The Boutique Hotel Playbook: Secrets & Strategies Revealed

Yanique DaCosta
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The Boutique Hotel Playbook is Actionable Insights for Boutique Hotels! Your boutique hotel is more than rooms — it’s a brand, a story, an experience. On the Boutique Hotel Playbook , Yanique DaCosta shares strategies to boost direct bookings, attract high-value guests, and turn stays into stories guests rave about. Learn how to build loyalty, design unforgettable guest journeys, and position your property as a lifestyle destination that stays booked solid.

  1. JAN 27

    How to Make a 35-Year-Old Hotel Irresistible to 35-Year-Old Guests

    If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Your next loyal family hasn’t even heard of you yet—and they don’t read travel brochures. If your hotel has been around for decades, you’ve earned something rare: history, trust, and reputation. But those things only matter if today’s travelers can see themselves in your story. In this episode, Yanique breaks down how to modernize your messaging without losing your soul. You’ll learn how to: Reframe your legacy perks in modern language that connects with younger families. Turn timeless amenities into viral social moments. Upgrade your visuals for clarity and ease—without erasing your charm. If your bookings are flat because your brand feels “classic” instead of current, this one’s for you. Watch now to learn how to make a 35-year-old hotel irresistible to 35-year-old guests.

    7 min

  2. JAN 20

    Stop Paying for Clicks That Don’t Convert: The 7-Point Direct Booking Fix

    If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Every click costs money. So why are guests landing on your website… and leaving without booking? In this episode, Yanique breaks down The 7-Point Direct Booking Fix — a practical checklist that helps boutique hotels turn their websites from pretty brochures into booking engines that actually convert. You’ll learn: Why your “Book Now” button placement matters more than your ad spend The 3 biggest reasons guests click away before checking rates How to use proof, urgency, and transparent pricing to drive action What to fix in your booking calendar path for fewer drop-offs 48-hour wins that instantly increase conversion and direct revenue This isn’t about more traffic. It’s about more bookings. Because if guests can’t book in 90 seconds or less, your ad dollars are being wasted. Key Takeaway: Conversion beats traffic every time. Because a beautiful website doesn’t mean a profitable one. 🎥 Watch the full video and fix what’s really stopping your guests from booking direct.

    7 min

  3. JAN 13

    Collecting Emails Won’t Save You — Here’s What Builds Real Loyalty

    f you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Most boutique hotel owners and short-term rental operators think collecting guest emails from Airbnb means they own the relationship. But here’s the truth: Airbnb still owns your guests. In this episode, Yanique DaCosta breaks down why having a guest’s email doesn’t mean you have their loyalty—and how to build a system that turns OTA visitors into lifelong, direct-booking guests of your brand. You’ll learn: 💡 Why Airbnb’s “Off-Platform Policy” keeps you from marketing freely 💡 How platforms use guest data to retarget your customers 💡 Why you keep paying commission for repeat guests 💡 How to build real brand loyalty outside Airbnb’s ecosystem 💡 The post-stay system that keeps guests booking directly with you If your guest list is growing but your profit margins aren’t, this episode will change how you think about marketing forever.

    8 min

  4. JAN 6

    The OTA Lie: How to Win Back Your Guests in 90 Days (Not 15 Years)

    If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Someone told you it takes 15 years to escape the OTAs. They lied. In this episode, I’m breaking down The 90-Day OTA Detox System — the simple 3-step process boutique hotels use to win back direct bookings, keep guest data, and stop paying commissions to platforms that don’t care about their brand. You’ll learn: How to capture guest emails automatically through Wi-Fi login How to automate reviews before the OTAs do How to use storytelling emails to turn happy guests into repeat bookings And I’ll show you the real math: how just 1,000 guest emails can save you $40K in OTA commissions a year. Because loyalty isn’t built on third-party platforms. It’s built through connection, storytelling, and ownership of your guest relationships.

    6 min

  5. 12/30/2025

    How to Evolve a Legacy Hotel Brand Without Losing Its Soul

    If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 What if the brilliance that built your hotel’s reputation is the same thing holding it back from growing? In this episode, we unpack The Founder’s Dilemma—how experience becomes both your biggest asset and your biggest bias. You’ll learn: Why defending the “old formula” quietly slows innovation How to co-create Stage 2 of your brand with your leadership team How to modernize your marketing without abandoning your legacy What strategy sprint systems can do to re-energize teams and re-ignite growth If your brand’s story feels nostalgic instead of necessary, this episode shows you how to evolve without erasing your history. Because experience isn’t the enemy. Stagnation is.

    5 min

  6. 12/23/2025

    Stop Letting OTAs Own Your Guests.

    If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Most boutique hotels either try to automate everything or they avoid technology altogether. Both extremes quietly kill direct bookings, guest loyalty, and your hard earned reputation. In this episode of The Boutique Hotel Playbook, I sit down with Rod, founder of Aloha, an all in one operating system for independent hotels and short term rentals. We unpack how to use tech, AI, and guest data in a way that still feels deeply human and on brand for your property.You will learn: Why fully automated guest communication feels stale to modern travelers and how to land on an 80 / 20 balance that still feels personalThe simple CRM fields and guest data that actually move the needle for direct bookings and loyalty, plus what is just noisy admin workHow to use AI chatbots, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs to answer questions and even take bookings without turning into a full time tech companyThe booking engine mistake that breaks trust, kills conversion, and makes guests abandon the process and how to fix it with a clean, four click flowHow to treat OTAs like a shop window instead of a life support machine so more guests find you there, then choose to book directWhat independent hotels in the Americas and the Caribbean can learn from Airbnb level guest tracking without losing their boutique soulIf you want your hotel to feel like a must visit lifestyle destination instead of just another listing, this conversation will help you rethink how you use technology, guest data, and your website to earn more direct bookings and better reviews. Ready for help applying this to your own property. Complete the short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289

    17 min

  7. 12/16/2025

    90-Day Marketing Roadmap Every Boutique Hotel Needs Before Launching Anything

    🧭 Show Notes If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Ever signed off on a marketing project that started with excitement… and ended with exhaustion? You’re not alone. Most boutique hotels start branding or marketing projects without a dated roadmap — no milestones, no accountability, and no clear finish line. The result? Missed deadlines, stretched budgets, and stakeholders who just want it to be over. This episode lays out the 90-Day Marketing Roadmap every boutique hotel needs before launching anything. You’ll learn: • How to build a dated 90-day brand plan with milestones and real owners • What the “Strategy Gate” is and why it saves you from wasted time and money • The exact weekly breakdown boutique hotels use to stay on time and on budget • Why running your brand like a construction schedule keeps your team aligned and confident This isn’t theory. It’s the same system that helps boutique hotels launch faster, communicate better, and never wonder “what’s next?” again. 🎥 Watch now to learn how to turn chaos into clarity and build your next brand project on a schedule you can trust.

    5 min

  8. 12/09/2025

    Your Marketing Isn’t Failing — It’s Just Showing Up Too Late

    If you’re serious about building a hotel brand that guests remember, rave about, and return to, it starts with an honest look at your current positioning. 👉 Click here to complete a short questionnaire and see if you qualify for a Deep Dive Call: https://hotels.theykmd.com/work-with-me-4289 Description: Most boutique hotels wait for high season to save them. But what if the secret to selling out later is fixing your systems now? In this episode, we break down the Pre-Season Tune-Up Plan — the same 4-part framework top boutique hotels use to turn low season into their most profitable time of year. You’ll learn how to: Optimize your website for direct bookings that convert. Automate your guest follow-ups so repeat stays happen on autopilot. Capture more guest emails through Wi-Fi automation. Package local experiences that sell themselves online. Because high season doesn’t fix weak marketing — it exposes it. Let’s make sure you’re ready long before the rush begins.

    6 min
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About

The Boutique Hotel Playbook is Actionable Insights for Boutique Hotels! Your boutique hotel is more than rooms — it’s a brand, a story, an experience. On the Boutique Hotel Playbook , Yanique DaCosta shares strategies to boost direct bookings, attract high-value guests, and turn stays into stories guests rave about. Learn how to build loyalty, design unforgettable guest journeys, and position your property as a lifestyle destination that stays booked solid.

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