Advertise on podcast: Hospitable Hosts

On this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, we are joined by our partner Chekin, an automated guest check-in platform, and Manuel Vicente, Founder of DenverStays.co and a short-term rental host. Manuel shares his journey managing short-term rentals in Denver, as well as across the US and Europe, highlighting how automation and compliance tools like Hospitable and Chekin have transformed his operations. He discusses strategies for scaling, managing legal complexities, and optimizing guest experiences without being physically present at each property. For more information, visit: https://chekin.com/ and https://denverstays.co/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 2:23 - Managing properties in multiple locations 4:58 - Pre-automation challenges in rental management 7:02 - Starting to use Chekin 10:50 - The impact of automation on operations 15:50 - Automation process outline 25:14 - Direct booking and marketing strategies 30:50 - European regulation updates and compliance tips 34:25 - Managing properties across time zones 42:00 - Future trends in the short-term rental industry 45:10 - Advice on scaling your property portfolio

At this Hospitable Town Hall, the team covered several key updates, including the new bank account matching feature for owners that connects existing bank accounts to owner profiles for easier payout management, Vrbo's planned pricing changes effective October 29th that will consolidate fees to 12% for both partner and legacy connections, and improvements to the Task app including backup teammate assignment and new language support. The team also discussed updates to the guest portal, with added Wi-Fi details and trip insurance information, new partner integrations, and various platform improvements for Booking.com and Vrbo connections.

On this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, we sat down with Ashley Hagel, the Customer Success Manager at Clearing. We discuss when property managers should move from spreadsheets to dedicated trust accounting software, the importance of compliance, and how automation can streamline financial reporting. For more information, go to: https://www.getclearing.co/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:44 - When does a host need trust accounting software 3:17 - Understanding trust accounting and compliance risks 5:30 - Common mistakes in owner reporting and audit challenges 7:06 - How Clearing automates trust accounting for property managers 10:50 - How to tell you've outgrown your setup 13:52 - Hospitable x Clearing integration 16:05 - Preparing infrastructure for scaling to 100 units

On this Hospitable Town Hall, the team announced the launch of Split Payouts, a new feature that allows property managers to automatically split payments with property owners on Direct Premium and Vrbo Partner Connection reservations. The team explained the history and technical foundation that made this feature possible, including Hospitable's role as a merchant of record and its tax remittance capabilities. Hospitable also provided updates on the Vrbo Partner Connection, the Tasks app, and the Home Dashboard, highlighting new features and improvements.

This is a slightly different episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, where we delved into a very important topic: short-term rental advocacy. Our guests are representatives from the Right to Rent Collaborative, Florida Alliance for Vacation Rentals, and Colorado Short-Term Rental Association. We explore the often overlooked, yet vital role of advocacy organizations in shaping the future of short-term rentals across the US, the efforts of various state associations, their challenges, and the importance of community and professionalization in the short-term rental industry. For more information, visit: https://r2rcollaborative.org/ https://floridaavr.org/ https://coloradostra.org/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 3:55 - Right to Rent Collaborative 9:50 - STR advocacy in Florida 13:32 - STR advocacy in Colorado 16:00 - The importance of advocacy 21:05 - How Right to Rent Collaborative's grants work 24:45 - How the grants are used in Colorado 26:23 - How hosts can contribute to the Right to Rent Collaborative and local associations 32:00 - How the $1/stay contributions help FAVR 33:40 - How the $1/stay contributions help COSTRA 36:00 - Future trends in STR advocacy

At this Hospitable Town Hall, the team provided updates on the Task App, announcing its expansion to Portuguese language support. Hospitable shared updates on the Owner Portal, including new controls for sharing private guest feedback with owners, and the new Home Dashboard.

In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, our guest is Eli Stoughton, the owner of Lahaina Studio. Eli shares his extensive experience in short-term rentals, lessons learned from wildfire impacts, and how AI and multi-channel strategies are shaping his business. Discover practical insights on insurance, platform diversification, and leveraging AI tools like Hospitable MCP. For more information: https://lahainastudio.com/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to Eli and his hosting journey 1:21 - Eli's background and entry into short-term rentals 2:26 - Eli's involvement in the Hospitable community 4:01 - Lessons from wildfire impact and insurance strategies 6:21 - Expanding to Booking.com and Vrbo: Why diversify? 9:33 - Managing complexity with Hospitable software 10:51 - Differences in guest demographics across OTAs 12:19 - Tips for new hosts on Booking.com and Vrbo 14:53 - Understanding Hospitable MCP integration and AI 17:42 - AI's potential to transform property management 20:17 - Goals for Eli's rental business in the coming year

At this Hospitable Town Hall, the team introduced the new Home Dashboard, which prioritizes critical issues, daily operations, and growth opportunities for hosts. Hospitable explained how the dashboard now surfaces urgent alerts, highlights exceptions in check-ins, checkouts, and tasks, and recommends relevant features based on account data. The session also covered other product updates, including MCP, the guest portal, thermostats, and more.

In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, our guest is Paul Buonopane, COO at Stay. We explore how Stay is revolutionizing direct bookings for vacation rental owners and managers. Paul shares insights on building trust, integrating with Hospitable, and strategies to diversify booking channels for resilience. For more information, visit: https://staywithstay.com/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:53 - Direct Booking Channel Stay 3:23 - Stay's Purpose 6:00 - Building Trust with Travelers 7:37 - Getting Listed on Stay 8:51 - Diversifying Your Booking Strategy 12:00 - Getting Started with Direct Bookings 13:30 - Direct Booking Misconceptions 15:15 - AI in Vacation Rental Business 16:50 - Host Success Stories at Stay

At this Hospitable Town Hall, the team discussed updates on VRBO partner connection, Task App improvements, smart thermostats, new integrations, and more.

In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, our guest is Sam Thrash, Head of Partnerships and Client Success at Ownwell. Sam explains how property owners, especially short-term rental hosts, can reduce their property tax bills through appeals and understanding assessments. Discover practical tips, common misconceptions, and how Ownwell simplifies the process. Go to http://ownwell.com/partner/hospitable for more information and 15% off. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:14 - What Ownwell does 3:41 - Property tax assessment 5:40 - Appealing the assessment 7:08 - Property tax misconceptions 9:10 - Potential tax benefits 10:50 - Documents needed for the appeal 13:10 - How Ownwell handles the appeal process 17:15 - Pricing model and success-based fee 18:43 - Partnership with Hospitable

In this Hospitable Town Hall, the team presented data on the success of early check-in and late check-out upsells, which generated significant additional revenue for hosts. They also announced the launch of the Nest thermostat integration, demonstrated improvements to the Tasks app, provided updates on the Vrbo partner connection, and more.

In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, we talk with Andrea Jordan from Stays Optimized. Andrea shares her journey into property management and the development of PropertyIQ, a decision engine and underwriting platform for short-term rentals that leverages MCP. Discover how Andrea's insights can help hosts and property managers improve performance and make data-driven decisions. To learn more, visit: https://propertyiq.report/ and use code HOSPITABLE20 for 20% off. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 2:05 - What is Property IQ 6:16 - Using Hospitable MCP 9:50 - STR data trends 11:26 - Common mistakes related to performance metrics 12:45 - Top performance metrics to consider 14:44 - AI-related changes in short-term rental business 17:23 - Future plans 19:08 - Advice for beginner hosts

On this Hospitable Town Hall, the team provided company updates and product announcements. They presented updates on the Task app, discussed progress on the Vrbo integration, announced improvements to owner payouts, and more. Several key updates were shared about Airbnb changes, including the retirement of split fees and the introduction of a new top-rated guest discount.

On this episode of the Hospitabe Hosts podcast, our guest is Zander Kempf, Founder and CEO at Clear Summit Investments. Zander is a seasoned real estate developer with experience in both residential and commercial projects. He has developed and asset-managed high-rise hotels, affordable housing, and industrial subdivisions. We discuss the booming outdoor hospitality industry, including glamping resorts, hot springs, and strategic location selection. Zander shares insights from his experience in real estate investment and how to succeed in this growing market. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:14 - Choosing different kinds of real estate 4:53 - Getting into real estate 7:08 - Investing in outdoor resorts 10:16 - Choosing the right locations for resorts 13:07 - Creating a five-star guest experience 15:10 - Managing multiple properties effectively 17:25 - Trends in outdoor hospitality