“We know we can’t be there to get guests what they need, so we’re constantly thinking—what do they need? What will they think they need, and how can we have it there before they know they need it?”
In this episode of Booked Solid, Moira Sedgwick shares how years of working with luxury hotel chains and the James Beard Awards shaped her approach to short-term rentals. You’ll discover why thinking like a boutique hotel operator—not just a host—can transform your guest experience and market positioning. Moira walks through her framework for designing spaces that feel like a “wealthy auntie’s home,” how to audit your property through a hospitality lens, and why the details guests notice most are often the ones you overlook. Whether you’re launching your first property or scaling a portfolio, this conversation reveals what it takes to stand out in saturated markets.
Summary and Highlights
🏨 Meet Moira Sedgwick
Moira Sedgwick is the founder of A Chalet Collective, a boutique hospitality firm that designs and hosts short- and mid-term rentals, and Moca Interiors, the design studio behind each property’s distinctive look and feel. She’s been hosting since 2013 and brings a lifetime of hospitality expertise, including her role leading operations for the James Beard Awards.
Moira owns and manages her own properties while partnering with homeowners and investors to create high-performing rentals that feel less like listings and more like curated stays. Her training at the Culinary Institute of America and years working with luxury hospitality brands inform her meticulous approach to design, service, and guest experience. Guided by values of artful design, warmth, and thoughtful curation, Moira delivers spaces that inspire guests and generate strong returns for owners.
🎯 Key Takeaways
Design isn’t decoration—it’s strategy. Moira approaches every project by asking clients which hotel brand they want to emulate. This helps set expectations around quality, budget, and guest avatar before a single piece of furniture is selected.
Hospitality happens in the details. Without staff on-site, short-term rentals must anticipate needs through design. Extra pillows in different firmness levels, outlets by the bedside, fully stocked kitchens—these small touches communicate care and elevate reviews.
You’re competing with hotels, not just other rentals. Guests compare your property to branded hotels with massive marketing budgets and trained staff. Moira’s solution? Deliver hotel-level standards through thoughtful systems, quarterly property audits, and a relentless focus on the guest journey.
Market positioning starts with self-awareness. Before worrying about amenities or aesthetics, ask yourself: what hotel chain are you? A Motel 6 or a Ritz-Carlton? Your answer shapes everything from sheet quality to the type of guest you attract.
Quality compounds over time. Investing in organic cotton sheets and cast iron cookware isn’t just about luxury—it’s about longevity, guest satisfaction, and building a reputation that drives repeat bookings. Moira calls it “wealthy auntie energy,” and it works.
🛏️ From James Beard to Boutique Rentals: Moira’s Hospitality Philosophy
Moira didn’t stumble into hosting. As a kid, she played pretend bed-and-breakfast, crafting imaginary breakfasts for guests. Years later, she stayed at a Portland B&B with self-check-in—no host on-site, but impeccable hospitality. When Airbnb launched, she recognized the opportunity immediately.
Her career foundation came from the Culinary Institute of America, where she learned that hosting people—whether at a table, in a hotel, or at a rental—can genuinely impact lives. She worked in kitchens, consulted with luxury hospitality brands, and directed the James Beard Awards. Those experiences taught her how to layer service, storytelling, and attention to detail into every guest interaction.
Today, that philosophy shapes how she approaches direct booking strategies. Moira sees each space as a lifestyle experience, not just a place to sleep. Guests should feel like they’re staying with a wealthy relative who has exquisite taste, not renting a commoditized listing. Everything from the coffee station—complete with pour-over instructions via QR code—to the pillow options reflects this mindset.
She emphasizes that short-term rental operators face a unique challenge. Hotels have staff to adapt service in real time. STR hosts don’t. So the property itself must communicate hospitality through design, amenities, and thoughtful systems. As Moira puts it, “We can’t be there to change out your pillows, so we better have soft and firm options already available.”
🏡 The “Wealthy Auntie” Framework: Designing for Warmth and Aspiration
One of Moira’s most memorable metaphors is designing properties to feel like a “wealthy auntie’s home.” It’s not about opulence for its own sake. It’s about warmth, quality, and the small indulgences that make a stay feel special.
Think antique rugs that have stories. Le Creuset pans that have weight and history. Organic cotton sheets that feel luxurious. Scented soaps (or unscented, for guests with sensitivities). These aren’t just design choices—they’re signals that someone cared enough to think through every detail.
When Moira consults with new clients, she often encounters resistance. Why spend extra on high-quality items when guests might not notice? Her answer is simple: they will notice. Maybe not consciously, but the cumulative effect of quality decisions shapes how guests feel about their stay. That feeling shows up in reviews, repeat bookings, and word-of-mouth referrals.
She shared a story about staying at a beautiful waterfront property that looked stunning in photos but failed in execution. No wine openers. Poorly stocked kitchen. Basics missing. The property was coasting on location alone, and Moira’s group felt let down. That’s the opposite of her philosophy. Whether a guest cooks every meal or never touches the kitchen, the tools should be there—and they should be good.
For hosts serious about building their direct booking websites, Moira’s approach offers a blueprint. Start by identifying your guest avatar. Are you attracting Motel 6 guests or Ritz-Carlton guests? Your answer dictates everything from your marketing to your amenity choices. Then audit your property through that lens. Does every touchpoint align with the experience you’re promising?
🔍 Walking Through the Guest Journey: Why Property Audits Matter
Moira and her team conduct quarterly audits of every property they manage. Not just cleanliness checks—full guest experience audits. They stay overnight, cook meals, test every amenity, and take notes on what’s missing or broken.
This practice reveals things cleaning teams miss. A baseboard that needs repainting. A missing coffee supply. A light bulb that’s burned out. These aren’t catastrophic issues, but they add up. Moira’s standard is that every stay should feel like the first time anyone has been in the property. That’s a high bar, but it’s what separates good rentals from exceptional ones.
She encourages all hosts to do the same. Book your own property for a weekend. Walk through the check-in process. Cook a meal. Try to work from the space. Notice what you reach for that isn’t there. That’s your gap list.
If guests are buying items and bringing them to the property—ice machines, extra towels, better cookware—that’s feedback. Moira had a guest bring their own ice machine, and she immediately added one to the property. That level of responsiveness builds loyalty.
For property managers scaling portfolios through virtual teams, this kind of attention feels overwhelming. Moira’s solution is an inspector who functions as a guest experience specialist. This person doesn’t just check cleanliness—they verify that amenities are in place, supplies are stocked, and the experience matches brand standards. It’s an extra cost, but it’s also what allows her to deliver hotel-level service without full-time staff.
🎨 Design as Competitive Advantage: Standing Out in Saturated Markets
Moira works extensively in the Poconos, a market flooded with three-bedroom, two-bath rentals. Her clients often ask how to stand out when the competition looks identical. Her answer? Design and hospitality.
She starts by analyzing the top performers in the market. What are they offering? How are they presenting themselves? What can you do differently? If everyone has a hot tub, you need one too. But beyond the basics, what unique elements can you add?
For Dove’s Nest, a log cabin property, Moira leaned into murals, custom art, and experiential spaces. They added a jacuzzi tub in the primary suite—not in the bathroom, but in the bedroom itself. They created reading nooks, hide-and-seek spots for kids, and outdoor decks with heated pools. Every corner had a moment.
The goal wasn’t just to look good in photos. It was to create a property where guests discover new details each time they turn around. That sense of discovery drives engagement and makes the stay memorable. It’s also what generates the kind of reviews that mention “they thought of everything.”
Moira compares this to a producer mindset from her event background. What’s step A to step B to step C? How does a guest move through the space? What do they need at each stage? Most hosts don’t think through these transitions. They focus on the “money shot” photos and forget about the experience between arrival and departure.
For hosts looking to optimize their rental websites for better conversion, this level of intentionality matters. Photos get clicks. Experience gets bookings. Reviews get repeat guests. Moira’s framework connects all three.
☕ Small Touches That Matter: From Coffee Stations to Pillow Programs
Some of Moira’s favorite hospitality moments come from unexpected details. At a hotel in Bogotá, Colombia, she received a “pillow program” at turndown. It wasn’t just extra pillows—it was a booklet shaped like a pillow with a map guiding guests to better sleep. Inside were pockets with essential oils, eye masks, and earplugs.
She immediately thought about how to translate that into her rentals. Maybe not a delivered booklet, but a similar kit left in each bedroom. Small, thoughtful touches that guests don’t expect but deeply appreciate.
Another hotel offered “picnic service” instead of room service—a basket with cutlery, plates, and prepared food for a bed picnic. Moira loved the concept and started thinking about how a short-term rental could offer something similar, perhaps through local partnerships or pre-arranged delivery services.
She’s obsessed with coffee. Every property has a pour-over station with beans from a local roaster and a QR code teaching guests how to brew it properly. It’s not just about caffeine—it’s about creating a ritual. Many guests have never made pour-over coffee before. The experience becomes part of their stay story.
These details don’t happen by accident. Moira travels constantly, staying in both short-term rentals and hotels, always observing. What are they doing well? What disappointed her? How can she adapt those lessons? She encourages hosts to do the same. Travel isn’t just for leisure—it’s market research for your hosting business.
🏨 Competing with Hotels: What STRs Can Learn from Hospitality Brands
Moira’s perspective is refreshing: short-term rentals aren’t just competing with other listings. They’re competing with hotels. That shift in mindset changes everything.
Hotels have enormous advantages—brand recognition, loyalty programs, trained staff, 24/7 service. But short-term rentals have advantages too. More space, better kitchens, unique locations, and the ability to deliver personalized experiences at scale through design.
She frequently references hotel brands when consulting. “What hotel chain are you trying to be?” It’s a diagnostic question. Once a client articulates their target—whether it’s a boutique Kimpton property or a reliable Marriott—she can align design, budget, and positioning accordingly.
Moira also watches how hotels market themselves. Their websites, imagery, and messaging offer a masterclass in storytelling. She encourages rental operators to study those tactics. How do hotels open their homepage? What emotions do they evoke? What promises do they make?
The goal isn’t to copy hotels. It’s to learn from their decades of refining guest experience. Then adapt those lessons to the unique strengths of short-term rentals. For example, hotels can’t offer the “wealthy auntie” feeling because they’re standardized. Rentals can. That’s a differentiator worth leaning into.
🛠️ Systems That Scale: Inspections, Partnerships, and Quality Control
Moira’s portfolio includes both her own properties and client properties she co-hosts. Maintaining quality across multiple locations requires systems.
Her cleaning process includes two layers: a cleaning team and an inspector. The inspector functions as a guest experience specialist, checking not just cleanliness but amenities, supplies, and overall presentation. It’s an extra cost, but it’s also what allows her to maintain hotel-level standards without being physically present.
She also relies on local partnerships. When a pipe froze at one property, she couldn’t resolve it immediately. But she knew where the guests were having dinner, so she called the restaurant and covered their meal. That gesture turned a frustrating situation into a story they’d remember.
In Baltimore, one of her properties is next to Ekiben, a restaurant recently featured on the New York Times’ top 50 list. She’s now creating a welcome gift partnership with them because their fried chicken is so iconic it’s part of the neighborhood experience.
These partnerships do two things. They enhance the guest stay with local flavor. And they provide Moira with resources to deliver surprises when things go wrong. Both are valuable.
For hosts scaling beyond a few properties, these systems separate good operators from great ones. Quality doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through deliberate processes, regular audits, and a commitment to improvement. Moira’s quarterly audits ensure nothing slips. Her inspector ensures standards hold. Her local partnerships ensure guests feel cared for even when issues arise.
💡 The Mindset Shift: Quality Over Budget, Brand Over Commodity
Moira’s advice to new hosts is simple but profound: go all in on what matters. If you focus on budget, you’ll attract budget guests. If you focus on quality, you’ll attract quality guests.
She uses sheets as an example. Microfiber sheets are cheaper. But cotton sheets—especially organic cotton—signal care. Guests notice, even if they don’t articulate it. The same applies to cookware. Cheap nonstick pans might save money upfront, but they wear out quickly and frustrate guests. Cast iron and stainless steel last for years and feel substantial.
This isn’t about spending recklessly. It’s about being strategic. Moira works with clients on low, medium, and high budget options. Even her best clients don’t have endless money. The key is knowing where quality matters most and where you can compromise without degrading the experience.
She references the book “Let Them” by Mel Robbins as a hospitality mindset tool. Not every client will align with her standards. That’s okay. She’s learned to let potential clients who prioritize shortcuts find other designers. Her focus is on clients who share her values around quality, hospitality, and long-term thinking.
This selective approach has paid off. Her properties consistently get reviews mentioning that “they thought of everything.” Guests notice the organic sheets, the fully stocked kitchens, the thoughtful details. Those reviews drive more direct bookings and higher nightly rates.
📚 Book Recommendations
Moira shares two favorites. The first is a classic: “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. She loves its timeless lessons on building assets and thinking like an investor. For hosts, it’s a reminder that properties are businesses, not just side hustles.
Her second recommendation is more recent: “Let Them” by Mel Robbins. Moira appreciates Robbins narrating her own audiobook and finds the message particularly relevant to hospitality. The customer isn’t always right. If they were, they could build the house themselves. Moira’s approach is simple: let guests operate how they want, but also let herself operate how she wants. She won’t compromise on cotton sheets or quality cookware. If a client wants shortcuts, she’ll let them find another designer.
⚡ Rapid Fire Insights
What’s one tactical takeaway for hosts looking to improve direct bookings?
Look at who else is in your market. What do they have that you don’t? Use it as inspiration, not competition. The market will show you what’s working.
What mindset advice would you give someone starting something new?
Where you put your focus will grow. If you focus on budget, you’ll get budget guests. If you focus on quality, you’ll attract quality guests. Don’t cut corners on the things that matter most.
What’s one thing hosts overlook when trying to stand out?
They forget they’re competing with hotels, not just other rentals. Hotels have staff and budgets, but you can deliver hospitality through design and systems. Think like a boutique hotel operator.
🔗 Connect with Moira Sedgwick
Want to learn more about Moira’s approach to boutique hospitality and design? Follow her work and reach out:
Instagram: @achalet.collective
Website: achaletcollective.com
Email: hello@achaletcollective.com
Moira is also launching Chalets & Olives, a collaboration between A Chalet Collective and The Olive Jar. This innovative influencer-based experiential marketing platform helps short-term rental and boutique hotel owners compete with major hotel chains by bringing curated groups of influencers into properties for concentrated content creation. It’s a smarter, design-driven approach for smaller brands to amplify their presence and reach larger audiences through authentic storytelling.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
This conversation is packed with insights on design strategy, guest experience, and market positioning. Whether you’re launching your first property or refining a portfolio, Moira’s hospitality-first approach offers a roadmap for standing out in crowded markets.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify or YouTube and discover how luxury hospitality standards can transform your short-term rental business.
Ready to build a website that matches the quality of your property? Visit CraftedStays.co to create a fast, mobile-optimized direct booking site that converts guests into revenue.
Transcription
Moira: The other is like this silent message that will hopefully carry through our reviews, and that’s where we’ve added all these different details. We know that we can’t be there to get them what they need, so we’re constantly thinking what do they need? What will they think they need, and how can we have it there before they know they need it?
Moira: That’s one of our points that we excel and that is like very small touch points. Considering a space to be hospitable. So if I’m in a space, what do I need in this day and age? I need an outlet really close by. I want easy access to beverages, to water. There’s so many simple things too. Like I’m not there to change out your pillows.
Moira: I’m not there to give you extra blankets. So how can I have those things available? Can I have a soft pillow? Can I have a hard pillow? And that’s not the sexy side, of course, because you’re thinking more logistically and how to offer an experience that suits all when you’re not there to alter things.
Moira: But those are the little ways in which. We can impact folks, and then we do read about them. In the reviews, they say that we’ve thought of everything. Everything that they needed was there. Yeah, we just have to figure that out first.
Gil: Before we bring on my guest, I wanted to talk just a little bit about something that I’ve been hearing a lot from Host. I keep on hearing the same thing. I know my website isn’t converting, but I can’t afford $8,000 on an agency to rebuild it. Here’s the thing, you’re letting all these marketing strategies, you’re driving traffic and you’re putting it all to work.
Gil: But if your site isn’t really built to convert, you’re basically lighting your energy and money on fire. And even if you could afford an agency build, every time you want to test something or make a change, you’re having to pay them again. You can iterate, you can’t test, and you really can improve on things.
Gil: You don’t need a custom $10,000 website to get the conversion rates that really matter. You just need the right platform. That’s why I build craft estates. It’s purpose built for short term rentals and design from the ground up to help you drive more direct bookings. You can finally turn that traffic into bookings and you can keep on testing and improving as you learn, you can make changes all on the platform.
Gil: You don’t need to learn something new. So if you need some help or you wanna get started, go ahead and go to Craft to stays.co and start your free trial. Now let’s bring on our guests and dive deep into hospitality and marketing.
Gil: Hey folks. Welcome back to the book Solid Show, the podcast where we bring on top operators to discuss operations, hospitality, and STR marketing. On today’s show, I have Moira Sedgwick. She’s the founder of a Chalet Collective, which is a boutique hospitality firm, and also the founder of Moca Interiors, short-term rental designing firm.
Gil: I have the huge pleasure of having her on the show today to really discuss her experience in hospitality, specifically working with large hotel chains and really the standards that she’s seen in her years of hospitality and how that translates to her as a host, but also as a designer. So it’s really interesting to see kind of her perspective on things, the standards, how she compares to different industries.
Gil: and it’s really just interesting just how she applies that to make sure that. She is building exceptional stays and encourage folks to keep on coming back. So without further ado, let’s bring her in.
Gil: Hey Moira, welcome to the show.
Moira: Hi. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
Gil: Yeah. We had a brief moment to kind of catch up before the show, and I’m super excited to, for, for me to interview you and to have you share kinda how you think about the world and all of the experiences that you bring along with it. So maybe to kick us off, do you mind giving folks an introduction on who you.
Moira: Sure. I am Moira Sedgwick. CEO and founder of a Chalet Collective, a company that designs and hosts short term rentals and provides bespoke experiences for our guests. We work with folks across the country and sometimes in Mexico just saying, and we put together beautiful homes and enjoy hosting guests from around the world.
Gil: Tell me, tell me what kind of led you down that path to doing what you’re doing today. You’re, uh, host yourself as well too, uh, outside of, outside of, um, your design agency. But yeah, tell me kind of what led you to it and some of your background.
Moira: Yes. So oddly enough, I was a kid who always did fake like. B and B playing. Like I would make up these like fake kitchen, like fake breakfast to host my b and b guests. And I always wanted a bed and breakfast. And before Airbnb launched, I stayed at this b and B in Portland and no one was there on property and you had self check-in and this was like before smart locks and all this stuff.
Moira: And I was like. This is great. I love this idea of giving all this hospitality, but I don’t have to be up making breakfast super early, and then when Airbnb launched, I was like, oh, this is for me and I can create this perfect little house. At that time, I was just like, I’ll just do one house and host people.
Moira: I don’t have to be there, but I can give them this really amazing experience. And I think that was it. I was an early adopter of the Airbnb platform and obviously all the ups and downs that have come with that, but it’s just given me a really good opportunity to serve people the type of hospitality that I want to, and you know, living by the rules that I want for hospitality and living up to the expectations that I want people to have and experience when they’re staying with us.
Gil: Yeah, so you, you stayed as a guest. Airbnb before Airbnb was, was really a thing. You became a host and kind of along the way you’ve also done a lot of work even before your design work. In, in, in, in this space too, or in the hospitality space.
Moira: That is right. So my entire career has been based in hospitality. Right out of high school I went to the Culinary Institute of America, and that’s really where I learned all of my hospitality foundations. And from there I worked in kitchens. I worked with a lot of chefs, and I got into. What food and wine and hospitality meant altogether and where, you know, hosting people.
Moira: Intersex. So I worked with a lot of different hotels and consult with some luxury hospitality brands at the moment. Um, but also in my career I’ve been the director of the James Beard Awards, working with the top chefs and restaurants across the country and really everything ladders up to how to. Host people, whether that’s at a table, at a property, at a hotel, and how you can change people’s lives by giving them this little respite, even if it is, you know, a short time at a dinner.
Moira: It’s just something that can impact their lives in a positive way.
Gil: Yeah, it sounds like you have a lot of exposure to. How hospitality at kinda the highest end, what those standards are in the first place, but also having lived through different experiences of how hospitality is delivered to a user, which I’m, I’m guessing, kind of really sculpts the work and really the passion that goes behind what you do and how you work with other property managers and other hosts out there.
Moira: Yeah, I think that’s really accurate. And we come to the table whenever we meet a new client, whether we’re working with them to be their co-host or if we’re working with them to design a property. We always talk about how we want the design and the property themselves to impact the guest stay and peeling back the different layers on what that actually means.
Moira: And that is, you know, from the materials that you use for your sheet. To the pots and pans that you’re selecting, and oftentimes we get into these conversations where folks want to get something that that either looks aesthetically pleasing, but doesn’t have. The highest quality for guests. We see that a lot with like our initial consultations with folks and then we talk to them about longevity and how we want these pieces to patina over time and they can understand that we are building something that isn’t just a flash in the pan, but we’re really building like a whole lifestyle experience together.
Gil: Yeah, so I’m guessing that that molds stuff really well to, I am guessing your, your portfolio or the types of folks that kind of gravitate towards you are ones that are not looking for the kind of standards stay that are the more elevated in terms of experiences and, and so on.
Moira: And I think that that is exactly right because I am kind of designing and hosting for myself as the avatar, and that’s what I want. I want to know that these sheets are. Cotton at a minimum. We do put out organic cotton sheets and our, but just looking for these things that I would want in my house or feeling like I’m going to my wealthy auntie’s home and she’s hosting me for the weekend, and I want those nice touches that she would have that maybe I don’t have at home, that I don’t let myself indulge in.
Moira: Um, but she would have that nice soap. She would have that like beautiful antique rug that I really want to take from her. Or she would have that, um, the Lake Crusade pan that’s been used in the family over years, but just things that have actual weight and they have significance in our lives. But I want that quality to be given to our guests as well.
Moira: And I just don’t wanna feel like we’re, you know, we’re on the lower end. I don’t want basics.
Gil: not, not, not compromising. Um, I, I, I, I like the imagery of the wealthy auntie’s home. Like that really puts in perspective because like you can imagine a whole bunch of different avatars of people that could be staying at your place, but thinking about the wealthy auntie. Somehow that like, that really hooks.
Gil: Like that’s a very vivid memory. And it may be different for everybody else, like people
Moira: it’s also true.
Gil: Yeah. Um, but it definitely puts into perspective like, you know, what it may feel even if you don’t have a wealthy auntie. Like you can imagine what that may feel like.
Moira: Maybe you are the wealthy auntie. also that. But I think it gives an understanding of that, that warmth and love as well. Like when you stay with a family member that knows how to host you, instead of, you know, oh my God, we have to go to Uncle Larry’s house and we have to sleep on these horrible sheets on a hide of bed that has a bar.
Moira: We’re not giving Uncle Larry Energy. We’re really giving wealthy auntie energy who has the scented sheets. Maybe they’re not scented, you know, for our folks out there who have allergies, but she has the nice soap, she has the nice rugs, and just these little touches throughout the space make you feel like you’re at home.
Moira: But you know it’s nicer than your regular home. And I think that is the other tie in. And the other catch for people is it gives them a break from their regular life. So it might as well be nice.
Gil: Yeah. I have two questions, uh, that kind of goes on, that maybe kind of starting with the, the first one. When a property manager or a host comes to you and you’re designing it and you’re giving this vision of this wealthy auntie, and maybe they came to you with a certain expectation of like, oh, our design budget’s X.
Gil: So like, how do you kind of bridge that gap there in terms of like, maybe they thought the quality that they should be delivering is here, and you’re like, no, actually, like if you really want to do well, you, you should really think about this level of quality. How do you bridge that gap there for, for your clients?
Moira: That’s such a good question. I usually start off by asking what hotel brand they think they are or want to be, and then we look at what we’re talking about. Or if it’s an existing property that needs some improvements where it’s falling and we talk about what is it that’s part of that brand that really attracts.
Moira: You to it. What are those elements that they’re communicating with their marketing, with their touch points, with the look and feel of the room? Like what are all those different pieces and what are they making you feel about yourself? And then we go through what that is and how that translates into a tactile budget.
Moira: And we do always look at a way to do low, medium, high, and even our best clients rarely have an endless budget. And it’s our job also to ensure that we’re finding ways around how to bring them desirable pieces. So maybe we’re not getting the $10,000 Italian sofa because the property isn’t that high-end, but we’re finding something that is much more.
Moira: Digestible and still looks great and is still durable, which of course is out there. I think you just have to know what the products are and how things last. But it does help to start off by looking at like, what are the, the brands that speak to you and how can we achieve that in your home, and what do we need to do that?
Moira: And then we get into the nitty gritty of the budget for that.
Gil: That makes a lot of sense. So what you’re, what you’re doing kind of behind the scenes or kinda mentally is really helping them anchor, not really on the the budget per se, but. Where do you actually want to be? What is the experience that you want to shape? And you’re not telling them like, oh, you need to be over here.
Gil: You’re actually telling them like, or you’re asking them. What is it? What is that experience that you wanna deliver and how, like, help me understand what is it, and you’re using kind of the hotel as almost the analogy for that so that they can help extract, these are the feelings, these are, these are the types of kind of amenities that we might want to offer.
Gil: These are the type of quality you wanna offer. And so they’re coming to you with, okay, these are, this is basically my wishlist. So they’re almost setting the expectation or they’re readjusting their expectations so that you can figure out,
Moira: the key word.
Gil: yeah, yeah. That makes. If that makes a ton of sense. And it’s a, it’s a very good way.
Gil: Rather than you trying to convince a homeowner, they should expand their budget X amount because then it’s gonna be this tug and pull where someone’s gonna make a compromise on either side. They’re gonna either compromise on the budget or you may compromise on the design. Whereas I feel like if you kind of walk them through this process. Both of you have a vision that you’re shaping together in the very beginning and that kind of, that planning phase there, and then you guys are much more aligned to move the process or move the project forward.
Moira: exactly. And I think that there are some. You know, minds around design that are very trend driven and not so much quality driven. And where we are in that spectrum is like, you can even see the wallpaper behind me. It’s kind of fun, kind of poppy, and it will have, you know, some resonance. But I think over time it may go out of style and we’ll have to pick and choose what we have to.
Moira: Um, remove and update from our different properties, but we do for the most part, look at what are the elements that have longevity and is it an antique rug versus those, you know, polypropylene rugs that look cool in the moment and don’t have a longevity. They don’t have a long life for style, for interest.
Moira: And we’re looking to have, again, the image of the old auntie’s house. The rich auntie, um, she has stuff that’s kind of timeless
Gil: Yeah.
Moira: and that’s what we’re looking for. So we don’t want to just have everything trendy. We wanna make sure that these things can stay in a property for five to 10 years, and we’re looking for those pieces that will last.
Gil: Yeah, and, and from other conversations I’ve had in the past, it seems to be there’s like a, this balance where there are certain pieces that you may want to. Raise a standard on or spend a little bit more because it’s something that at the very end of the day, it’s gonna be appreciated versus other things that you can kind of skimp on.
Gil: Or you can choose a lower quality one and it may not be noticed.
Moira: Right. Like maybe you get your cotton products from a big box store. But you’re getting your, I don’t know, you’re getting your toilet paper from a company that you believe in. I don’t know. I’m just picking some different, different things that we do in terms of like where we pick and choose what to put forth.
Moira: And I do think it comes down to what are your ethos, but what’s the experience you want to have? And going back to your earlier point. We’re not just making a property to have people come in, like that’s just not what we’re doing. We’re looking to really have an experience for people to come and connect.
Moira: So we know that as a baseline, the clients that we’re working with agree with those ethos, and we know that they’re looking to create a respite. Maybe it’s even just for themselves to start. But looking at other families that they can serve, or is it professionals? Like who is it that we’re serving? And then what is it we want them to feel, which is so hospitality driven.
Moira: And as you know, people have said for years, I know Danny Meyer has said this, but people don’t remember, you know what you said, but they’ll remember how you make them feel.
Gil: Yeah.
Moira: the challenge that we have that’s unique to these short-term rentals is we don’t have that in-person connection. We have to make sure that all of these different touch points are communicating these feelings when we’re not there.
Moira: So we’ve already given ourselves a barrier. For me, it’s a fun, interesting challenge on how to overcome it, and it’s so interesting to see how large hotel groups do it in person. And then I like to think about how can I change that and alter it and translate it. To a scenario where I’m not in person, but I can still make them feel that and still give that level of service because at the end of the day, I think as short-term rentals, we may forget that we’re not only competing with those other cute short-term rentals that are around the block, but we’re also competing with these hotels that have so much more manpower, women power.
Moira: Budgets, marketing, all of these different things. And I also like to remind our clients that we are coming to the table as if we are going up against a hotel because we are. So how can we, how can we do that?
Gil: Yeah. Do you have any examples that you can share where, because you’re a smaller operator and because you’ve thought through the entire experience and even where there’s this disconnect where you can’t, you’re not there physically to provide that hospitality like a hotel is? How do you. Separate yourself where someone chooses your stay over a hotel that has staff and has that high quality standard, like can you gimme any examples of kind of how you’ve worked with your clients to deliver that type of experience where people wanna go stay at a short term rental?
Moira: Yeah. I think for us it comes down to two different components. One is communicating the beauty that looks different, so we’ll do those design pieces with the idea of standing out in the scroll. So it’s like Tinder sometimes when you’re thinking about. All the different websites there are to book things, all the different platforms there are booking.com, Airbnb, there’s all these different things.
Moira: There’s so many options. So we first need something that’s going to stop the scroll and be impactful. That’s one. And then the other is like this silent message that will hopefully carry through our reviews, and that’s where we’ve added all these different details. We know that we can’t be there to get them what they need, so we’re constantly thinking.
Moira: What do they need? What will they think they need and how can we have it there before they know they need it?
Gil: Yeah.
Moira: that’s one of our, our points that we excel. And that is like very small touch points, like considering a space to be hospitable. So if I’m in a space, what do I need in this day and age? I need an outlet really close by.
Moira: I want easy access to beverages, to water, um, if I am. I mean, there’s so many simple things too. Like I’m not there to change out your pillows. I’m not there to give you extra blankets. So how can I have those things available? Can I have a soft pillow? Can I have a hard pillow? And that’s not the sexy side, of course, because you’re thinking more logistically and and how to offer an experience that suits all when you’re not there to alter things.
Moira: But those are the little ways in which. We can impact folks, and then we do read about them. In the reviews, they say that we’ve thought of everything, everything that they needed was there. We just have to figure that out first.
Gil: Yeah. And I, I think the, the hosts and designers that do this really well, they almost put themselves. Through the lifecycle of the entire trip. What’s the experience when you walk through that door? What do you want them to see when they first walk into the kitchen? When they’re looking at picking out the rooms, when they’re opening the cupboards and they find out that there’s actual, there’s extra bedding there.
Gil: Like those are like the small little things like people. When they first walk in, they make a lot of assumptions on whether or not they’re gonna have a good stay and they can quickly pick up whether or not someone has thought through everything. And I find like even times, like of the, some of the hosts that do this really well, they’ll actually live in their property for a couple days prior to their first day, and they’ll do a soft lunch with themselves and they’re like, oh, we actually need, we need to pick up an extra set of this.
Moira: A hundred percent. And if you’re not doing that, you ha it’s the easiest thing that you could implement right now is staying at your property. And we take it for granted, but we do quarterly audits and stay at all of our properties, whether they’re hours or our clients. And the whole point is we’re in there getting real time feedback, and then I can see that baseboard needs repainting.
Moira: This needs tightening. We’re missing X, Y, and Z. This thing just disappeared, you know? No one else is doing that. Even the boots on the ground team that are wonderful, they’re not reporting back on those nuances that you have to pick up. And you do have to go in there with a hospitality mindset like, what am I missing?
Moira: What am I reaching for? Why isn’t it already there?
Gil: Yeah, it, yeah, it just makes a world of a difference and it’s probably one of the easiest things that you, you can do because it doesn’t need any special training. There’s not like a playbook that you need to do. You just need to have an enjoyable vacation at your home and. Figure out whether or not it met all the standards and whether or not you had everything you need.
Gil: If you ever thought like, oh, I need to go to the store and get this, or I, I wish I could message someone to get this. Like, okay, you probably, there’s a, there’s a gap there in terms of the level of expectation.
Moira: Yeah. Yeah, and we do that a lot, that thinking and that conversation. We have short term stays and we have midterm stays, and they are super similar in what you need, but those midterm stays need to actually feel even more like home and need to have more things for you. Because the idea for both types is we want guests to come with their bags and that’s it, and everything else should be there for you.
Moira: So if someone is buying something. Um, we’ve had people bring in an ice machine and I was like, oh, okay. We need an ice machine.
Gil: Hmm.
Moira: And, you know, not, not too much as being brought in, but seeing what people bring in is really helpful because then we know that that was something that they didn’t have, that we didn’t think about
Gil: Yeah, that’s a good point. The, the difference between a short-term rental and a, a long-term rental, whereas like a short-term rental, a lot of times you may not cook all your meals there. You may not prep everything. You don’t really need to optimize for those types of experiences, but. When you’re staying there for extended period of time, you want to be comfortable.
Gil: You wanna have everything you need, you want to be able to cook and kind of do everything like you would when you’re at home, where there’s more of a routine there. Um, and whereas vacation, if you need to go out and buy, buy a cup of coffee or, or make a meal, like you can do that, you’re, you’re, a lot of times on vacation, you’re splurging, you’re spending a budget that you wouldn’t normally spend at home.
Gil: Um, and it’s totally fine.
Moira: Yeah. And I would say for culinary minded folks like myself who have not control issues, but um, we have, we have properties in the Poconos, and I can’t say that that’s a culinary destination. So if you are in a remote area. And you are making all your meals, even though it is vacation or maybe you’re getting a chef to come in and do that, we wanna make sure that everything you need is there.
Moira: So it’s not, it’s not like, where’s this, where’s that? I remember one time I. Uh, last year, last summer, my friends and I stayed to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday at this beautiful home. Like the sit, like where it was, was right on the water and stunning. And we were cooking our own meals going out, and then had a chef come in to prepare the birthday dinner and the house had nothing.
Moira: And it was wild because obviously there was a high price tag, but what was inside didn’t match the price tag. And I was on my soapbox. Of, you know, things that they could improve, basics. They didn’t have wine openers, and clearly they’re just resting on their laurels of their location, but you never know how people are going to use the home.
Moira: And we did all of the above and basics weren’t there. So we definitely pride ourselves on having everything in a kitchen, and that’s what we put forth. More is a trained chef. She will have everything in the kitchen for you and it starts with our coffee station. And in all of our properties we have the opportunity to make your own pour over and we have like a little QR code code to teach people how to make their own pour over because some folks haven’t done it before.
Moira: But then it gives an opportunity again to sort of teach people to have this touch point of hospitality to like understand coffee. And I think that’s something we’re doing. I mentioned it earlier, but we’re sharing a lifestyle experience and we want people to know more about pour over coffee and like different ways to highlight food.
Moira: And I don’t know, the coffee thing I can talk about forever, but that’s something we do go the extra mile on. We always have beans from a local roaster. We have ways in which to do pour over or if you want something else, we have that opportunity too. We just don’t, we don’t want you to have a a Keurig moment.
Moira: We want something that feels like vacation, so maybe you have time to make the pour over on vacation that you wouldn’t have time for otherwise. But that’s really important to us to have a fully stocked kitchen because we don’t know how you’re wanna spend your time here. If you don’t use the kitchen, that’s fine, but if you wanted to, everything’s here for you.
Gil: How do you manage? Scale in those types of scenarios where you’re starting to amenitize it, how do you make sure that you’re delivering on that quality every single time? That’s one of the things that I kind of worry about is that even though we have fantastic cleaners and we have inspectors that go in, um, at least once a month, um, to make sure that like they do a full scrub over the entire property and kind of point out everything that we could be missing, they’re doing counts.
Gil: They’re, they’re changing filters. They’re, they’re going through it much more. Finally then a cleaner wood. How do you make, make sure that the clean, whatever staff you have on, on, on, is able to make sure that you’re delivering that quality when you have more amenities or more things that that could go missing.
Gil: Because what the last thing, the last thing you want is to have this expectation that you’re delivering this quality and when
Moira: then it’s not there.
Gil: and it’s not there exactly.
Moira: Yes. And we have an inspector every, every turnover. So the cleaning team comes and then the inspector comes through, and the inspector is more of a guest experience specialist. That’s probably a better way to say it. So they’re not only checking on quality control from the cleaners, they’re also making sure all of our amenities are in place.
Moira: So we have just little systems that work for us. You know, with how we’re replenishing coffee, how we’re working on having like little bags from little roasters, and we just have our own checkpoints to make sure that they’re in place and we have the back stock to support it. And then also those quarterly audits, we are there and we’re really in the mix of the entire property and making sure that everything is set.
Moira: And I think the combination has worked really well. But a lot of communication with our inspector for what’s needed. Um, a lot of photos, we do video walkthroughs too, but it’s really just staying on top of what is in the house. We have a few properties in the Poconos that have hot chocolate bars, and those are, you know, not bars that you eat, but a bar where you can make your own hot chocolate in like all these different ways that you want to.
Moira: So. We are staying on top of that as well. Like what are the different hot chocolates we’re offering, what are the different, um, toppings that we’re offering and just making sure the house looks like. It’s the first time anyone’s been in it. Like that’s our standard. And I do think, you know, if we bring on a new cleaning team, we really have to communicate that and have them understand it.
Moira: And sometimes folks don’t work for us. But it’s like, again, going back to the idea of like, what hotel chain are you? Not saying that I’m a Ritz Carlton, but I am saying that their touchpoints and checkpoints are really important to us and we’re making everyone. Feel like it was the first time they were in the house.
Moira: And I will say that mishaps do occur and they’re flagged to us, and then of course we’re appalled, but then, you know, we breathe through it and we can figure out next steps. But I think it’s a lot of communication with our team. That’s our first round of defense. And then our guests, thankfully, do tell us if something is awry and they understand.
Moira: It’s been so wonderful to see when they tell us. Hey, I, I’ve seen the rest of the house is X, Y, and Z. This one thing is W and I’m sure you want it to be back to A, and we’re like, yes. Thank you for understanding that. We’ll get right on top of it.
Gil: Yeah, I, I find that with the, the nicer end stays, a lot of times you’ll get guests that will point things out. They’re not pointing it out
Moira: Exactly.
Gil: to get a refund or whatever. They’re, they’re pointing out because they’re like, oh. I see the experience here at this quality standard, and there’s actually something that didn’t feel right here that they wanted, that they felt like it was important to let you know, because if the rest of the house was an average, they wouldn’t tell you about these things at
Moira: They wouldn’t tell you. They’d be like these people, whatever. They don’t care. And I think a lot of conversations we have with people that are new to the STR marketplace, um, you know, like new owners and looking to get their feet into this type of investment are like, why would you put this nice.
Moira: Furniture or whatever it is. Like we have an open bar in a lot of our properties and there’s this concern that everything will be depleted and just all of these funny concerns and we, knock on wood, don’t have these issues with our guests because there’s a level of expectation on our side of who’s coming to us based on what we’re offering.
Moira: And I do think that goes back to the initial idea of like, what hotel chain are you? Are you attracting. I don’t know, motel six guests or you attracting Ritz Carlton guests and you know, they all come with their own challenges and they all have pros and cons. I think it is deciding who you are and what you want to have, because then that attracts a similar person.
Gil: Yeah. Um, as we’re kind of going through this, I’m trying to figure out what the framework or. Foundations that you kind of put in place as you’re working through with your clients there. It seems like there’s one of like quality setting, expectation setting, knowing who your avatar is and how you’re delivering that experience.
Gil: There’s a component of strategy of really walking through the the home on from a guest perspective there. What are other foundational or framework pieces as you’re trying to think through how to build the experience that you’re set out to do?
Moira: Yeah. I think one thing we are talking about a lot lately is, especially in the Poconos, where we do have our clients, people are looking at how to stand out. So we talk about. Not just these, you know, fundamental standards, but also the marketplace is crowded. So how is the marketplace crowded? Okay. The marketplace has a ton of three bedrooms, two baths.
Moira: Okay, cool. You have a three bedroom, two bath. So it’s not a problem because obviously you’re not gonna go buy another house. You’re gonna work with what you have. So I think that’s what, where we start and we look at what’s in the market, what’s happening, who are the other. Top producers and top earners that are on that first page of the different platforms.
Moira: And then what are we doing that’s different? How can you attract someone who wants a very specific short term rental or typically goes to hotels like what can draw them to you? And we go from there. If it’s a market where everyone has a hot tub, then you better have a hot tub. But also what are we doing outside of the hot tub?
Moira: Like how, what is the walk there? And I, I also produce events. So I feel like that is very much the producer mindset of like, what is step A to step B2C, and to reach F? What are those things in between that need to set you up to get there? And a lot of people don’t think through those different pieces of how they’re going to get there.
Moira: Like how are the guests gonna come in with all their bags? And what are we giving to them when they have their bags there? And that’s, that’s like the non-glamorous side of things. But the fun part is really looking at what are the different amenities and different pieces to bring together to, to set us apart.
Moira: Like if it comes down to these top five places, how are they going to choose us over them? Like, how are we serving our guests better than the other four? People who have these properties nearby.
Gil: Yeah. As you think back on all the different projects that you’ve done, what’s one of your favorite ones that you look back and like, oh, that one was a great one. Like
Moira: Yeah.
Gil: to this. We’re able to collaborate like this. Can you wanna walk me through one of those favorite projects?
Moira: Yeah, we had a really, really cute, fun log cabin in the Poconos called Dove’s Nest. And it was just a, you know, standard run in the mill log cabin, which is unique in and of itself. And the, the owner really did want to take it to the next level and be on par. With neighboring short-term rentals that had indoor swimming pools and, um, a lot of cool and unique experiences.
Moira: So we were able to have a really fun design. We did a lot of different murals on the property, like we made a, a custom dove mural. And I think what I love the most was that it was such a basic build, like it even had wall to wall carpeting, which is. You know, I’m, I’m staunchly against it. And we kept it and we were still a pet friendly property and we kept the wall to wall carpeting.
Moira: And we also put in all these different fun amenities. Like we put in a jacuzzi tub in the primary suite, and then
Moira: Inside, inside this, inside the
Moira: yeah. Mm-hmm. Inside the suite. And we just added things that you would see in a magazine, frankly. And. See in a, you’d see yourself having fun there. Um, so this, we added a bunch of outdoor decks.
Moira: We added a pool. We added a pool deck, and then we added a hot tub. And these things are important in the Poconos, so we didn’t just add a pool, we added a heated pool. So we found little ways to add things. And, you know, even just going back to the primary suite. A lot of homes have en suites, but you know, do they have a cool jacuzzi in in the bedroom itself?
Moira: Like what are the things that we can do to set ourselves apart and make ourselves look unique? So at the end of the day, I think it was a really fun project. We had lots of different art components throughout the space, and the owner was just open to leading with design and like leading, you know, what would be unique for his family.
Moira: Granted, he had 12 children. So it had to be something that was really fun for his family and we had a lot of like hide and seek activities and some teepees here and there and like just places where you can pull up. Um, some cushions and read or play a game. So I think that property was so fun because we were not really catering to his family, but to this idea that like, this is the place, like this is where we’re going.
Moira: We’re gonna hunker down. And there’s so many different things to see and it’s like a carnival because you go in and you see this one thing, then you turn around and there’s a whole thing you didn’t even know that you missed when you walked in. And that’s how we built that, that property.
Gil: That’s awesome. That’s awesome. And I, I, there’s, there’s one thing that I kind of picked up on, on that one where. You design the space with these little moments in, in mind there. And I think that those, that’s actually such a strong concept when you start to design with these moments in mind. You’re not, you don’t just think about the furniture that goes there or, or how it’s designed or. Or any of those, you really think about like what type of experience do you want when someone’s sitting on that couch, when they’re walking through the hallways and those, I think that that’s, that that moment concept is just so powerful and it translates so well to the photography that you build, you bring in, especially if you end up using, um. Like models there in, in your shots and, and you have that in there and you’re using that on your social media. Those are some of the most impactful, um, assets to help you kind of showcase your property.
Moira: Right. Yeah. And I think it takes it back to the idea of, um, how is a hotel marketing.
Gil: Yeah.
Moira: are so, there’s so much information there for us as short-term rental hosts and owners to see what they’re doing. Like how are they opening their website, what imagery are they using, what touch points do they have?
Moira: And I think it’s fun to definitely go out and travel, and not only to other short term rentals, but to other hotels and see what’s happening. I was. In a hotel in Bogota, in Columbia, and they knocked on the door at I think seven o’clock, and I thought it was turned down and it wasn’t. Instead they gave me a pillow program, service booklet that was a pillow in and of itself.
Moira: And then you open up the pillow and it has a map on like how to get to bed. And within the map of the book, there are these little pockets that you open up and the first pocket had essential oil for you to go to sleep. The second one had an eye mask, the third one had earplugs, and then the fourth one was just like, and now you can go to sleep.
Moira: So these really cute, fun ideas are amazing. And I loved that because yes, it was delivered to me. But that was one thing that I was like, I could certainly put that into a short term rental. And maybe it’s, you know, leaving a note. And telling them where to find this sleep map, but having these little surprise and delight moments, which is so cliche, that terminology, and it does resonate because I wasn’t expecting that when I opened the door.
Moira: I thought it was turn down service, but it was something really fun and unique. And then I stayed at another property where they had, instead of room service, they had picnic service and you could have a bed picnic and it was just a really cute picnic basket. With all your cutlery and your plates and whatnot, and then you know the prepared food.
Moira: And I thought that was an easy thing to translate over to short term rentals. But so much inspiration can be taken from travel and seeing how other operators are putting things together. And I love translating that into a short term rental.
Gil: Yeah, it
Moira: And those are the quiet pieces.
Gil: Yeah, you’re right. And, and there’s a lot of it that kind of scales where you said that you can actually have these prepared, almost like packets that you have available at the property that your cleaners can put out. I also wonder, as the industry continues to evolve, whether going to be services or service providers out there that helps you extend beyond the things that you can do without a person there.
Gil: Like having things delivered, having things kind of set out a certain way, um, to help, especially hosts and property managers that may be more remote. Um, and, and because like we’re in the Smokies, for instance, and there’s a, there’s a lot of properties there. So there’s similar to, similar to the Polkadots, if, if not more, um, and.
Gil: There are these runners that are in the neighborhood where I know if I ever want to do something special, if I know someone’s telling me they’re having an anniversary, I will send flowers to the property and a box of chocolate, and I basically, I, I pay for that out of our stay, but. I wanna make sure that they have a great stay.
Gil: And the great thing about anniversaries is that it happens every year. Um, so I wanna make sure that they, when when they do, um, when they, yeah, when they, when they’re thinking about the memorable stay that they had, that they’re gonna think about us. Um, so like those are the types of things that I, I, I, I always wonder whether or not there’s gonna be this evolution of personalization and the ability for hosts to deliver whatever experience they want.
Gil: And there’s gonna be this library of services that can kind of help kind of pull all that together.
Moira: And I would say one solve that has been helpful because I feel your pain points of being in a market that is. S saturated. I don’t know if saturated is right for the Smokies, but I feel like that about the Poconos, but still remote and, and you’re like, there’s not all the services you have in a city, like a city is fairly easy, but the local partnerships with the local businesses, that’s where you can have this added touch.
Moira: So one time we had a guest, I forget what happened, a pipe froze. Like things that are not even really in our control and. We were getting the plumber to go over and figure it out and we knew that they were going out to dinner, so they told us where they were going and we called the restaurant and arranged to have their meal covered and they weren’t expecting that, obviously.
Moira: But having that, you know, local relationship is very helpful. And I think something similar happened. Actually. I blame everything on the winter. I’m such an anti winter girl. But there was another scenario where. It was not a, a frozen pipe, but it was just like there was a very cold snap and the heating wasn’t working properly, but they were around the corner from one of our favorite places in Baltimore that had actually just been named on the top 50 restaurants.
Moira: I think it was 2024. But anyways, the New York Times had just named them as a top restaurant, so we knew it would be a little bit crazy. And we contacted the chefs and the chef owner and they like saved a seat at the bar. And were able to like, not only get in our guests, but obviously like, give us, um, we gave them a gift as well and covered their meal too.
Moira: So. I guess if you stay with us, you’re probably going to get a dinner if anything goes wrong, because we’re so food oriented. Um, but those local partnerships are so helpful. And in Baltimore, one of our properties is right next to ECU Ben, which is one of our favorites. And I was just thinking the other day, I was like, I need to have a special welcome gift that is ECU Ben, because at this particular property.
Moira: If you ever come to Baltimore, you have to eat ECU Battin, but it smells so good, and when you’re there, all you smell is their food. And they have this like amazing fried chicken with all these cool sauces. Anyway, so I have to, I’m changing now to make that the welcome gift. I’ve just decided, and I will be tapping the chef for that.
Moira: But anyway, that’s a tangent.
Gil: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, as you think of some of the hosts that you work with and the ones that do really well on direct bookings, what are they doing differently than than others?
Moira: For me, it’s having these touch points and looking like a hotel, and I think it’s just my own bias of what I’m looking for in a place, but I know that the properties that we work with. That do stand out and that have the, the most bookings on their own websites are ones that are standing out in the marketplace that are offering hospitality beyond just like, rent this house.
Moira: You’re gonna get what you get and that’s it. We’re looking at the level of sheets, we’re looking at what’s in the kitchen. I know that these are things we already talked about, but for me, that’s what I’m seeing a return on. I think if it’s not unique, if it’s just plain Jane. If there are no services being offered, like if there’s no messaging or care, then I don’t think those places are really having the returns that they’re looking for.
Gil: Yeah, it’s almost like thinking about like, how do you avoid becoming a com commoditization within the platform.
Moira: Exactly, and I think so many people have joined this movement thinking that they could just DIY their way through it. And I’m sure that worked during COVID, and I think that’s why we’ve seen a lot of people get out of hosting because it’s more than just a COVID place to stay and figure stuff out. Now you need to have the hospitality, you need to have the messaging, you need to have the design and surprise.
Moira: Good hotels have been doing that forever. So they are, you know, someone to look to if you need inspiration, if you need. Any sort of guidance on how people are coming in. Like it blows my mind sometimes these giant resorts or properties, and they’re always booked and they’re not worried about having people book their properties because they’re so confident in their brand that they have return guests, that they’re attracting new guests because what they’re putting out is something that’s recognizable.
Moira: And I think that’s our challenge as short term rental operators is like. What’s recognizable about us? Like how can we reassure you that our hospitality is going to deliver you a wonderful experience?
Gil: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think that’s a great way to kind of end kind of the segment and kind of wrap things up. The, I usually end the show with three questions. The first question, what’s a good book recommendation that I should, I should pick up and, and digest?
Moira: Well, here’s my question to you. Are you more of a fiction?
Gil: I
Moira: Or nonfiction,
Gil: I’m definitely a nonfiction.
Moira: really. Okay, perfect. And are you more of a mindset person or more business, or do they come together?
Gil: both. I have really been enjoying a lot of mindset books, but more books that have been written. 10 or so years back, if not more. I find the classics are really the really fun ones to read because it’s a lot of things that don’t change
Moira: yes. Yeah, I would agree with that. I think one of my most favorite books. And I, I’m so happy you answered in that way. It’s old, it’s rich Dad, poor dad.
Gil: I love that book. I love that
Moira: I mean, I’m not gonna lie to you. And then if I were to go with more something modern, it would be let them by Mel Robbins. I
Gil: that one too. I, I listen to it because I think she is the, um, she’s the one that narrates the book and it’s actually really nice to have her kind of listen to her, kind of read her own book.
Moira: Exactly. I love when the author is reading the book. I mean, becoming by Michelle Obama, love. I can listen to her for the rest of my life. And I do think going back to let them, it’s really helpful in hospitality because we can get caught up in the customer’s always right mentality. And I do think that there is.
Moira: I don’t know. It’s big on Danny Meyers today, but I think that the customer isn’t always right, and if they were, they could have built this house themselves. So I’m going to let them operate how they want, and then I’m gonna let myself operate how I want. So I think that’s a really good playbook when it comes to taking on new clients, when it comes to taking on other properties.
Moira: Not everyone’s going to align with how I want to operate my hospitality business. They’re either not gonna wanna put in the effort or the money, and that’s fine. We can let them. Um, but I’m gonna let me work the way I want to and do hospitality how I want to. I’m not gonna buy microfiber sheets. I’m gonna buy the cotton sheets.
Moira: I’m not gonna buy the cheap Teflon pans. I’m gonna buy the nice heavy ones. And that’s it. That’s why I love let them when it comes to hospitality, which I don’t think people put together a lot, but I do think it applies there as well.
Gil: Yeah, I’ve heard Rich Deport mentioned a few times on the show, but I haven’t had let let them on there and I’m glad that you actually kinda walked through the examples of it as well too. Um. Yeah, I really like that. Um, that’s probably a good segue to the second question I have for you is what’s the one piece of mindset advice that you would give to someone that’s starting something completely new?
Moira: It’s a great question, and I do think that going all in on something where you put your focus will grow that one thing. And I do think if your focus is. On budget, then you’re gonna get budget guests. If your focus is on high quality, then I think you’re gonna get high quality guests. So where are you putting your focus and where are you putting your intention and how can you go all in on that?
Moira: Are you gonna buy microfiber sheets or are you gonna get some really nice sheets and go that extra mile and go all in? On what that experience is. So I don’t know. I guess it’s very, very basic and like don’t cut the corners that are really important. That will impact your stay. And I think that they will translate to your guest in ways that you don’t understand,
Gil: Yeah.
Moira: not understand, but you don’t expect.
Moira: That’s a better way to say it.
Gil: Yeah. Last question. What’s one tactical takeaway for listeners that either want to get started in direct bookings or amplify their direct bookings?
Moira: That is a great question. I suggest that you look at who else is in your market and what do they have that you don’t have. How does that inspire you? Not looking at everyone as competition, but looking at, this is available here. I’m gonna have this available here.
Gil: Yeah, that’s a good one. And oftentimes like we forget because we’ve launched our property a a long while back and we haven’t revisited, we haven’t looked at the market, and the market
Gil: quite dramatically changed in the last few years up everybody’s upleveling themselves and if you don’t really pay attention to what’s appearing maybe on the first three pages there.
Gil: You, you could be missing a lot of cues where the market’s starting to shift towards. So that’s really good, really good advice.
Moira: Yeah.
Gil: Moira, it was a real pleasure to have you on the show and kind of have you share all the things that you learned in luxury hospitality and how it translates into short term rentals and how when you put yourself in the mind in that mindset, how you’re able to deliver a much. Much more deliberate experience. It is kinda like what I got outta today’s show,
Moira: That is a great way to put that. Yes. And you can control so much. You can really have that narrative on the type of experience you want to have. So might as well go all in.
Gil: yeah. Awesome. Rah. Thank you for being on the show and thank you for sharing all the knowledge that you’ve gone, you’ve gotten over the years.
Moira: Thank you. It’s been my pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Gil: Awesome. Talk to you later. Bye.
Moira: Okay, bye.