61 Banks Said No | Adam Walz & Micah Thomas E97
Dustin Baker
Runs Hidden Gem Media, a performance marketing agency for hospitality brands
Hidden Gem Media
Episode: The Follower Count Myth: How One Resort Went From $30K To $300K A Month In Direct Bookings | Dustin Baker E96
Carly Whitney
Senior Vice President at Business Finance Capital
Business Finance Capital
Episode: $1 Billion SBA Insider: How To Buy A Hotel With Just 15% Down | Carly Whitney E95
Amiti Bhow
Vice President at NewGen Advisory and hotel broker
NewGen Advisory
Episode: Wall Street Trader Turned Hotel Broker: The Deal 40 Brokers Couldn't Close | Amiti Bhow E94
Alexander Cartwright
PhD economist who left a tenured professorship to buy distressed hotels and convert them into workforce housing
HotelSHIFT
Episode: The PhD Economist Who Buys Hotels and Turns Them Into Apartments | Alexander Cartwright E93
Dan Daly
Founder of Global Investment Partnership, invests in hospitality in Europe
Global Investment Partnership
Episode: Why This Fund Ditched US Real Estate For 18% Appreciation In Portugal | Dan Daly E92

Host

Michael Russell
Host of the show, real estate investor, hospitality operator with a portfolio approach spanning hotels, hostels, and related ventures.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 125 ratings
  • Masterclass in Insights

    Michael’s podcast is a masterclass in storytelling and insight. Each episode features thoughtfully selected interviewees who share their journeys through failure, growth, and ultimately, success. What stands out is Michael’s ability to ask the right questions—those that not only guide the conversation but also resonate deeply with the audience’s desire to learn from real-life experiences.

    His interviewing style feels both natural and engaging, creating a space where guests are comfortable shari... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mylanaqua
    United States4 months ago
  • 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 States6 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 States6 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
    Canada9 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 States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The host and guests deliver practical, actionable hotel investing guidance that's easy to apply.
Fans appreciate the combination of high-level strategy and on-the-ground execution.
Guests are described as knowledgeable and genuinely focused on helping others succeed in hotel investing.
Audiences value transparent discussions of numbers, capital stacks, and operations.
Listeners consistently praise the host for deep-dive questions and real-world deal details.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why This Fund Ditched US Real Estate For 18% Appreciation In Portugal | Dan Daly E92
Q: How does the Golden Visa aspect fit into the investment thesis?
The fund offers permanent residency through Portugal's Golden Visa by investing in the fund, providing residency for investors and their families, while still generating yield and offering an exit on the hospitality platform; it adds a lifetime benefit on top of financial returns.
Why This Fund Ditched US Real Estate For 18% Appreciation In Portugal | Dan Daly E92
Q: What makes this investment approach different from a traditional real estate fund?
It focuses on the operating company that runs the hotels, delivering immediate cash flow, while the real estate itself is owned by other entities; investors are buying into the cash-flow-generating business and a long-term property value story, with a planned exit to a larger hotel operator.
$1 Billion SBA Insider: How To Buy A Hotel With Just 15% Down | Carly Whitney E95
Q: Why would someone choose a 7A loan over a 504 loan for a hotel purchase?
A 7A loan can offer a shorter prepayment penalty horizon (3 years) and potentially fixed-rate options with different banks, making it attractive for buyers who plan to sell or refinance sooner, whereas 504 provides higher leverage for real estate with long-term fixed rates but a longer prepayment penalty.
$1 Billion SBA Insider: How To Buy A Hotel With Just 15% Down | Carly Whitney E95
Q: What are the two main SBA loan types and their primary purposes?
There are two main SBA loan types: the 7A, which serves generic business needs including working capital and acquisitions, and the 504, which is specifically for real estate and long-term owner-occupied properties like hotels.
The Follower Count Myth: How One Resort Went From $30K To $300K A Month In Direct Bookings | Dustin Baker E96
Q: How do you attribute bookings to specific marketing efforts?
They use an internal system that connects PMS reservation data with CRM and Meta ad data via a conversions API to trace the path from ad view to email interactions and bookings, enabling precise source attribution and optimization decisions.

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?

This show centers on hotel investing, development, and operating strategies, with a practical, operator-first lens. Episodes routinely explore deal sourcing, capital structures, renovation challenges, and revenue optimization for boutique hotels and other hospitality assets. Guests range from bootstrap operators and real estate investors to hospitality founders, sharing hard-won lessons on funding, partnerships, and scaling a portfolio. A standout through line is a focus on actionable tactics, transparency about numbers, and a willingness to discuss risks and missteps to help listeners move from strategy to execution.

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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. On The Market
2. The BetterLife Podcast
3. The Short Term Show
4. Action Academy | Build Wealth. Buy Assets. Leave Corporate.
5. Tax Smart Real Estate Investors Podcast

How many episodes of The Hotel Investor Playbook are there?

The Hotel Investor Playbook launched 2 years ago and published 100 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. Bruce Haupt
2. Emily Haupt
3. Adam Walz
4. Micah Thomas
5. Dustin Baker
6. Carly Whitney
7. Amiti Bhow
8. Alexander Cartwright

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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