The Hotel Investor Playbook

Michael Russell
  • 5.0 (70)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Hotel Investor Playbook, hosted by real estate investor and hospitality operator Michael Russell. Michael is the co-founder of Malama Capital and Howzit Hostels, and has built a personal real estate portfolio exceeding $20 million.With an operator-first mindset, Michael brings a practical perspective to hotel investing. On the show, he breaks down what it actually takes to scale from short-term rentals into boutique hotels, covering deal sourcing, operations, capital strategy, and risk.Each week, Michael shares real lessons from the field as he builds toward a $400 million real estate business, giving listeners an honest look at the decisions, challenges, and strategies behind the growth. Subscribe and follow along as he documents the journey in real time.

  1. 6d ago

    The Travel Influencer With 1.6M Instagram Followers Who Became a Hotel Developer | Jake Snow E88

    Most hotel investors build the product first and spend years chasing an audience to fill it. This guest flipped the order entirely. In this episode, Michael Russell sits down with a travel content creator who built a following of over a million people, then used years of staying in the world's best hotels to figure out exactly what makes a property worth sharing, and designed his own around it. That audience helped his first Bali hotel hit 80% occupancy in month one and pay back its full construction cost in 18 months, entirely self-funded. He now runs a 250-person company raising capital directly from that same audience to build boutique hotels across Bali and South Africa. In this episode, you'll discover: How building an audience before building the asset flips the usual risk profile on a hotel investmentWhat years of documenting five-star hotels taught him about what actually drives bookingsWhy he skipped OTAs almost entirely, and what that did to margins that run 40 to 60%How he's using fractional ownership to raise capital from his own community instead of institutional moneyWhat it took to scale from one Bali boutique hotel to hotels on two continentsThe one red flag he says every investor should check before wiring money into any hospitality fundIf you think an audience is just for influencers chasing likes, this episode will show you how far it can go as a substitute for a marketing budget, and where the real risk still lives. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Jake Snow: Website is ventore.com Their latest project is polarity.ventore.com  Instagram: @ventoregroup and @mariefeandjakesnow Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    1h 18m

  2. Jun 30

    How a $800K Distressed Motel Became a $2.4M Revenue Machine | Michael Russell E87

    Most people walk past the ugly deal. That's exactly why the ugly deal is where the money is. In this episode, Michael Russell sits in the hot seat as a guest on the Lights On Podcast, sharing the unfiltered story behind how he acquired a rundown one-star motel in Maui during COVID and repositioned it into the number one small hostel in North America, growing annual revenue from $500K to $2.4 million in just a few years. Co-founder of Howzit Hostels and Malama Capital, Michael has built a hospitality portfolio by finding value where others aren't looking, starting with single-family homes in the post-recession market, scaling through short-term rentals, and eventually buying a motel no one else wanted. In this episode, you'll discover: Why Michael paid $800K for a property most investors would have ignored, and how seller financing made it possibleThe budgeting mistake that nearly destroyed their returns (and why going 40-50% over budget is more common than anyone admits)How the Lahaina fires wiped out short-term rental income overnight and what it taught him about cash reserves the hard wayThe real math on OTAs vs. direct bookings that most independent operators get wrongWhy Michael started The Hotel Investor Playbook with zero interest in monetizing it, and what that means for the conversations he's willing to haveIf you're serious about finding your first hotel deal or scaling what you've already built, this episode will save you from some expensive assumptions. The unglamorous path is usually the most profitable one. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    1h 10m

  3. Jun 24

    The Wellness ROI Audit Every Boutique Hotel Owner Needs to Run | Emily Johnson E86

    In this episode, you'll learn how to diagnose whether your property is actually a candidate for wellness positioning, and if it is, how to implement it in a way that lifts ADR without blowing out your expense line. A hospitality strategist who spent 20 years in hotel sales and development before building a consulting practice around wellness revenue joins us to share the playbook she's used across independent properties worldwide. Emily Johnson's approach has helped properties drive occupancy lifts and ADR increases with near-zero incremental cost by tapping into what they already have. In this episode, you'll discover: The 3 questions every owner should ask before spending a dollar on wellnessWhy a Thailand beachfront property was getting crushed on rate until one strategy drove a 15% occupancy lift and $40 ADR increase in a single quarterThe low-cost local partnership model that turns empty meeting rooms into revenueWhy most "wellness hotels" are faking it and how guests always find outThe pre-arrival touchpoint that nearly every hotel is missing is costing real revenueHow a mountain property with no unique story repositioned around one experiential amenity and sold out glass-ceiling cabins at $1,000 a nightIf you're an independent operator trying to compete without throwing capital at the problem, this episode will show you where to start. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Emily Johnson Website: https://www.elevatehospitalitycollective.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilygoretskyjohnson/  Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    34 min

  4. Jun 16

    The $0-Down Hotel Deal That Still Cost $1.5 Million | Christian Osgood E85

    It took zero dollars of his own money to buy a $4.5 million waterfront resort. It took three years and over a million and a half dollars out of pocket just to keep it. In this episode, you'll discover the deal, debt, equity sequence he says has never failed to raise capital on a good deal, and exactly when a joint venture beats a syndication. A multifamily investor who scaled to over 600 rental units, and once raised $10 million without a following or a dollar from family, walks through the one hospitality deal that broke all his usual rules. Christian Osgood unpacks exactly where his due diligence missed the mark, and the strategy he used to turn a struggling resort into a self-sustaining cash machine. In this episode, you'll discover: Spot the hidden payroll problem that makes a mom-and-pop hotel's books lie to youAvoid the seller-financing structure that can wipe out a full year of cash flow in one paymentTurn dead event space into guaranteed income through master leasing, fixed checks every month, with zero staffing or cleanupCombine a $1,000 a month ad budget with free community events to drive a 43% profit jump in twelve monthsApply the deal, debt, equity framework before you ever start looking for investorsDecide when a joint venture beats a syndication so you can skip the legal headachesIf you're underwriting a boutique hotel or resort deal, this conversation could save you from learning these lessons the expensive way. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Christian Osgood Website: https://multifamilystrategy.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Multifamilystrategy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-osgood-10a95b71 Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    54 min

  5. Jun 2

    The Boutique Hotel Mistake Killing Your Occupancy (And the Fix That Took One Operator From 40% to 80%) | Hillary Folkvord E84

    Most boutique hotel operators are leaving serious money on the table, not because of bad locations or bad products, but because of bad marketing fundamentals that nobody told them about. In this episode, you'll hear exactly how one operator diagnosed a 40% occupancy problem and fixed it, taking her Bozeman boutique property to 80% occupancy with a $3,000 monthly marketing budget. A sixth-generation Montanan who started running a historic hotel at 23, sold her first property after 18 years for a strong return, and now generates $800 to $1,200 a night at a 13-cottage luxury retreat, joins us to share what she learned the hard way. Hillary Folkvord's approach to brand-building, revenue management, and sensory guest experience has turned roadside properties into some of the most talked-about boutique stays in Montana. In this episode, you'll discover: Why fighting OTAs is costing independent operators bookings, and what to do insteadThe three sensory touchpoints that drive repeat guests and word-of-mouth referralsHow a $7M renovation mistake on a 1950s motel changed how she evaluates every deal todayThe napkin math framework her family uses to stress-test any acquisition in under an hourWhy 100% occupancy is not actually a good thing, and what to aim for insteadHow to build a brand that drives bookings even when you're not the face of itIf you're building a boutique hotel and still figuring out your marketing stack, your brand, or how to stop being the bottleneck in your own business, this episode is required listening. Hillary's been through it all, and she's not holding back. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Hillary Folkvord: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-folkvord-b777b313/ Website: https://www.ladyh.life/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillaryfolkvord/ Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    49 min
  6. From $50 in His Bank Account to a 140-Key Hotel in Italy | Emanuele Pani E83

    May 26

    From $50 in His Bank Account to a 140-Key Hotel in Italy | Emanuele Pani E83

    What happens when you find a deal that could change everything, but you've drained your bank account just to close it? In this episode, you'll hear exactly how one operator went from cleaning parking lots to owning the building, and what that journey taught him about risk, focus, and building a business that doesn't need you in it every day. A vertically integrated hospitality operator who built an 84-door portfolio across two countries and is now pursuing a 140-key historic hotel in Sardinia, Italy, joins us to share how he thinks about scaling from short-term rentals into boutique hotels. Emanuele Pani's path from maintenance guy to multi-market operator is full of hard-won lessons most investors learn too late. In this episode, you'll discover: Why STR investors drastically under-budget when they buy their first hotel (and what it actually costs)How to find off-market deals by doing something most investors won'tThe capital stack strategy for financing a hotel deal in Europe as a U.S.-based investorWhy the first hire matters more than the first system when scaling operationsThe shiny object mistake that slowed his growth for 4 years and how to avoid itHow to structure a hybrid hotel and residence model to reduce acquisition riskIf you're serious about making the leap from short-term rentals into boutique hotels, this episode will save you from the most expensive assumptions investors make on their first deal. Don't skip the part about what breaks first when you try to scale. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Emanuele Pani: Instagram: @epani.mindset LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emanuele-pani-0b2970105/ Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    34 min
  7. This Contractor Built a $6M Hospitality Brand With $90K and Zero Outside Investors | Chris Broomfield E82

    May 19

    This Contractor Built a $6M Hospitality Brand With $90K and Zero Outside Investors | Chris Broomfield E82

    Most people assume you need outside investors, a big budget, or a prime location to build a profitable hospitality brand. This episode proves otherwise. In this episode, you'll learn exactly how one builder went from working as a contractor to owning a luxury micro resort that nets over half a million dollars a year, with no syndication, no partners, and no fancy market. A builder and founder who bootstrapped a five-cabin luxury brand from $90,000 out of pocket joins the show to break down how he did it. Chris Broomfield built Evergreen Cabins in a town of 3,000 people in rural New York, starting with a piece of land bought from a friend and materials scraped from his contracting jobs. Today, the brand has a couple of hundred thousand Instagram followers, a 40,000-person email list, and a portfolio valued at nearly $6 million. In this episode, you'll discover: Why sweat equity can outperform raising capital, and what the math actually looks like when you build it yourselfHow a single guest's TikTok generated 7 million views and booked the property out for three years straightThe pricing mistake that likely cost Chris $200,000 to $300,000, and how to avoid it with dynamic pricing toolsHow he went from 100% Airbnb-dependent to nearly 90% direct bookings using a $100 lead magnet and email marketingWhy he turned down investor after investor, and what that decision means for his eventual exit at a $10M targetThe 10% savings rule he now teaches his 14-year-old son, and why he believes anyone can do thisIf you've been sitting on the idea of building a micro resort or boutique hospitality concept and keep telling yourself you don't have enough capital to start, this episode will either light a fire under you or call your bluff. Don't miss Chris's breakdown of exactly what it costs to operate five luxury cabins, and what it really takes to get to a $500K gross income without a single outside dollar. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Chris Broomfield: Website: evergreencabins.co Email: info@evergreencabins.com Instagram: evergreen_cabins Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    36 min
  8. Stop Deferring Your Joy: How High-Performing Leaders Stay Sharp Without Burning Out | Mike Messeroff E81

    May 12

    Stop Deferring Your Joy: How High-Performing Leaders Stay Sharp Without Burning Out | Mike Messeroff E81

    You hit your targets. You built the business. So why does it still feel like something's missing? In this episode, you'll discover why deferring your happiness until the next deal, the next promotion, or the next milestone is quietly destroying your leadership, your team culture, and your returns. A personal freedom coach who has spent 30 years in hospitality and now works exclusively with CEOs and top executives joins the show to share the self-leadership framework that changes how high-achievers show up at work and at home. His approach isn't about slowing down. It's about not losing your life chasing a goal you never actually defined. In this episode, you'll discover: Why money amplifies who you already are, and why that's a problem if you're running on emptyThe 2-3 minute morning practice that measurably reduces reactivity and improves decision-makingWhy "work-life balance" is a myth, and the reframe that actually works for ambitious operatorsHow a present, grounded leader produces better team performance, higher morale, and fewer fires to put outThe gratitude practice that rewires how your brain responds to setbacksWhy deferring joy is a skill you've been accidentally training for decadesIf you're serious about building something that lasts without sacrificing the life you're building it for, this episode will give you a practical starting point. Don't skip it just because it doesn't have a cap rate in the title. If you found value in this episode, take 30 seconds to leave us a review here. It helps more people find the podcast and keeps us bringing on great guests. Connect with Mike Messeroff Website: https://www.mikemesseroff.com Website: https://www.thecircleoffreethinkers.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikemesseroff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemesseroff/ Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn. Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram Invest with Malama Capital Submit a deal

    36 min
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About

Welcome to The Hotel Investor Playbook, hosted by real estate investor and hospitality operator Michael Russell. Michael is the co-founder of Malama Capital and Howzit Hostels, and has built a personal real estate portfolio exceeding $20 million.With an operator-first mindset, Michael brings a practical perspective to hotel investing. On the show, he breaks down what it actually takes to scale from short-term rentals into boutique hotels, covering deal sourcing, operations, capital strategy, and risk.Each week, Michael shares real lessons from the field as he builds toward a $400 million real estate business, giving listeners an honest look at the decisions, challenges, and strategies behind the growth. Subscribe and follow along as he documents the journey in real time.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Russell
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Hotel Investor Playbook
  • Show Website
    The Hotel Investor Playbook

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