The Unique Hospitality Podcast
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
Episodes
124 episodes
Pt. 2 The Glamping Collective- A Mountaintop Retreat Near Asheville, NC with Matt Bare (Founder Story)
Matt Bare returns for part two, sharing the real-world challenges of hot tubs, designing a landscape pool, and surviving a hurricane. From health department battles to designing for both luxury and efficiency, this episode reveals what it takes...
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1:30:27
Pt. 1 The Glamping Collective- A Mountaintop Retreat Near Asheville, NC with Matt Bare (Founder Story)
Are private hot tubs a profitable investment? Is it foolish to build in a booming glamping market with high competition? What is better a glass cabin or luxury dome? What does it take for your glamping property to survive a hu...
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1:51:25
Glamping on WHEELS? The story behind Sandy Vans and building a $350K van (Founder Story)
Hear the secrets behind Sandy Van's meteoric rise in the luxury adventure van market. We are joined by Alan Mondus CEO and Evan Purcell COO as they share their journey from building vans in their driveway to building a $350K luxury advent...
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1:43:28
Paws Up VS. Auberge - 2 Former Managers Go Head-to-Head (Roundtable Discussion)
The two most experienced managers in outdoor hospitality go head-to-head. Hear insights from Scott Randall and Jacob Halverson. These two managers have worked at the industry leading properties like Paws Up, Auberge, AutoCamp, Mendo...
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56:48
Under Canvas Acquires The Fields! Irene Wood Exclusive (Roundtable Discussion)
In huge news for the glamping industry, The Fields of Michigan has been acquired by glamping giants, Under Canvas.Irene Wood returns to the pod to give us the lowdown: How it all went down; the advice she'd give to operators looking for ...
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1:33:59
Lessons from launching Paws Up, AutoCamp and Wildhaven from 'Mr. Outdoor Hospitality' (GMs Story)
In this episode we dive in with Scott Randall who helped launch Paws Up, AutoCamp and Wildhaven over his 25 year career in outdoor hospitality. There is no person on this continent with more experience growing prominent glamping brands.&n...
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1:55:10
What Does A Glamping GM Do? Wes McCloskey from Open Sky Reveals All (Roundtable Discussion)
Familiar favourite Bygnal Dutson from Open Sky in Zion returns to the pod today, but this time he's joined by his General Manager, Wes McCloskey.Today's episode is all about the nitty gritty of running a glamping business as the GM. What...
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47:16
Glamping ON WATER at Sol Stay with Joe Lisa and Bill Nolan (Founder Story)
Hear the story behind Sol Stay, one of America's only glamping resorts ON THE WATER. Find out how Joe Lisa and Bill Nolan built this unique property on the waters of Lake Erie in Ohio. I...
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1:26:57
How to Execute a Successful Grand Opening with Quentin Incao of Q Hospitality (Industry Expert Story)
Learn the critical items you need to think about before your grand opening. Hear about pre-marketing, selecting a property management system, opening your booking calendar, OTA integrations, OS&E purchasing and more. Quen...
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1:48:57
Nick Purslow's Story - From Small English Town to the Canadian Rockies (Host Story)
Some of you have been listening to him for more than 4 years, but you don't know his story. Nick got to where he is today through hard work, tenacity, and a whole lotta dreaming.As he prepares to open his first mirror cabins ...
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1:26:20
How to Create a Sense of Community at Your Resort - With Nathan St Cyr of Howzit Hostels (Founder Story)
We explored beyond the world of glamping this week and interviewed Nathan St Cyr of Howzit Hostels. He broke down the hostel business model; how Howzit obsesses over the guest experience; and how to create a sense of community at your resort.
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1:09:17
How Hal Feinberg Became America's Biggest Glamping Dome Operator (Founder Story)
Hal Feinberg is the founder of Clear Sky Resorts. Clear Sky is the largest dome operation in the US, with resorts in Utah and Arizona.Hal joins us to discuss his journey to this point, his special interior designs, how he scaled to a sec...
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1:09:33
What Is Your Outdoor Hospitality Business Worth? And How Can You Maximize Its Price In A Sale? (Roundtable Discussion)
Learn what your outdoor hospitality business is worth and how you can maximize your value in a sale. In this episode Connor interviews experts Bob Kaplan of NAI Outdoor Hospitality Brokers and Shari Heilala of Sage Outdoor Advisory. ...
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1:16:33
How to Hire the Best Staff In Outdoor Hospitality (Roundtable Discussion)
Jacob Halverson joins Connor and Nick to discuss all things recruitment. How do you find staff for your hospitality operation? What questions should you ask them in interviews? How does the process change according to job role?Links:...
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1:20:05
How Ken Barber Scaled His Californian Based Wildhaven Glamping (Founder Story)
In Connor's first solo-hosted episode, he speaks to Ken Barber of Wildhaven Glamping in California. Ken has pulled off the notoriously difficult task of starting and scaling a Californian glamping operation, and he dives into his initial capita...
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1:26:58
What Can American Operators Learn from Luxury African Safaris? (Roundtable Discussion)
We're back!We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Nick and Connor are excited to return with the first episode of the new year, and boy is it a good'un.We're joined by Michel Girardin and (rejoined by) Andrew Murphy to t...
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1:14:21
Christmas Special + An Update On the Future of the Podcast
Jacob Halverson joins Nick and Connor for a bumper Christmas special! We discuss our favorite glamping resorts, glamping naughty and nice lists, and our favorite Christmas movies.The podcast also begins with an update on our plans for t...
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1:17:22
Why Winter Glamping Is a Hidden Goldmine, and How to Exploit It
Sorry for the delay on this week's episode - my laptop is broken!Everybody thinks of glamping as a summer activity, with the sun shining and the leaves in bloom. But have you ever considered glamping in minus 40 temperatures?The...
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50:35
The Craziest Glamping Site We've Ever Seen
Today's guest is the opposite of every previous operator we've had on the show. And his counter-intuitive strategy may give you your next great idea.Introducing Travis Chambers, Founder of Outpost X. Travis isn't trying to create luxury...
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57:21
The Secret to 1.2 Million Followers for Your Glamping Site
Derry Green returns to the podcast to reveal his secrets for social media domination. He tells us how Secret Garden Glamping accumulated 1.2 million followers and became an online phenomenon; how he designs his sites around social media engagem...
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49:00
From Under Canvas to the Grand Canyon - The Story of Jeremy Budge and Backland Glamping
Jeremy Budge was one of the earliest hires at Under Canvas, the pioneering glamping brand that was acquired for over $100 million in 2019. He left Under Canvas at the peak of its powers to start Backland Glamping, a secluded Arizon...
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1:15:58
The Future of Unique Hospitality - Round Table with Ben Wolff, Isaac French and Zach Busekrus
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 philoso...
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1:20:04
The Glampground with a 94% Occupancy Rate, Celebrity Clientele and a Netflix Show
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, jo...
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1:20:46
From Getaway to Nude Campsites - The Story of Topos Ventures
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 r...
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1:17:40
What's the Most Popular Glamping Unit? - Data Deep Dive With Shari Heilala
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...
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1:09:44