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 experien...
Recent Episodes
Oct. 28, 2025
How to Replace a Six-Figure Job with Boutique Hotel Investing | Tim Ensmann E55
Ever dreamed of quitting your six-figure job to build real wealth through hotels? This episode shows you what it actually takes. Tim Ensmann, founder of the T.C. Hotel Fund, shares how he went from tech sales to owning a mult...
Oct. 21, 2025
Real Estate Syndications 101: How Investors and Operators Actually Get Paid | Michael Russell E54
Ever wonder where the money actually goes in a hotel deal? In this episode, Michael Russell breaks down real estate syndications in plain English. How investors and operators really get paid, what fees are fair, and how to structure deals that build long-term trust. Whether you’re looking to raise …
Oct. 14, 2025
From STRs to Boutique Hotels: What It Really Takes to Buy Your First Hotel in 90 Days | Jacobo Hernandez E53
When most people say they want to buy a hotel, it’s just talk. Jacobo Hernandez sold his entire $10M short-term rental portfolio, packed his car, and hit the road for 90 days to find one. He toured 35 hotels, underwrote 2,000 deals, and slept in random motels across the U.S. before discovering a hi…
Oct. 7, 2025
From Wall Street to Pura Vida: Building ONDA, a Lifestyle Hotel Brand in Costa Rica | Bill Graf E52
We’ve all dreamt of quitting our bland corporate jobs to buy a hotel in Costa Rica… well, today’s guest did that. After leaving a private equity career in San Francisco, Bill Graf traded suits for surf towns and founded Onda,...
Sept. 30, 2025
Inside the “Hotel Guru’s” Mind: Robots, Hot Markets, and Making Millions | Bob Rauch E51
The hotel industry is changing: costs are rising, AI is here, and investors are getting more selective. This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sat down with Bob Rauch, better known as The Hotel Guru. From starting out as a dishwasher to building and selling a 20-hotel management company, then…
Sept. 23, 2025
Why 2026 Looks Rocky for U.S. Hotels And Where Smart Investors Can Hit Big | Jan Freitag E50
Where is the hotel market headed in 2026, and how can investors succeed in a challenging environment? This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, we sat down with Jan Freitag, National Director of Hospitality Analytics at CoStar. With over 30 years of experience analyzing hotel performance data, Jan …
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