Short-term home rental service
POPULARITY
Categories
Send us a message!AI is changing the way travelers search, compare, and book vacation rentals. But what does that mean for direct bookings, local brands, and the websites operators have spent years building?In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by Richard Vaughton of Yes Consulting and Mark Simpson of Boostly for The Great AI Debate. After taking this conversation to the stage at the Host Planet Roadshow in London, Richard and Mark continue the discussion around what AI could mean for vacation rental marketing, website strategy, and guest acquisition.Richard argues that AI will reshape websites, search, and distribution in ways the industry has not fully prepared for yet. Mark makes the case that strong website infrastructure, brand strategy, PMS connectivity, and niche positioning still matter, especially for operators who want to grow direct bookings.Together, they explore whether AI search will create new opportunities for independent vacation rental companies or make it even harder to compete with OTAs.Episode Chapters:05:29 - How AI is changing the future of vacation rental websites07:10 - The debate between WordPress websites and AI-built websites10:00 - Why website design alone is not enough to drive direct bookings28:25 - How Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia continue to shape guest behavior36:29 - Why broad search terms are becoming harder for local operators to compete for18:00 - How AI search could make niche positioning more important21:53 - The growing role of TikTok, creators, and social media in travel discovery46:03 - Why brand trust still matters in an AI-driven search environment48:22 - How PMS data, integrations, and distribution may evolve53:22 - What vacation rental operators should be thinking about now as search changesAs guest behavior shifts, vacation rental operators are being pushed to think more carefully about how people find them, what makes their brand memorable, and how they can stay visible beyond the major booking platforms. Connect with Richard:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardvaughton/ Website: https://yes.consulting/ Connect with Mark:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmarksimpson/ Website: https://boostly.co.uk/ ✨ Exclusive Offers to Alex & Annie Listeners: Thinking about the next chapter for your vacation rental business? Connect with Monarch Collective to explore what growth could look like with the right platform behind you.
The Appraisal Update - the official podcast of Appraiser eLearning
In today's episode, Bryan Reynolds sits down with Bill Waltenbaugh, Chief Appraiser at Nationwide Appraisal Network (NAN), about something that's been a hot topic for a while now in the appraisal space: short-term rentals. How do you appraise them? What do the lenders expect? What do the AMCs expect? Does anyone expect the same thing?Bill shares his wealth of knowledge on this topic, walks us through NAN's resources for appraisers, and talks about what the future of appraising STRs will look like. Don't miss this insightful conversation.
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane break down where STR demand is actually coming from right now and who controls the guest relationship as platforms make their next big bets. The conversation opens with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States booking story every operator in a host market needs to hear. Hotels priced up and set minimums and the surge has not arrived the way anyone expected. Short-term rental bookings tell a different story, with host market reservations more than doubling since April. From there, the team digs into Vrbo's launch of sponsored listings and what a paid visibility layer means for independent hosts, and closes with Brian Chesky's bet that creators are Airbnb's next big Experiences opportunity and what that means for the operators already building businesses on the platform. This episode is presented by Cloudbeds & Bilt. Visit cloudbeds.com/gmh to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more. And if you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/ to learn more.
On this Hospitable Town Hall, the company launched their new Vrbo Partner Connection. It's built on Vrbo's latest APIs and offers self-serve onboarding, faster connection speeds, and better reliability compared to the previous legacy connection used by most hosts. The integration is available across 44 countries on day one, including the United States, Europe, Mexico, Brazil, and Asia Pacific regions. Key features include fully integrated listing management from within Hospitable, payment terms with installment options, and the ability to set Vrbo discounts and promotions directly through the platform. Hospitable also announced its merchant-of-record capabilities for Vrbo payments in the US, UK, and Australia, where it will process payments, handle taxes and chargebacks, and provide chargeback protection.
It's been a long time since Myka and Steve caught up on the podcast, and they have a lot to talk about.In Episode 344 of Live Let Thrive, the guys dive into everything from AI-powered real estate tools and creative financing strategies to wild PadSplit stories, insurance claim wins, and the latest updates on the World Cup booking craze.They discuss:➡️ Using AI to improve pricing and revenue management➡️ Creative financing, subject-to deals, and seller financing➡️ Real estate investing strategies in today's market➡️ A $44,000 insurance claim success story➡️ PadSplit profits, challenges, and unforgettable tenant experiences➡️ World Cup booking expectations vs. reality➡️ Building wealth through real estate and smart leverage➡️ Why access to MLS data can be a game changer
A quick update from Katy on short-term rental restrictions in Italy and why she thinks hotels are the smarter choice for most travelers.Summary: Cities including Florence, Venice, Bologna, Milan and Rome are all introducing their own restrictions on short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo. Florence has gone furthest, banning new tourist lets in its historic centre and expanding that ban. Katy shares her personal take on hotels versus rentals, and explains what to check before you book a short-term property in Italy.Not sure where to start? Get the Untold Italy podcast guide with 315 epsiodes organized by topic.The premium Untold Italy app has ad-free access to our complete archive of 300+ episodes searchable by place and topicFOLLOW: Instagram • Facebook • YouTube GET OUR NEWS: Subscribe hereTRIP PLANNING SERVICES: Learn more hereJOIN US ON TOUR: Upcoming departuresThe Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast editing and audio production by Mark Hatter. Production assistance by the other
Download the Guest Contact Info Capture Checklist Your Airbnb account can change overnight. Algorithm shifts, fee increases, a sudden suspension, and if your entire guest relationship lives inside the platform, you have nothing. In this episode, Tim walks through 10 platform-compliant ways to collect your guests' real contact info, legally, automatically, and without sending a single message that could put your listing at risk. The in-property QR code strategy that converts at the highest-intent moment of any guest stay — and why the offer matters more than the placement How WiFi login tools like Stayfi turn a giveaway you're already offering into an automatic email capture that runs in the background 24/7 Why your Stripe dashboard may already hold dozens of real guest emails you've never used — and how to start putting them to work The exact post-stay message approach that stays compliant with OTA terms while sending guests directly to your own contact form How listing on Google Vacation Rentals and VRBO direct changes the contact info equation entirely — every booking comes with real data by default If this episode helped you see your guest list differently, subscribe so you never miss what's next. Share it with a host who's still relying entirely on platform traffic — it could be the most important thing they hear this year. See you in the next one. Check out our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShortTermRentalRiches Grab your free management eBook: https://strriches.com/#tools-resources Looking to earn more with your property (without the headaches)? Chat with our expert management team: https://strriches.com/management-services/
Kelsey sits down with Kelly from @have.kids.will.adventure to talk about her family of 5's week-long trip to Lima, Peru in February 2026. Looking for somewhere with warmer ocean water than New England in the winter, Kelly booked Lima on points without realizing just how much there would be to do with kids.In this episode, Kelly shares why her family skipped Machu Picchu this time and instead spent the week enjoying Lima as a destination all its own. They stayed in Miraflores, took surf lessons, made chocolate at a chocolate-making class, explored the city, watched stunning sunsets, and took a big day trip for penguins, sea lions, dune buggies, and sandboarding.Kelly also shares the real-life travel moments too, including a very long bus day, a VRBO elevator/key mishap, what it was like visiting Lima with kids ages 10, 8, and 5, and why Lima surprised them in the best way.This episode is available to watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kelseygravesIf you'd like to share about your trip on the podcast, email me at: kelsey@triptalespodcast.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/kelseygravesFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsey_gravesFollow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mskelseygravesJoin us in the Trip Tales Podcast Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1323687329158879Mentioned in this episode:- Ride Safer Carseat Vest: https://amzn.to/49G9Ele- Machu Picchu- Miraflores- Parque Kennedy- Malecón de Miraflores (6-mile cliff top walking path)- Surfing lessons- ChocoMuseo - Chocolate Making Class- The Ballestas Islands - The Atacama Desert- Huacachina- Magic Water Circuit of the Reserve Park- Cabify = Uber- Huaca Pucllana Site Museum- Larco Museum- Park of the Legends Zoo
Trump administration cabinet members and other federal and state officials denounced fraud in Medicaid and various government programs during a news conference in central Ohio. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche was joined by FBI Director Kash Patel, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other officials. They announced the indictment of 14 people accused of schemes involving Medicaid providers, behavioral health services for people with autism and a romance fraud operation. More than 100 cameras at the Cuyahoga County Jail were found to be malfunctioning in January 2022. Officials were aware of the problem, but it took four years to replace them, according to reporting by The Marshall Project Cleveland. County officials said the project required more than $220,000 and that the funding did not become available until late last year. Properties used as short-term rentals through services such as Airbnb and Vrbo must now register with the city and comply with other new regulations approved by Cleveland City Council this week. The new wave band Devo performed at the Akron Civic Theatre on Wednesday. To commemorate the band's first show in Kent, state Rep. Michele Grim, D-Toledo, has introduced House Bill 866, which would designate April 18 as Devo Day in Ohio. These stories and more will be part of this week's discussion on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” Guests:- Matt Richmond, Criminal Justice Reporter, Ideastream Public Media- Gabriel Kramer, Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau
HELP US IMPROVE THE PODCAST - TAKE THIS 3 MIN SURVEY:https://forms.gle/fRTV2YiJqncKVpFh7WEBINAR LINK:https://shawnmoore.clickfunnels.com/optiniyvvg89sWant to learn more about Vodyssey or start your STR journey. Book a call here:https://meetings.hubspot.com/vodysseystrategysession/booknow?utm_source=vodysseycom&uuid=80fb7859-b8f4-40d1-a31d-15a5caa687b7FOLLOW US:https://www.instagram.com/vodysseyshawnmoorehttps://www.facebook.com/vodysseyshawnmoore/https://www.linkedin.com/company/str-financial-freedomhttps://www.tiktok.com/@vodysseyshawnmooreCONTACT US:support@vodyssey.comSources:1) https://www.reuters.com/commentary/reuters-open-interest/warshs-arrival-leaves-long-bonds-without-safety-net-2026-05-19/2) https://news.airbnb.com/guests-can-now-earn-delta-miles-on-qualifying-experiences-and-services/3) https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-expedia-strategy-2026-grid-vs-walls/4) https://www.housing.info/blog/the-real-2026-housing-market-story-is-not-a-crash-but-a-regional-reset5) https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/housing-statistics/existing-home-sales6) https://apnews.com/article/confidence-inflation-economy-4f681cecfa63fe251f5bb12bb4b949c67) https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/PROPERTY:https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1688556433792177892?source_impression_id=p3_1780083303_P3-5PO3kTPAnH3I_Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:02:16 Airbnb vs. Verbo: Business Models Explored00:11:11 The Impact of Property Management on Guest Experience00:18:41 Legislative Updates and Market Dynamics00:22:40 Current Trends in the Housing Market00:30:07 The Impact of Interest Rates on the Economy00:33:36 Creating Unique Experiences in Real Estate00:46:08 The Value of Exclusivity in Property Investment
This Hospitable Town Hall covered various product updates, including the launch of Optimize for Airbnb, updates to the MCP (AI integration) server, recent improvements to app performance, particularly in inbox load times, Vrbo official integration, and more.
Does traveling with your homeschool family feel overwhelming — or just out of reach? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Lisa Bailey sits down with CC veterans Courtney Sanford (Delightful Art Company) and travel agent Julie Denton to share practical, budget-friendly travel tips for homeschool moms. From using Google Flights Explore to find cheap international flights, to tying family trips to your CC history cycle, to handling travel disasters with grace — this conversation will inspire you to take learning on the road. Whether you're planning a big summer adventure or a local field trip, Courtney and Julie share decades of wisdom on how to make travel educational, affordable, and genuinely fun — even with little kids in tow. Plus: how to pack carry-on only, find insider tips from waiters, and why "obstacles" are really just good stories waiting to happen. Their best tips include using Airbnb and VRBO internationally, leveraging travel credit card points, renting an RV for a US road trip, and the sticker-on-a-water-bottle souvenir hack your kids will love. Don't miss the Sound of Music tour story — you won't regret it. This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by Classical Conversations' new 2026 Product Line: This April, Classical Conversations launched an exciting portfolio of new products designed to strengthen math fluency, develop critical reasoning skills, and equip families with practical tools for classical, Christian homeschooling. From flashcard resources and reasoning curriculum to hands-on manipulatives and a foundational parent resource, these releases deepen the classical learning journey for families at every level. Visit ClassicalConversations.com/WhatsNew/ to explore the entire April 2026 product collection and start strengthening your family's classical, Christian education today.
The guys compare their holiday weekends... A Vrbo on the beach vs. a trip to IKEA....The Knicks are in the NBA Finals for 1st time since '99, can they finish the deal? But the Cavs say they were the better team...
This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through June 30th, you can get 20% off with code VRS20 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans. > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ It has been over two years since Kerri Gibson was last on the show, and a great deal has changed. The Chalets Hygge brand has expanded into Experience Hygge, an umbrella that now also covers a roadside motel four hours away from the original property. It is a seventeen-room hospitality business with daily turnover, walk-in guests, and an operational rhythm that has almost nothing in common with the chalets that built the brand. Kerri and her partner Philippe Pichette took on the motel in 2024 and have spent the past seventeen months renovating it while keeping it operational. In this conversation, Kerri talks honestly about what running two very different businesses with a small team actually looks like, how she has stepped back to let her chalet team grow into their roles, and where AI has earned a permanent place in her week. She also speaks plainly about her seven-year history with Lodgify, her direct booking strategy across both businesses, and the move she has been quietly making from ChatGPT to Claude. There is something here for anyone running a lean hospitality business who is curious about AI but does not want hype. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This Hospitable Town Hall covered company updates following their recent retreat in Montenegro and new product features.Key product updates included Hospitable MCP (Machine Learning Connect Platform), which allows integration with AI agents like ChatGPT; improvements to the Tasks app with a new list view and upsell displays; and updates to the Vrbo official integration, launching June 10th.
In this master's class episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Tim Hubbard for a focused conversation on short-term rentals and why they may be worth considering as a profit center inside your broader real estate strategy. I want to be crystal clear about the lane we stay in here: creative financing is still our core focus. I'm not trying to throw shiny objects at you. But when I find someone who has spent more than a decade building and operating short-term rentals at a high level, while also helping other owners do the same, I think it's worth unpacking what everyday investors can learn and potentially apply. Tim shares how he built a sizable short-term rental portfolio while living in South America, how his company helps owners manage properties across dozens of cities, and why the short-term rental space is more professional, more competitive, and more system-driven than ever. We talk about what short-term rentals actually mean in today's market, why listing across Airbnb and Vrbo matters, how to think about pricing, reviews, technology, tax benefits, and market selection, and what investors should know before converting a long-term rental into a short-term one. If you already own property, or you're buying creatively and looking for more ways to increase cash flow, this episode will give you a practical look at how short-term rentals can fit into the bigger picture. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Introduction 01:17 Corzly and the concept of virtual property management 02:34 Defining the short-term rental market 03:24 The importance of listing sites like Airbnb and VRBO 04:13 Professional operations and guest expectations 05:28 Costs and structures for property management 07:42 The 3 Payday System explained 09:31 FREE discovery session with Smart Real Estate Coach 10:31 Lessons learned from the short-term rental market 11:34 Top strategies for protecting properties and handling issues 12:43 Managing reviews and guest communication 13:42 Profitability hacks and dynamic pricing tools 14:49 Using data tools to select the best properties (AirDNA) 17:42 Tax benefits and material participation 19:08 Get in touch with Tim and the Short-Term Rental Riches podcast 21:34 Deep dive into the 3 Paydays Live Event Quotables "There's a pretty big difference between professional operators and someone trying to figure out everything on their own." "The number one reason for bad reviews is generally it wasn't cleaned well enough." "If the supply's been going up and the average occupancy and ADR isn't going down, then you know you're at least in a market that's sustaining all new supply." Links Short-Term Rental Riches Podcast https://strriches.com/ 3 Paydays® Live https://3paydayslive.com/podcast Free Discovery Call https://smartrealestatecoachpodcast.com/discovery 3 Paydays® System Mastery Course - Use coupon code for 50% off https://smartrealestatecoach.com/qls Coupon code: pod Apprentice Program https://3paydaysapprentice.com/podcast Masterclass https://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast 3 Paydays Books https://3paydaysbooks.com/podcast Partners https://smartrealestatecoach.com/podcastresources
This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through June 30th, you can get 20% off with code VRS20 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans. > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew tore through South Florida and damaged or destroyed more than 125,000 buildings. When investigators went through the wreckage, they found that the worst destruction wasn't always explained by the strength of the storm. It was traced to something far more mundane: the connectors, the joints, the foundations. The hardware that held the structure together when the pressure arrived. Out of that came the Miami-Dade construction standards, some of the most rigorous building codes in the United States. Heather opens this solo episode with that story for a reason. After spending months speaking at industry events, running the AI Ambassador Programme, and watching property managers at every scale wrestle with AI adoption, she sees the same pattern: businesses are buying tools without building the foundations that determine whether those tools will hold up. The AI storm is already here. The question is what your connectors look like. This episode is a candid, honest look at why the AI gap in short-term rentals is getting wider, where people are actually learning about AI and what each source is good for, why team learning matters more than individual effort, and a simple three-question filter for evaluating any new AI tool. It also includes a practical foundation idea borrowed from Will Guidara's Eleven Madison Park, and a story about an operator who finally got moving when she stopped trying to learn more and started building one small thing. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Genesis 16:8 reveals how God uses powerful questions to expose the hidden fears, wounds, and thought patterns shaping our lives. In this devotional, Jennifer Slattery reflects on God’s interaction with Hagar and shows how the Lord still asks believers today: “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” These questions are not rooted in condemnation, but in God’s loving desire to guide His children toward healing, wisdom, and peace. Highlights God’s questions often uncover hidden fears, wounds, and insecurities. Genesis 16 shows God intentionally pursuing Hagar in her place of overwhelm. Emotional reactions are often connected to unresolved pain from the past. God invites believers to examine where they’ve come from and where they’re headed. Obedience to God requires trusting His heart, even when the path feels difficult. God’s guidance is rooted in love, provision, and long-term healing. Reflecting honestly with God can lead to greater peace, wisdom, and emotional health. Have an idea for our newsletter? We want to hear from you! Take our survey below: Take Our Survey! Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: When God Asks Powerful Probing Questions By: Jennifer Slattery Bible Reading: And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. (Genesis 16:8, NIV) God’s questions have a way of piercing to the deepest places in our souls—where lies and insecurities often reside undetected. When anxious and overwhelmed, I have a difficult time demonstrating the love and grace of Christ. Add enough challenges and frustrations to my day, and I can become irritable with the people I most love. But I can rarely, if ever, will myself to respond better. Relying on self-control might help momentarily, but eventually, the undealt with gunk in my soul bubbles out and onto those I hold dear. That was how I behaved the night my husband and I checked into our VRBO to escape Nebraska’s bitterly cold winter. We make this journey each January, beginning with a long road trip during which we see as many grandkids as possible. This is always a lovely… and exhausting endeavor that involves hours in our vehicle, standstill traffic, and clamoring in and out of numerous hotels (Our mini-golden doodle was not a fan and alerted us to this by barking all night at other guests roaming the halls. We have since learned that under no circumstances will we allow the hotel clerk to give us a room near the elevators!). By the time we reached our destination, where we planned to remain all month, I felt frazzled, anxious, and struggling to untangle my brain’s swirling mess of have-tos and a series of new problems that felt insurmountable. In short, I didn’t handle the situation well. More accurately, I behaved more like a temper tantrummy toddler without a nap, than the Spirit-empowered reflection of Christ to which I’m called. Initially, this evoked latent shame. Had this occurred a few years ago, I might’ve stayed in that place of self-condemnation. That only would’ve added to my stress. But God is teaching me to go deeper—in myself, and with Him. To move past surface-level attempts at holiness to consider the roots of my reactions, He used today’s verse to do so. The morning after my ungracious response to my very gracious husband, I sensed God’s whisper, “Where have you come from? Where are you going?” He wasn’t asking about my present location. He wanted me to prayerfully consider how past experiences were impacting my present. What wounds distorted my perception and challenged my trust? What lies lurked in my subconscious and wreaked havoc on my present? And, where was I going? First, where did I want to go? Did I want to stay stuck in dysregulated responses, or did I want to become healthier and holier? Did I want to follow God’s lead moment by moment and day by day, in my times of overwhelm, included? These questions evoked others, such as, do I trust the direction in which God is leading me enough to follow? Finally, I sensed Him inviting me to consider where He’s taking me, and this is something He’s been reiterating to me for some time. Often, when obedience feels difficult, He reminds me of His heart and plans for me and those I love. This helps steady me by assuring me that He remains faithfully in control, regardless of how out of control I might feel in that moment. The Lord spoke a similar message to an Egyptian slave named Hagar. If you’re familiar with Old Testament history, you might know her story. Scholars suggest she might’ve been part of the “gifts” given to Abram by the Pharaoh in Genesis 12. This alone must have felt traumatic—to be treated as property, torn from her homeland, and forced to live in servitude with a clan she knew little about. Then, around a decade later, she experienced an abuse that must’ve cut deep into her soul. Sarai gave her to Abram, Sarai’s husband, to impregnate. You can imagine how traumatic this must’ve been, and the bitterness and fear that might’ve invaded her soul. Once she conceived, the tension between her and Sarai became so intense that Hagar fled. Perhaps she intended to return to Egypt. Maybe she simply reacted out of fear and overwhelm, triggering a flight response. Regardless, she soon found herself pregnant, vulnerable, and defenseless in the wilderness. There, beneath the intense Middle Eastern sun, she might’ve died, if not for “the Angel of the Lord”, who many scholars believe was pre-incarnate Jesus. According to Genesis 16:7, He found her—I love that phrasing, as it implies that He intentionally went looking for her. He found her near a spring in the desert beside the road to Shur. And He asked her the same two questions He asked me: Where have you come from and where are you going.” I read this as an invitation for a holy pause. An opportunity for her to re-engage rational thinking and consider where her panicked reaction led her. And where are you going, as in, “Is this the direction you really want to head? Further into the wilderness, to raise your baby alone?” I must acknowledge that this account feels uncomfortable. I don’t like to think that the Lord told her to return to the place in which she’d been abused. But I also see how this was an act of care, love, and provision. By His grace, He brought Hagar back under His covenantal blessing and allowed her to raise her son with direct access to his father, who came to love him deeply. Then, when that child became older, He released him and his mother, again, with His blessing. Intersecting Life & Faith: Unprocessed wounds, fear, and catastrophic thinking can lead to self-sabotaging decisions. When experiencing pain and injustice, often, all we want is relief. But what happens when our desire for relief leads us to greater danger? Thankfully, God meets in our place of overwhelm and invites us to consider where we’ve come from and where we’re going. The more we learn to do so, the greater our peace and the less our shame and regret. And eventually, standing on the other side of obedience, we recognize that God truly knows best. His love was leading the entire time. Further Reading: Genesis 3:9-10 1 Kings 19:3-15 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
In the “St. Louis Morning Brief,” Marc and Kim examine new efforts in St. Charles County to tighten regulations on short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO following complaints about parties, fights, overcrowding, and neighborhood disruptions. The discussion covers proposed restrictions on overnight guests, vehicle limits, inspections, and spacing requirements between rental properties, while questioning how widespread the actual problems are and whether the rules could unfairly impact homeowners near major events or attractions. The conversation then shifts to ongoing public safety concerns surrounding MetroLink security and the ongoing legal fight between the St. Louis Police Board and city leadership over police funding and staffing shortages. Marc and Kim discuss how the city has struggled to provide enough officers for Metro patrols, forcing transit officials to rely more heavily on off-duty sheriff's deputies to supplement security. The segment highlights larger frustrations over fragmented law enforcement jurisdiction across the MetroLink system, with Marc arguing that a dedicated transit police force would simplify operations and free city police officers to focus on violent crime elsewhere in St. Louis. Hashtags: #StLouisMorningBrief #Airbnb #VRBO #StCharlesCounty #ShortTermRentals #MetroLink #StLouisCrime #PoliceFunding #SheriffsDepartment #PublicSafety #MissouriPolitics #TransitSecurity #StLouisCounty #LawEnforcement #TalkRadio
This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through June 30th, you can get 20% off with code VRS20 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans. > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This episode started with an observation Heather made on LinkedIn - a post from Ela Mezhiborsky about her company's annual self-care day - and grew into a conversation that cuts to the heart of something most operators get wrong when they bring AI into their businesses. Ela is co-founder and president of AutoHost, an AI-powered guest screening and identity verification platform used by property managers around the world. But she came to it the same way most VRS listeners came to their businesses: through hands-on operation. Before AutoHost existed, she was running Quick Stay, a Toronto-based property management company that grew to over 100 properties. The tool was built because she was the operator who needed it. The conversation opens with a real incident - a Christmas 2016 call from Toronto police about a known gang member, which revealed months of undetected criminal activity running through Quick Stay's properties. That story explains why AutoHost exists, and it also explains Ela's unusually clear-eyed view of where human judgment fails and where systematic screening has to take over. But the episode is as much about people as it is about technology. Ela runs an AI-first company and is visibly thoughtful about what that means for the humans inside it. She talks about what happens to a team when AI arrives - the anxiety before the relief - and what operators can do to manage that transition honestly. The annual self-care day, which honours Ela's late husband and co-founder, Anton Silberberg, is part of that story too. By the end, the episode covers AI-powered fraud: synthetic identities, voice cloning, and why gut instinct is no longer a reliable defence. If you've been thinking about guest screening as a nice-to-have, Ela makes a case that identity verification is now table stakes - not because fraud is new, but because AI has made it dramatically cheaper, faster, and harder to detect. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, and Brandreth Canaley celebrate the show's 500th episode and break down how travel platforms are expanding beyond booking and competing for the full traveler relationship. The team starts with Uber adding hotel booking through a new partnership with Expedia Group, with Vrbo rentals expected to follow, marking Uber's biggest move yet into travel. They also unpack signs that Airbnb is pulling more host community engagement onto its platform, reinforcing a shift toward a more integrated ecosystem. The episode also touches on how OTA leaders are thinking about AI, trust, and the evolving role of platforms in shaping how travelers discover and book trips. This episode is presented by Plusgrade & Bilt. Visit plusgrade.com to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
This Hospitable Town Hall focused on the launch of Align Insurance Services, a new sister company that provides asset protection services, including owner's insurance, entity setup, and property management insurance for short-term rental operators. Other updates included the Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration, new payment schedule features for team management, improvements to the Vrbo integration waitlist, and enhancements to the Direct guest portal for payment history and receipts.
This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through April 30th, you can get 60% off with code VRS60 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans. > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A lot of property managers feel the pressure to do something with AI, but struggle to articulate what an AI agent actually is, or how one would function inside a real business. This conversation with Alex Zemianek goes straight at that gap. Alex is the CEO and founder of JZ Vacation Rentals in St. Louis, a dual-model business running about 70 fully managed properties alongside a curated luxury OTA representing close to 2,000 properties across 14 states and three countries. He is not a technical operator. He came up through sales and leadership, not software. And that is precisely what makes his experience with AI worth paying attention to. Alex spent most of 2024 building what he calls his internal AI, deliberately pulling focus away from adding properties and concentrating instead on organizing his systems, cleaning up his data, and building agents that could work across his business. The result was a 168% improvement in his bottom line without adding a single property. The episode covers what that actually looked like in practice: how he thinks about prompting, how he defines agents for a non-technical audience, what his CEO assistant agent does every morning, and why organizing your data is not a nice-to-have but the foundation everything else depends on. This is one of those conversations that gives listeners both the clarity and the confidence to stop waiting and start doing. Alex offers a rare combination: operational credibility, genuine enthusiasm, and the kind of plain-language explanations that make AI accessible without making it feel trivial. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, Jamie Lane, and Wil Slickers are joined by Sean O'Neill, Senior Hospitality Editor at Skift, to break down a major strategic shift in the short-term rental space. onefinestay is pulling back from hundreds of urban rentals to focus on ultra-luxury homes and high-end leisure destinations, signaling a broader move toward fewer, higher-quality listings as operators rethink where margins and demand are strongest. The team also unpacks new data out of New York City showing that 27% of approved short-term rental listings are now operating illegally, highlighting the ongoing tension between regulation and enforcement even after strict laws were put in place. The episode wraps with a look at ChatGPT introducing cost-per-click ads, a shift that brings AI platforms directly into the same performance marketing model that powers Google and OTAs today, raising new questions about who controls travel discovery and demand. This episode is presented by Vrbo & Bilt. Visit vrbo.com/goodmorning to learn more about how you can earn OneKeyCash for each eligible property you list. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
#879 If you've ever dreamed of owning an Airbnb or glamping getaway, this episode is your crash course in how to make it happen! Host Brien Gearin is joined by Garrett Brown, short-term rental investor and glamping expert at BiggerPockets, to break down the business of hosting — from buying your first property to optimizing your listing and maximizing profitability. Garrett shares his personal journey, practical advice for first-timers, and insider strategies for managing operations, choosing the right market, avoiding costly mistakes, and leveraging tools to automate and scale. Whether you're starting with a small condo or aiming for a luxury lakefront cabin, this episode is packed with actionable insights to launch and grow your short-term rental business! (Original Air Date - 8/26/25) What we discuss with Garrett: + Garrett's journey into short-term rentals + Why he pivoted from traditional real estate + The reality of managing Airbnbs + The 60/30/10 market selection rule + Glamping and unique stays explained + Best property sizes for STR success + Must-use tools like PriceLabs and HostBuddy + Airbnb vs. VRBO pros and cons + Listing optimization tips for more bookings + When (and why) to self-manage your rental Thank you, Garrett! Check out Cameron Ranch Glamping at CameronRanchGlamping.com. Follow Garrett on Instagram and YouTube. Watch the video podcast of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to MillionaireUniversity.com/training. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, while Maria is on vacation, Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan are joined by Michele Kellerman as they discuss the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Dave brings us a lively follow-up from his recent theater outing the conversation circles back to chicken talk. Michele also highlights the work of Blood Cancer United sharing insight into their mission and impact. Dave's story is on the SLAM method, a simple phishing-defense framework that teaches users to evaluate suspicious emails by checking the sender, links, attachments, and message for common signs of deception and social engineering. Michele's got the story on a potential turning point in online scams, where rising pressure—from revelations that Meta Platforms has profited from fraudulent ads, to banks and regulators like Jerome Powell and Scott Bessent warning about systemic risks—suggests liability may soon expand beyond banks to include social media, telecoms, and other upstream players. Joe's story is on two cousins, Shray Goel and Shaunik Raheja, who pleaded guilty in a nationwide $8.5 million scheme using fake listings, double bookings, and last-minute cancellations across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to maximize profits while deceiving thousands of travelers. On our catch of the day, A Reddit user shares a message they got from a scammer posing as their child. Resources and links to stories: SLAM Method for a Comprehensive Phishing Prevention Guide Meta tolerates rampant ad fraud from China to safeguard billions in revenue Banks cannot save the UK financial system from fraud alone Bessent, Powell warned bank CEOs about Anthropic model risks, sources say Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at hackinghumans@n2k.com.
As of April 15th, Airbnb moved every host to a 15.5% host-only fee.If you haven't updated your pricing yet — your next booking will pay you less than you expect.Btw you can grab the spreadsheet from here : https://www.strsecrets.com/airbnbfeeAlso, if you want to talk to us directly: http://strsecrets.com/implementIn this training Mike covers:- What the Airbnb fee change actually means: 15.5% host-only fee applies to nightly rate, cleaning fee, resort fee, pet fee — everything- Why the split fee showing back up in your account is a bug — not a reversal- The exact price increase you need to make: 18.34% minimum for direct owners- How co-hosts and property managers need to handle this differently — and why checking the listing owner's account first matters- The fee change spreadsheet walkthrough — how to model the right scenario for your business (comment FEE CHANGE to get it)- How to split the channel fee with your homeowner so nobody loses- How to track your Airbnb algorithm ranking after raising prices using Rank Breeze- Why five-star properties make 18% more in RevPAR than 4.7-star properties — and how that matters more right now- How Mike's portfolio is pacing 130% of June goals and 120% of July goals — and why- Why now is the time to get on Vrbo — Mike is seeing 10% more bookings YoY from Vrbo this year- How to retarget past guests with text messages and automated campaigns to offset any Airbnb drop- Listing optimization basics: why your first five photos, your copy, and your reviews are your most valuable assets right nowThis is the most important training for STR operators this month.
One of the biggest challenges in the retreat industry isn't marketing, pricing, or programming. It's the gap between retreat leaders and retreat venues. Retreat leaders struggle to find the right venues. Venue owners struggle to fill their calendars with the right retreats. And somewhere in the middle, opportunities are missed. In this episode of The Retreat Leaders Podcast, Shannon Jamail sits down with Emily Johnson, founder of Elevate Hospitality Collective, to talk about the disconnect between retreat leaders and venues - and how the industry can bridge that gap. Emily brings years of experience in the hospitality industry, working with boutique hotels and retreat centers to help them attract wellness travelers and retreat leaders. Her work focuses on helping venues improve their positioning, marketing, and sales strategies so their spaces can move from empty calendars to thriving retreat businesses. Together, Shannon and Emily explore the rapid growth of the wellness travel sector - projected to become a trillion-dollar industry in the coming years - and what both retreat leaders and venue owners need to understand to take advantage of that growth. They also discuss practical strategies for retreat leaders who are selecting venues for their retreats and the common mistakes that create friction between hosts and properties. If you host retreats, run a retreat center, or are thinking about entering the retreat industry, this episode will give you a deeper understanding of how successful retreat partnerships are built. What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why there is often a disconnect between retreat leaders and retreat venues • How boutique hotels and retreat centers can attract more retreat leaders • The role hospitality strategy plays in filling retreat venues • Why the wellness travel sector is growing so rapidly • What retreat leaders should look for when choosing a venue • Why boutique hotels can be a great starting point for new retreat leaders Key Takeaways The Retreat Industry Has a Partnership Gap Many retreat leaders struggle to find the right venues while many retreat venues struggle to attract retreat leaders. The challenge often comes down to positioning, communication, and expectations. Retreat Centers Often Wear Too Many Hats Many retreat centers operate with small teams that are responsible for: marketing sales operations guest services event management Specialized support can help these venues better position themselves and attract the right retreat leaders. Wellness Travel Is Growing Rapidly The wellness travel sector is projected to become a trillion-dollar industry in the next 5–7 years. Retreat venues and retreat leaders who understand this shift will be better positioned to take advantage of the growing demand. Venue Selection Matters Emily and Shannon also discuss why retreat leaders should carefully consider where they host retreats. They highlight: why boutique hotels can be a great starting point why specialized retreat venues may offer stronger alignment why platforms like Airbnb or VRBO often create legal and insurance challenges for retreats About Emily Johnson Emily Johnson is the founder of Elevate Hospitality Collective, a consultancy that helps boutique hotels and retreat centers attract wellness travelers and retreat leaders. With a background in hospitality strategy, Emily works with venues to improve their positioning, marketing, and sales strategies so they can move from empty calendars to thriving retreat businesses. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between retreat leaders and retreat venues, helping both sides build stronger partnerships and more successful retreat experiences. Learn more at: www.elevatehospitalitycollective.com or https://elevatehospitalitycollective.substack.com/ The Retreat Leaders Podcast Resources and Links: Learn to Host Retreats Join our private Facebook Group Top 5 Marketing Tools Free Guide Get your legal docs for retreats Join Shannon in Denver at the Retreat Industry Forum Join our LinkedIn Group Apply to be a guest on our show Thanks for tuning into the Retreat Leaders Podcast. Remember to subscribe for more insightful episodes, and visit our website for additional resources. Let's create a vibrant retreat community together! Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Spotify ______ TIMESTAMPS Emily's Background & Hospitality Experience (00:01:20) Emily shares her 20+ years in hospitality, her companies, and her transition into the retreat space. Identifying the Gap: Retreat Leaders vs. Venue Owners (00:01:50) Discussion about the disconnect between retreat leaders seeking venues and venue owners struggling to fill their spaces. How Emily Bridges the Gap (00:03:21) Emily explains her approach to helping venues define their brand, market effectively, and connect with facilitators. Wellness Travel Industry Growth (00:05:28) Shannon highlights the explosive growth of the wellness travel and retreat industry, emphasizing its vastness and opportunities. Matching Venues & Retreat Leaders (00:07:53) Emily discusses the importance of clear branding, storytelling, and ensuring the right fit between venues and retreat leaders. Challenges for Small Venue Owners (00:08:05) Emily describes the struggles of small retreat centers, often run by owners wearing many hats, and the need for commercial strategy. Importance of Proper Venue-Facilitator Match (00:09:03) The risks of mismatched bookings and the need for clear communication and expectations between venues and facilitators. Retreat Industry Forum Promotion (00:10:09) Shannon briefly promotes the upcoming Retreat Industry Forum event in Denver. Contracts, Structure, and First-Time Retreat Leaders (00:11:09) Discussion on the importance of contracts, understanding venue policies, and advice for new retreat leaders. Hotels vs. Retreat Venues for Beginners (00:12:31) Emily explains why hotels can be a good starting point for new retreat leaders due to flexibility and lower risk. Warning Against Using Airbnb/Vrbo for Retreats (00:14:27) Shannon strongly advises against using Airbnb or Vrbo for retreats due to legal and insurance issues. Venue Options & Flexibility (00:15:29) Discussion about different types of venues, buyouts, and the value of expert help in finding the right space. Niche Marketing & Facebook Groups (00:16:02) Emily talks about the importance of niche marketing and the challenges of finding the right venue via Facebook. Corporate Retreats & Experiential Travel Trends (00:17:11) Emily notes the rise of corporate retreats seeking unique, wellness-focused venues and the shift from traditional meeting spaces. How to Connect with Emily (00:19:14) Emily shares where listeners can find her online and her focus on experiential travel and wellness venues. Sales Strategy: Sell Before You Open (00:20:20) Emily and Shannon stress the importance of having a sales plan and booking venues before opening. Episode Wrap-Up & Farewell (00:21:43) Shannon thanks Emily, wraps up the episode, and encourages listeners to subscribe and access resources.
In this Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast Bonus episode, Brandreth Canaley and Michael Goldin sit down with Tim Rosolio, VP of Vacation Rental Partnerships at Vrbo/Expedia Group, from a standout “Vacation Rental of the Year” property in New Hampshire. Tim breaks down what actually drives performance on Vrbo today, from must-have amenities and pricing strategies to the growing importance of quality, consistency, and reviews in an increasingly saturated market. He shares why the short-term rental “gold rush” is officially over, and what operators need to do now to stay competitive. The conversation also dives into Expedia Group's broader strategy, including the rapid growth of B2B distribution, the expansion of vacation rentals across Expedia's ecosystem, and how new tools like promotions and sponsored listings are changing visibility and bookings. They also tackle AI in travel, where it's already delivering value, where it's overhyped, and why the human element still matters in hospitality. Episode Chapters: 00:00 Snowy New Hampshire Setup 01:08 Why This Rental Won 01:26 How Vrbo Picks Homes 02:35 Hosts Who Go All In 05:22 Amenity Must-Haves 07:57 Boosting Rankings Fast 08:25 Promotions That Convert 10:25 Is The Gold Rush Over 12:44 Quality Over Quantity Era 16:58 Standards And Trust Issues 19:00 Cleaning and Reviewing Data 20:26 Reviews Signal Quality 21:36 Star Ratings Confusion 22:26 B2B Growth Expansion 25:09 AI In Travel Tech 26:32 Keeping Human Hospitality 28:16 OneKey On Vrbo 29:48 Sponsored Listings Launch 33:14 Rapid Fire Wrap Up Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
As of April 15th, Airbnb moved every host to a 15.5% host-only fee.If you haven't updated your pricing yet — your next booking will pay you less than you expect.Btw you can grab the spreadsheet from here : https://www.strsecrets.com/airbnbfeeAlso, if you want to talk to us directly: http://strsecrets.com/implementIn this training Mike covers:- What the Airbnb fee change actually means: 15.5% host-only fee applies to nightly rate, cleaning fee, resort fee, pet fee — everything- Why the split fee showing back up in your account is a bug — not a reversal- The exact price increase you need to make: 18.34% minimum for direct owners- How co-hosts and property managers need to handle this differently — and why checking the listing owner's account first matters- The fee change spreadsheet walkthrough — how to model the right scenario for your business (comment FEE CHANGE to get it)- How to split the channel fee with your homeowner so nobody loses- How to track your Airbnb algorithm ranking after raising prices using Rank Breeze- Why five-star properties make 18% more in RevPAR than 4.7-star properties — and how that matters more right now- How Mike's portfolio is pacing 130% of June goals and 120% of July goals — and why- Why now is the time to get on Vrbo — Mike is seeing 10% more bookings YoY from Vrbo this year- How to retarget past guests with text messages and automated campaigns to offset any Airbnb drop- Listing optimization basics: why your first five photos, your copy, and your reviews are your most valuable assets right nowThis is the most important training for STR operators this month.
This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through April 30th, you can get 60% off with code VRS60 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans. > Click here to visit Lodgify.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This episode began somewhere else entirely. A few weeks ago, Heather appeared as a guest on The Art of Hospitality Podcast, hosted by Adam Norko and Conrad O'Connell, expecting to talk about AI. They ended up talking about values. That conversation planted a question Heather has been sitting with ever since: if you train an AI on your processes without first being clear on what your business actually stands for, are you just automating the wrong thing, faster? Adam returns to the show for a third time to help answer that question. He is the founder of VR Growth, a consultancy working with vacation rental and PropTech companies, and someone who has seen this industry from multiple angles - as a marketing director for a large management company, a vendor-side executive at Point Central and Breezeway, a Chief Growth Officer, and now an independent consultant. He is also, by his own admission, a small Airbnb host on the Outer Banks, running five properties with his wife. The conversation moves through the gap between values written on a wall and values that actually show up in daily decisions, the leadership behaviours that make the difference, how AI can help operators discover and articulate what they genuinely believe in, and Adam's emerging thinking about self-selected communities of like-minded operators as the industry's next meaningful structural development. The through-line is clear: values have to come before systems, and community has to come before scale. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Send us a message!In this special episode, Alex and Annie sit down with Tim Rosolio, Vice President of Vacation Rental Partnerships at Vrbo, for a behind-the-scenes look at Vrbo's Vacation Rentals of the Year program and what it takes to earn that recognition.Recorded on location at Lakefront Escape on Squam Lake, New Hampshire, one of this year's winning properties, the episode offers both a platform perspective and a firsthand look at the kind of hospitality Vrbo is celebrating.Tim shares how Vrbo selects winners from millions of properties across its global network, using a mix of performance data, guest reviews, local market insight, and hospitality storytelling to identify homes that deliver standout guest experiences.The conversation then shifts to David Rose, owner of Lakefront Escape, who shares how he transformed a dated lake house into an award-winning retreat designed with intention, warmth, and usability in mind.From intuitive in-home tech and thoughtful labels to tailored recommendations and architectural details, this episode highlights how exceptional hospitality is built through the details.In this episode, we cover:03:50 - Why Vrbo created the Vacation Rentals of the Year program04:39 - How Vrbo selects its Vacation Rentals of the Year08:04 - What makes a vacation rental experience feel personal and memorable13:35 - Meet David Rose and the story behind Lakefront Escape16:42 - Why intuitive technology matters more than flashy features23:00 - How David Rose designed Lakefront Escape for connection, comfort, and discovery25:20 - Why David chose self-management and how Vrbo supports pricing and promotion26:43 - How personalized recommendations can elevate the guest stay30:34 - How labels, notes, and in-home guidance reduce guest friction32:21 - The Japanese design influence behind the home's guest experience35:27 - How design, layout, and local insight help create repeat guestsThis episode captures both the criteria behind Vrbo's recognition and the real-world hospitality choices that help a property earn it.Connect with:David Rose / Lakefront Escapehttps://www.squamlakehouse.com/ Tim Rosolio / Vrbohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rosolio-434b2a98/ ✨ Exclusive Offer to Alex & Annie Listeners:Automate your short-term rental operations with Hospitable. Start a 14-day free trial and get 25% off your bill for the first 6 months.
Connect with Corey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-jones-a66a004/ Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/ Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/ — His tenant stopped paying rent. When he went to investigate, he found guest books, five-star reviews, and a listing on VRBO — for his own home. That's how Corey Jones stumbled into vacation rentals. No business plan. No grand ambition. Just a house he couldn't sell in 2009, a tenant who saw an opportunity before he did, and a New York Times travel feature he never knew existed — about a property he owned. That accidental beginning became Lucky Savannah, now one of the largest vacation rental management companies in one of the South's most beloved destinations, with over 400 properties across the city. We sat down together in one of those properties — a three-story home built in the 1760s, the oldest masonry brick structure in the state of Georgia, where George Washington once stayed. It's been a colonial meeting house, a law firm, and now a meticulously restored luxury vacation rental that just won one of VRBO's top homes of the year. In this episode, we explore: How a rental gone wrong became a 400-property portfolio — and why saying yes to everything was the right move early on What "historic luxury" actually means, and how Corey's team blends 18th-century architecture with modern amenities Why Savannah's hotel-first culture forced his team to operate at a higher standard from day one How he's thinking about AI — including a dedicated budget line item for 2026 The case for casting a narrow net in an industry that rewards specialization And why the operators who stayed disciplined through the post-COVID hangover are the ones getting the calls back Fifteen years in, Corey hasn't expanded into new markets or chased the hotel trend. He's betting that going deeper — not broader — is how you win in the long run. A special thanks to my friends at Expedia and the VRBO team for inviting me down to Savannah to capture Corey's story in person. — Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world's top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of Growth at Journey. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we'd love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.
Travel choice has never been greater, so clarity has never been more important. In this episode of Time for a Reset, Natalie Wills, Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing and Creative, explains how Expedia Group's refreshed brand platforms are sharpening the distinct roles and identities of Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.Built on deep consumer insight, the new platforms bring greater simplicity and confidence to the travel experience, delivering clearer value for travellers at every stage of the journey.Natalie also shares how the launch of Hotels.com Rewards in the UK signals a renewed commitment to transparent, traveller‑first loyalty, at a time when reward schemes across the industry have become increasingly complicated.When travel feels complex, clarity becomes the brand advantage.Topics Covered:Why creativity should be treated as a growth engine, not a campaign outputThe structural reasons behind the divide between brand and performance marketingHow Expedia Group aligns product, marketing, and creative teamsBuilding distinct brand platforms for Expedia, Hotels.com, and VrboSimplifying loyalty programs to improve customer experienceUsing AI to scale creative production while maintaining originalityBalancing creative ambition with commercial accountabilityThe evolving role of marketers in an AI-enabled worldEpisode Chapters:00:00:02 Introduction to the podcast and Natalie Wills00:01:24 Natalie's reset on creativity and brand in an AI world00:02:29 Why brand and performance are still separated00:04:08 How Expedia Group brings brand and performance together00:06:26 Rebuilding brand platforms across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo00:11:40 Simplifying loyalty programs for customers00:13:05 Driving alignment across large, matrixed teams00:15:26 Balancing creativity with commercial accountability00:16:53 The role of AI in creative development00:18:53 How creative roles will evolve over the next few years00:20:52 What Natalie looks for in modern marketing talent00:22:57 Personal growth and consistency in leadershipIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts Support the show
This episode is sponsored by Lodgify, the all-in-one vaction rental platform that will help you start, manage and grow your short-term rental business. You get your own professional booking website. A channel manager that keeps Airbnb, Vrbo and booking.com, all in sync. Automated guest messaging and a unified inbox so you're not bouncing between six different apps, whether you've got one property or more. It makes running your business a great deal cleaner, and right now through April 30th, you can get 60% off with code VRS60 on all their yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans. > Click here to visit Lodgify.com ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Most short-term rental operators know how to manage the safety risks they can see: a broken step, a misplaced fire extinguisher, a pool gate that needs a new latch. What is far less well understood is the category of risk that doesn't show up on a property walkthrough - the AI workflows running inside your business right now, handling guest communications, triaging maintenance requests, and making small decisions at two in the morning when nobody is watching. In this solo episode, Heather Bayer draws directly from the AI safety module she developed for the AI Ambassador Program to examine what AI safety actually means for STR operators. This is not a conversation about rogue technology or science fiction scenarios. It is a practical look at four specific failure types that are already happening in real businesses, and a framework for assessing your own workflows before something goes wrong. The episode introduces two key tools listeners can apply immediately: the Review Ladder, a three-tier system for categorizing every AI workflow by the level of human involvement it requires, and six pre-launch questions to ask before any new AI tool or automation goes live. Think of it as the season-opening property walkthrough - but for your AI systems. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What does it take to run Marketing for multiple global brands at once without losing creativity or performance? Daniel sits down with Natalie Wills, SVP of Marketing & Creative at Expedia Group, to break down how she leads Marketing across Hotels.com, Expedia, and Vrbo…all at the same time. Natalie shares her unconventional path into Marketing (from economics to global brand leadership), and then dives into the real strategy behind Expedia's latest campaigns, including how mascots like “Bellboy” drive memorability in a crowded market and why bringing back nostalgic brand assets can outperform starting from scratch. And, why do most companies still get brand vs. performance Marketing completely wrong? Natalie and Daniel discuss. If you're scaling a brand, managing multiple products, or trying to balance creativity with performance, this is the episode for you. Wrike brings structure, visibility, and accountability to work, so companies can make better business decisions, improve efficiency, and reduce risk. Learn more at wrike.com/tmm Follow Natalie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliealisonwills/ Follow Daniel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing/ Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk are live from Seatrade Cruise Global, breaking down how AI is reshaping the way travelers discover and book hotels and whether brands are starting to lose control of the funnel. Expedia Group data shows that only a small percentage of bookings are currently driven by AI, but the shift in discovery behavior could have much bigger long-term implications. They also explore how Minor Hotels is building out its AI tech stack to drive deeper personalization, Lemon Tree Hotels' record year powered by an asset-light strategy, and Delta Air Lines's first major Delta One upgrade in nearly a decade as airlines continue investing heavily in premium experiences. This episode is brought to you by Vrbo! Learn how you can earn OneKeyCash today. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Rick & Kelly decide they're not gonna pay their taxes anymore, discuss the Swalwell fallout, Kelly's makeup tips & trip to Sephora, the OD next door, big changes coming for 7-11's nationwide and a billionaire is the latest hypocrite to run for office in California IN THE NEWS!Check out the KaramMD Trifecta "Complete Anti-Aging Routine" and get 20% OFF with Rick's code "RK20" by clicking the link in their shopmy on instagram, or here at:www.https://shopmy.us/kellyandrickRick & Kelly are PROUD to be the OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTNERS with SOULLIFE MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS here in America! Get the Rick & Kelly DOUBLE discount of $20 off per bottle by buying 2 or more bottles & hitting AUTO ORDER at:https://www.soullife.com/rickandkellyCheck out Rick & Kelly's favorite MAKE WELLNESS ingestible peptides:https://boards.com/a/vL3gBe.kypDicRick & Kelly proudly reveal their new DAILY SMASH MERCH WEBSITE is UP!!! Get your Smash hats, mugs, sweats and more at:https://dailysmashmerch.spiritsale.com/For more info on how to book Kelly, Rick or the two of them for coffee, lunch, dinner or drinks, go to:https://www.fansocial.coRick & Kelly would love for you to join them on Patreon, where they post full hour long, commercial free episodes every week, including celebrity interviews, cooking segments and other videos you won't find on their YouTube channel!Sign up for the Rick & Kelly Show on Patreon.com now by clicking on: www.patreon.com/rickkellyshow#tomsteyer #steyer #ericswalwell #cali #congressman #disgraced #711 #7/11 #od #sephora #vrbo #airbnb #rehab #nickshirley #brookeshirley #usmc #usaf #usn #usarmy #usmilitary #heroes #rescue #iran #iranwar #trump #presidenttrump #stevehilton #california #cagov #lamarodom #khloe #khloekardashian #thekardashians #easter #holywater #privatejet #cabo #eldorado #jenniferaydin #rhonj #housewives #makewellness #ohho #elevatedseltzer #palmdesert #rhoc #kellydodd #cooking #kellydodd #realhousewives #patreon #jefflewislive #siriusxm #pickleballpartytown
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane break down a $250 million deal as TowneBank sells its vacation rental management business, signaling continued investor appetite for scaled STR operations even as the market evolves. The team also unpacks mixed demand signals, from softer-than-expected travel spending despite rising tax refunds to growing friction around international travel to the U.S., while also exploring why OTAs still struggle to gain meaningful traction in experiences. The episode ties it all together with a look at where value is actually shifting across travel today. This episode is brought to you by Vrbo! Learn how you can earn OneKeyCash today. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Text Our Show HostsText Our Show HostsPlease Help Us - Support TOPS Bunker as Low as 3$ mo. Click Here...!!!TOPS Bunker Podcast YouTube ChannelSpeakPipe/TOPSTOPSBunker.comREFUGE MEDICAL REC ROOMIf you've been a regular listener of the show, then you already know Medic Mike. He brought us the importance of first aid from Refuge Medical on episode 190, then returned to the show on episode 209 with an introduction to homeopathic medicine. If you missed those episodes with Medic Mike, be sure to go back and check them out. His knowledge of life-saving first aid and natural medicinals will blow your mind.Mike is awesome and we're excited and honored to have him back again tonight to talk to us about Wilderness First Aid. And let's be clear, we don't have to be 2 miles into a deep forest off the beaten path to need these skills. From the backyard to the jobsite, from the Vrbo cabin rental to yes, the hiking trail to your favorite fishing hole… you will need these skills at some point. The more active you are, the needier you'll be.He's got decades of experience in saving lives and Refuge Medical Training as his platform.Get your notepads out my friends, it's time to train.Let's get to it.Support the show
If you want to increase your revenue, automate your day to day operations and spend more time with your kids: http://strsecrets.com/applyIf you want to join our weekly free training:https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsEvery time a past guest books your property again through Airbnb — Airbnb takes the fee. Again. Repeat guests generate over $1 billion in revenue for Airbnb annually. And most STR operators are doing nothing to capture that themselves.In this Portfolio Clinic session, Mike Reilly breaks down the direct booking system he uses across his 30-property portfolio — and reviews a real direct booking website live with a community member.He walks through how to collect guest info from every Airbnb and Vrbo stay, how to build a 12-touch text and email funnel that brings guests back without the OTA in the middle, and how to incentivize your team to close direct bookings on your behalf. He also covers the occupancy tax process most operators get wrong, why your contact list is a business asset that increases your company's exit value, and what actually makes a direct booking website convert.If you are still relying 80-100% on Airbnb for bookings — this is the training that changes that.Free 6-step course for scaling STR operators: https://level.strsecrets.com/pc-bookSTR Secrets FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/STRentalsecretsTimestamps:0:00 - Why Airbnb Makes $1 Billion From Your Repeat Guests2:27 - Why You Can't Build a Business on Someone Else's Land4:36 - How Airbnb's Fee Change Impacted Revenue (And What to Do)7:05 - Occupancy Tax: The Mistake That Could Cost You a Six-Figure Bill9:23 - Live Website Review: Lori's Direct Booking Site13:43 - What Makes a Direct Booking Website Actually Convert19:53 - How to Collect Guest Info From Every Airbnb and Vrbo Stay21:15 - The QR Code Exit Strategy That Drives Direct Bookings21:35 - The 12-Touch Text and Email Funnel for Repeat Guests24:34 - Why Mike Pays His Team $50 Per Direct Booking Closed25:41 - Two Social Posts a Week — Done by Your Team, Not You27:32 - How a 3,000-Contact CRM Protects You If Airbnb Shuts You Down31:07 - Why Direct Bookings Increase Your Company's Exit Valuation33:54 - Action Items and Closing Thoughts
A recent Checkbook investigation found widespread problems with vacation rentals, including fake listings and stolen deposits. Even worse, many victims get little or no help from Booking.com or Vrbo to recover their lost money.In this episode: We share results of our investigation and provide tips on how to protect yourself when booking a vacation rental. One key: Your best move to avoid losing money to scams or bad actors is to book with a credit card.Read our full report about vacation rental scams at Checkbook.org.Not a Checkbook member? Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings.
Thank you for tuning in to Episode 317 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. Full show notes with photos can be found on my website. This week's segments included: Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Brainstorming From the Armchair Knitting in Passing In my Travels Events Life in Focus On a Happy Note Quote of the Week Thank you to this episode's sponsor: Stitched by Jessalu & shop with them at the Fiber Witch Festival- April 24-26th in Salem, MA Thank you to this episode's sponsor The Yarn Sellar & check out details for their Fiber Marketplace (April 11, 2026) here Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Spectrum Socks Yarn: Woolens & Nosh Targhee Sock in the Spectrum Colorway Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page Back to the Future Socks Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Steel Toes. Micro-Sock Kit in the Back to the Future Colorway Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page Back to the Future Sock set- gifted to me by Sue & Chelsea- part of their 4 Sundays of Advent yarn in 2025. Treysta Pattern: Treysta by Jennifer Steingass $8.50 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & the Laine publishing website Yarn: MC- Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in Oatmeal. CC1: Handspun (Ravelry Project Page) dark blue. CC2: Harrisville Designs New England Highland in #34 High Aster (pink). CC3: Brown Sheep Company Prairie Spun DK in Rain Cloud (gray) Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) & US 6 (4.0 mm) Ravelry Project Page On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins October 2025 Sock Club Socks Yarn: agirlandherwool Sock Yarn in the October 2025 Colorway Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page Mystery self-striping sock yarn club- stripes of peach, orange, yellow and green. Progress: finished sock 1 and cast on sock 2. I'm a few inches into the leg. Pollen Party Socks Yarn: Hypnotic Yarn Plush Sock in the Pollen Party colorway + 20g mini (I think it's Legacy Fiber Artz mini) Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page Progress: I've knit most of the leg of the first sock. Pucker Brush Farm BFL Sweater Spin Fiber: 16 oz of multi colored BFL roving from Pucker Brush Farm (purchased at Rhinebeck 2025), 4 oz Merino in a mustard color & 20 ounces of Grey Shetland from Forever in Fiber on Etsy Ravelry Project Page I am planning to knit a Traveler sweater inspired by Emily Curtis' handmade version- click here for her Ravelry Project Page. I was thrilled to see a recent post on Emily's Instagram that she made a YouTube video about this spin/knit. Progress: I started spinning the Shetland and its so dreamy. I'm about half way through the first 4 oz bump. Brainstorming Cream DK weight yarn from Aunt Florence will pair well with mustard handspun for another colorwork yoke sweater! I received the latest subscription yarn from Woolens & Nosh in the mail this weekend and I'm itching to cast it on. The colorway is called Sunday Brunch at the Breakfast Club From the Armchair Books Meet Me At the Lake by Carley Fortune. Amazon Affiliate Link. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. Amazon Affiliate Link. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Amazon Affiliate Link. Movie: Project Hail Mary Musical: Suffs Check out this Time Magazine article. Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases. Knitting in Passing I got a lot of great compliments on the new flower granny square ski balaclava (Ravelry Project Page) I crocheted last month. I wore it skiing at Sunday River. In My Travels I shared about our recent ski trip to Sunday River in Maine. We enjoyed dinner at the Brick & Stone Tavern in Rumford on Friday night, Dance party at VRBO house Friday night, Steam Mill Brewing in Bethel (right near the mountain) on Saturday night and breakfast at Terry & Maxine's in Turner, ME Riley and I visited the Boston Public Market's 2026 Fiberfest on March 22. I think they had about 20 vendors there, some free demos, and a great atmosphere. Parking is only $3 for 3 hours. It was my first real outing wearing my Traveler Sweater! Events Fiber Marketplace- April 11 from 10a-3p in York Beach, ME. Fiber Witch Festival- April 24-26th in Salem, MA Connecticut Sheep & Wool- April 25 in North Haven, CT NH Sheep and Wool - May 9 & 10 in Deerfield NH Coggeshall Farm Fiber Festival- May 16 in Bristol, RI Webs Tent Sale- May 15-17 in Northampton, MA Massachusetts Sheep & Wool- May 23 & 24 in Cummington, MA Life in Focus A few updates 26 in 2026 Updates B- Blood- donate at least 4 times (1/20, 3/17) D- Declutter 26+ items- delivered a trunk full in February E- Events- go to at least 26 ticketed events 9 as of now) F-Find 2-6 new things and try them out! 1) Live music at The Cottage J- Journal- Write 365 entries in my I Remember Journal about Mom (inspired by Liz Craft who talked about it on Ep 451 of Happier in Hollywood podcast) K- Knit at least 2 projects with handspun (Treysta sweater, Inclinations Cowl in progress) L- Literary pursuit- read at least 65 books (18 as of March) N- NYC- go visit Laura at least once (scheduled for April) R- Restaurant- try at least 1 new local restaurant (Blu in Theater District 3/26) S- Socks- knit 26 pair- 6 done so far. W- Wheel- sit down at my spinning wheel every month ---Jan, Feb, March done On a Happy Note Ski weekend at Sunday River. At the igloo we ordered a chocolate chip cookie from the gluten free food truck and it was HUGE (and delicious). There was a very low ceiling in our rental house- and I just looked back at photos to get ready for to record and there's a funny one of Riley and me touching the ceiling- I knew Hattie jumped in for the last one but I didn't realize she was holding a kids sized pool cue to touch the ceiling too! Hilarious. Jeff, Megg, Riley and I all did a word search on the breakfast menu after skiing- we all took it so seriously which was just so fun! Lost power after a big wind storm, but it came back on earlier than expected- Dan and I still went out to dinner at fav local Italian restaurants (pro tip- it was a great choice on St. Patrick's Day) Broadway soundtrack for Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York came out on the SAME day as the Project Hail Mary movie released in theater (yes, we went opening day). Megg and I renewed our Broadway in Boston subscription for 2027! It's a great line up- Hell's Kitchen, Phantom of the Opera, A Beautiful Noise, Tommy, Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat & The Notebook. There are a few other shows available that we may add on. My friend Marta booked her plane tickets to come visit from Barcelona this summer! Going out for Live Irish music at a local pub My friend Nancy Kelley's second book just came out! The Courage of Two: Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer and the Fight for Freedom of Conscience in Early America. Quote of the Week "The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." -Harriet Jacobs ------ Thank you for tuning in! Contact Information: Check out the Down Cellar Studio Patreon! Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group Instagram: BostonJen1 YouTube: Down Cellar Studio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarstudio Sign up for my email newsletter to get the latest on everything happening in the Down Cellar Studio Check out my Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel Knit Picks Affiliate Link Bookshop Affiliate Link Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link FearLESS Living Fund to benefit the Blind Center of Nevada Music -"Soft Orange Glow" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/ Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.
If your VRBO bookings have slowed, the problem might not be your property—it could be a major platform shift. VRBO's 2026 update is quietly reshaping how listings get visibility, and most hosts haven't caught on yet. In this episode, we unpack what changed, why it matters, and how to adapt before your competitors do. VRBO's move from portfolio-based to listing-specific Premier Host status—and why it changes everything The 5 exact requirements you must hit to unlock higher visibility and better placement Hidden "visibility tiers" most hosts don't even realize exist (including the top 1%) Why a single bad listing no longer drags down your entire portfolio—and how to leverage that A smart (and slightly unconventional) strategy to rebalance bookings across Airbnb and VRBO This update isn't just a tweak—it's a shift in how visibility, trust, and bookings are earned on VRBO. If you want to stay competitive (and profitable), this is one episode you can't afford to miss. Check out our videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShortTermRentalRiches Grab your free management eBook: https://strriches.com/#tools-resources Looking to earn more with your property (without the headaches)? Chat with our expert management team: https://strriches.com/management-services/
Hawaii's Best - Guide to Travel Tips, Vacation, and Local Business in Hawaii
Is the vacation rental you're booking in Hawaii actually legal, and what happens to your money if it isn't?Most Hawaii travelers assume Airbnb or VRBO has them covered when something goes wrong. In 2026, that assumption is costing people real money.
Is staying OFF Disney property actually a smart move?
What would you suggest if your P2 (partner, or "player two") is very reluctant? Which Hyatts will you be book before the award chart changes? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on March 4th, 2026(02:10) - What specific Hyatt properties have you booked/will you be booking before the upcoming award chart changes?(12:17) - How did you guys learn about HOW to find good flights to book with transfer partners? I am trying so hard to learn, but it feels confusing and overwhelming. need more concrete, step-by-step help.Read about the top award search tools here(18:05) - I have a question for Stephen and Carrie. Now that I am retired my wife and I are interested in finding rentals for several weeks at a time. I am pretty good at finding good properties on Airbnb and VRBO for several days but have less experience with navigating longer term rentals. Do you have any tips on how to find good locations and get good deals?(27:32) - Looking to get a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and upgrade a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. Should I do this on 2 different devices at almost the same time or does it not matter?(28:26) - I am planning a trip for 2 weeks covering Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo with 2 year old, do you have recommendations on where to stay? Planning during JulyRead more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/use-finnair-avios-to-book-scandinavian-hotels-at-2c-per-point-or-better/(32:35) - What would you suggest if your P2 (player two) is very reluctant? I can't convince him to open more cards(38:27) - Do the Hyatt changes make you reassess the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points?(39:58) - Can I request a retention offer for my US Bank Altitude Reserve card and then product change a month later to the Connect?(42:20) - Can I book Hyatt stays now before the changes take effect, and later modify the dates while keeping the same redemption rate?(42:55) - What is the best way to use Wyndham Points nowadays, and do you see any new alignments in the future to replace Vacassa(47:44) - Are there good award search engines for hotel award stays?Read more about this here: https://frequentmiler.com/editmaxxer-a-tool-to-maximize-chase-travel-the-edit-credits/(51:08) - Have/would you guys entertain having all your P2s on for a podcast or AMA so we could hear about their experience through all the shenanigans you play?Subscribe and FollowVisit https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/ to get updated on in-depth points and miles content like this, and don't forget to like and follow us on social media.Music Credit – “swappin' back n' forth” by up @ night Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of Voyascape, a podcast network that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsored content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkVisit FrequentMiler.com Did you know that Frequent Miller is also a website? At frequentMiller.com, you'll find all the latest deals, news about points, miles, and rewarding credit cards, the single best, Best Credit Cards page on the web, guides to all popular rewards programs, and many other terrific resources. If you'd like to get our posts sent to your email, go to frequentMiller.com/subscribe and sign up for free. https://frequentmiler.com/subscribe/
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3478: Christina Browning challenges the conventional 30% housing rule and shares how she and her husband creatively eliminated rent and mortgage payments for over a decade. By rethinking traditional housing models, from resident advisor roles to strategic downsizing and employer-paid housing, she reveals practical strategies that can dramatically accelerate your path to financial independence. If you're serious about FIRE, her unconventional approach to housing could transform your biggest expense into your greatest wealth-building tool. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.ourrichjourney.com/post/how-to-live-rent-and-mortgage-free Quotes to ponder: "When most people are told to spend no more than a certain amount on something, in most cases, they spend that maximum amount." "What I encourage you to do when it comes to housing, is to think outside the box." "One thing that helped was that we listed the rooms at slightly below going-rates." Episode references: VRBO: https://www.vrbo.com UCLA Housing: https://housing.ucla.edu USAJOBS (Federal Government Jobs): https://www.usajobs.gov Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices