Boutique hospitality and the visitor expertise from the bottom up

Intro – 00:00:04: Welcome to the Lodge Second podcast introduced by Revinate, the podcast the place we focus on how resort know-how shapes each second of the hotelier’s expertise. Tune in as we discover the cutting-edge know-how reworking the hospitality trade and listen to from consultants and visionaries shaping the way forward for visitor experiences. Whether or not you’re a hotelier or a tech fanatic, you’re in the suitable place. Let’s dive in and uncover how we are able to elevate the artwork of hospitality collectively.

Karen Stephens- 00:00:37: Hi there, and welcome to the Lodge Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Advertising Officer of Revinate. On right now’s episode of Lodge Second, we’re thrilled to have Bree Brostko. Bree is at the moment serving because the Chief Working Officer and Head of Model Technique at Retro Hospitality. With a sturdy background in advertising and marketing and communications, Bree excels in forging strategic partnerships and driving model success. Her profession consists of notable roles similar to Chief Advertising Officer at Retro Hospitality, Vice President of Communications on the Resort Lodge Affiliation, and Managing Director at Kindred Resorts & Motels. Acknowledged as one of many prime 25 most extraordinary minds in gross sales, advertising and marketing, and income optimization by HSMAI, Bree combines her ardour for journey with a eager experience in stakeholder engagement and model technique. I’ve to say what I really like a lot about this dialog — you’ll see that we kick this off and I requested Bree about certainly one of her journey experiences that type of knowledgeable her profession and her strategy right now. And he or she tells a narrative in regards to the Grand Lodge in Mackinac Island. And it’s actually a enjoyable dialog in regards to the true essence of brand name loyalty. So clients who’re so loyal to the model that they wish to present up on closing weekend and truly assist the resort shutter its doorways for the season. In order that’s an effective way to kick this off. And I feel it additionally tells slightly bit about as a advertising and marketing skilled and a model strategist, and that’s actually what Bree’s profession is in. She has a superb approach of telling tales. And that’s clear in the way in which that she talks to me and in addition in the way in which that she talks about Retro hospitality and the distinctive experiences and model id of all of the motels that she represents. So now we have a good time understanding how she thinks about bringing new motels on-line, and tips on how to determine that technique, and promote that resort throughout the shopper base. The opposite factor that we talked about is the truth that electronic mail isn’t useless. So thanks, Bree. She provides slightly little bit of a plug to Revinate, which we undoubtedly admire. However actually what she’s specializing in is simply letting all people know that electronic mail continues to be her best channel relating to cross-promoting and getting her company enthusiastic about their keep. She makes a remark in regards to the reality, which I 100% agree with, that the reserving expertise and the keep expertise actually picks up from the affirmation electronic mail. So you possibly can hear her speak about how her strategy to that carries on. After which the very last thing to say, Bree and I’ve one thing in widespread. We each type of moved from one function to the opposite. So I used to be the Chief Income Officer. Now I’m Chief Advertising Officer. She type of went the opposite path — Chief Advertising Officer, now as a Chief Working Officer. However I really like the truth that she actually hits on the significance of understanding on the finish of the day, it doesn’t matter what function you’re in, in hospitality, you must perceive your numbers and the way that impacts your whole strategic stakeholders within the enterprise at massive. So actually nice dialog with Bree. I hope you get pleasure from it. And right here you go. I offer you Bree.

Welcome to the podcast, Bree. It’s good to have you ever right here.

Bree Brostko – 00:03:29: Thanks a lot for inviting me, Karen. I’m wanting ahead to talking with you.

Karen Stephens – 00:03:32: To heat us up, I wished to ask you, as a result of I had a have a look at your web site and your expertise, and I do know you’ve been within the trade for some time. And so many people which have journey and hospitality experiences have journey reminiscences that inform our work right now. So to heat us up, is there a memorable journey expertise that has significantly influenced your perspective on what it means to construct a resort model that company love?

Bree Brostko – 00:03:55: What an incredible query. Sure. I imply, one actually stands out in my thoughts. Years in the past, I ran a advertising and marketing and PR co-op for impartial boutique motels. And we had about 63 properties all through america. They usually had been all extremely particular. However one which was further particular in my coronary heart known as the Grand Lodge on Mackinac Island. I don’t know if you realize that property, but it surely’s one of many stunning type of outdated wooden Grand Dame motels from the railroad period. And on Mackinac, no automobiles, simply horse-drawn carriages. And so I labored fairly carefully with them after they had been owned by the Muster household and had this fabulous DOS, Annie. And the attention-grabbing factor in regards to the Grand is that every room may be very totally different. It’s a Dorothy Draper design type. And so company actually wish to see the totally different rooms as a result of one room kind isn’t like the opposite varieties. I imply, we actually gave themselves complications over having so many various room varieties. However the resort, it’s seasonal. And since it’s seasonal and since it has such a devoted fan base, it’s principally 99 to 100% occupancy your entire time it’s open. So company don’t have the chance to peek in one other room as a result of principally every part’s occupied the entire season. And so form of to handle that subject and to fill some shoulders — so, in the direction of type of the tip of the season, October, when it’s getting colder, they’ve extra occupancy. And so the resort had began this concept known as Closing Weekend. And the aim was that they might invite their devoted followers and company and open up the doorways to all the rooms. So that you come and keep for the weekend and you’ll peek into all the rooms that you simply hadn’t been capable of see and see all of the totally different room varieties, after which assist the resort shut its doorways for the season. And so it was this superb concept. The attention-grabbing factor that occurred is that that closing weekend grew to become so well-liked that now that’s additionally offered out. So you possibly can’t actually see the rooms, however Annie Farrell, the DOS, had invited me to Mackinac Island to expertise this closing weekend. And this can be a lengthy story to get to your level of a very distinctive expertise. It was so stunning to be there as a result of actually, if you concentrate on it, the closing of a resort is absolutely simply numerous work. There’s so many issues that have to be performed and the way the resort will get shuttered for the season, however they made it this stunning expertise for the company. And so forth the final day, on the time limit, everybody goes out to the porch. It’s the longest porch, I feel, on this planet. The longest entrance porch on this planet. And all of the company stand by the chairs. And when somebody pronounces that we’re closing, the company all decide up chairs and transfer them inside, you stroll by means of the resort, and company are taking sheets and draping them over furnishings. And it’s so outstanding. And I feel such an attention-grabbing instance of actually loyal company and activations. And the truth that when company are form of drawn to a property or an expertise, like they wish to be there for all the expertise. And so I take into consideration that numerous how one can give form of perhaps extra uncommon hospitality experiences, however that folks is likely to be on the lookout for that as a result of they wish to have an excellent deeper connection to the property.

Karen Stephens – 00:07:04: I really like that. I imply, you get individuals engaged. And on prime of that, all people’s bought points with workers. You get individuals doing all of the closing. They’re loving it, they usually’re closing the resort. I imply, that’s incredible. Yeah. In order that’s an incredible segue into speaking about what you do right now. So I discussed that you simply’re the Chief Working Officer of Retro Hospitality. Are you able to inform us slightly bit about Retro Hospitality?

Bree Brostko – 00:07:26: Completely. So Retro is a boutique hospitality administration agency primarily based in Richmond, Virginia. And proper now now we have 5 properties below administration and one other two in improvement. We have now one scheduled to open this fall, and one scheduled for spring 2025. Retro is we’re very proud that we’re the biggest operator of boutique motels within the state of Virginia. So I’m primarily based in New York Metropolis, however the administration agency is predicated in Richmond, and now we have an incredible presence all through the Commonwealth. Retro actually makes a speciality of experiential properties. And truly, qweryi][  all of our properties are adaptive reuse. In order that’s a particular area of interest and worth proposition for Retro is working with homeowners and builders on adaptive reuse properties and serving to them inform that story throughout the market.

Karen Stephens – 00:08:15: And might you inform me what’s adaptive reuse?

Bree Brostko – 00:08:18: Completely. So adaptive reuse is a, I don’t know if it’s an architectural time period or a development time period, however principally it’s the concept of taking an current constructing or construction and changing it to one thing else.

Karen Stephens – 00:08:31: Like a historic property after which…

Bree Brostko – 00:08:33: Precisely. So our homeowners are usually generally builders, however usually simply individuals who perhaps have a imaginative and prescient and a constructing that they assume would make an attention-grabbing resort. And so now we have former malls as motels, former hospitals as motels, a former — in Danville, Virginia, the previous location of the native newspaper, the newspaper workplaces transformed to a resort. And so what’s actually attention-grabbing about that’s that you simply’re ranging from a very attention-grabbing storytelling level. You could have all of that historical past to drag on, and it additionally supplies some actually attention-grabbing hospitality, design challenges. You’re going right into a historic constructing. Usually there’s historic tax credit related. And so you should depart sure components in place or work round one thing, which might be a lot totally different in the event you had been doing form of a brand new development construct.

Karen Stephens – 00:09:22: Yeah, that is so fascinating. So I really like this concept as a result of once I consider boutique motels, you concentrate on intimate, trendy, refined areas. So right here you’ve these historic buildings or buildings which can be being repurposed. So how do you consider that because the Chief Working Officer? How do you then rework that resort? And the way do you concentrate on model id? So are you able to simply give me an instance of perhaps a type of motels that you simply transformed in your strategy there? As a result of that’s simply fascinating.

Bree Brostko – 00:09:50: Completely. One which I feel is especially attention-grabbing is slated to open subsequent spring, summer season 2025. And it’s in slightly city known as Bedford, Virginia. And this can be a renovated college constructing, type of that Nineteen Twenties type with like massive hallways. And this resort goes to be named Lodge Fauna. And what’s attention-grabbing in regards to the city of Bedford is that it’s a really small city in Virginia, however it’s recognized for a gaggle known as the Bedford Boys. They usually had been a gaggle of males that left the city of Bedford for World Conflict II. They usually all died on D-Day. And since the city solely had 7,000 individuals on the time, it was the biggest loss for a group per capita in all of World Conflict II. And so it form of virtually even actually felt right now. And so your entire group, the US D-Day Memorial, is situated in Bedford. And so the entire group type of actually acknowledges and is tied to this story. And so we had this actually attention-grabbing alternative to wish to have fun the very fact of this form of historic second from this city and in addition convey an attention-grabbing boutique expertise. There isn’t actually any boutique lodging on this group. And so with the Lodge Fauna, we wished to essentially lean into extra the pure components like — the Appalachian Path is correct there. And also you’re actually within the type of the attractive mountains. After which additionally weave in components of the Bedford story. So for example, the gymnasium on the college, hosted the final dance earlier than the Bedford Boys went off to warfare. That they had this group dance and there’s a plaque outdoors of the gymnasium. And so we’re desirous about methods to include that. Like I wish to do an annual dance within the gymnasium type of as a form of honor and bear in mind and have fun the Bedford Boys. So I’m actually enthusiastic about that undertaking. I feel it’s actually neat and weird. And in order that’s form of some components we’ve been desirous about as we’ve been engaged on that property.

Karen Stephens – 00:11:45: Wow, that’s so cool. So I’m going to maintain pulling on this thread if that’s okay, as a result of now we all know how we get a former college to a boutique resort. I really like the story there. Are you able to additionally speak about how you concentrate on a advertising and marketing technique now as that property begins to return to life? So that you’ve bought a group of motels. They’re all bespoke. They’re all distinctive. Are you able to speak to us slightly bit about the way you market the brand new resort, what your strategy is there? After which I’m additionally simply curious to know in the event you’re tapping into any of the opposite company who may need stayed at another properties, despite the fact that they’re not the identical expertise, if that is smart.

Bree Brostko – 00:12:19: Sure. No, I imply, I feel that’s such an incredible level. We’re very lucky that now we have this portfolio of boutique motels in Virginia and persons are staying at them for various causes. However clearly, our visitor profile is somebody who’s extra within the boutique expertise. And so we do do cross-property advertising and marketing. We attempt to be very considerate and purposeful about these sorts of communications as a result of we actually don’t wish to be overburdening any company. However we predict it’s an incredible alternative to form of activate this inhabitants that’s already expressed curiosity. When it comes to advertising and marketing a brand new property, I feel clearly a lot analysis and a lot information goes into who’s coming to this space. Who’s a possible customer? This property particularly that I’m chatting with, we predict might be going to be numerous a drive market. In Virginia, you usually wish to activate the DC metro space as a result of that’s an enormous inhabitants heart that’s involved in getting outside. We do numerous research about, “What are the worth propositions of our property?” and “Who’re our company?” and “What’s that visitor profile?” So due to our boutique motels, we don’t have limitless {dollars} or limitless spend. And even within the digital advertising and marketing area, now we have to be very considerate and purposeful as a result of we simply can’t afford to enchantment to everybody. So creating these visitor personas are so essential for us. And so for this property particularly, there’s a big energetic element. I discussed the Appalachian Path. There’s additionally an enormous bike-riding group that involves that space to do street races and basic using. In order that’s an space of curiosity for us. There’s additionally a really massive inhabitants of people that come and do frisbee golf there. So it’s like actually attention-grabbing energetic inhabitants that we’re attracting. And in order that actually informs a few of our selections. We’re desirous about the visitor who’s arriving, and perhaps they’re planning on spending time outside. “The place are our water bottle refilling stations as an alternative of getting plastic bottles readily available?” “Will company have muddy sneakers from being on the Appalachian Path? What’s the form of visitor room entry expertise like, and the way do you accommodate for that?” So actually entering into these visitor personas are actually essential for us. The opposite factor that we do at Retro that we’re very happy with is deal with native, and group partnerships. We really feel like that’s one of many values of a boutique resort, proper? Folks wish to be experiencing a spot and feeling like they know that place. And so now we have this nice head of selling, in partnerships named Katie on our workforce. And he or she’s form of superb about entering into the group and dealing with the property to create these partnerships, whether or not it’s with like Amtrak or an area bourbon firm or what have you ever to convey these experiences into the property. And that’s one thing that we actually lean into with these partnerships as effectively.

Karen Stephens – 00:15:09: Yeah, which is such an incredible concept. I imply, we’ve heard this rather a lot on the podcast that it’s approach past the resort at this level. It’s about your native experiences. It’s about what else is going on locally. What can I do on my trip? I adore it that you simply’re personalizing for individuals with muddy sneakers, and who should not gonna admire a plastic water bottle. They’re gonna need that refill station. I really like that. Let me ask you, so what are the digital contact factors you employ or what are the channels that you simply leverage which can be best so that you can keep in contact with all of those company? And likewise actually, as you’re saying, ensure that they perceive what the native points of interest are. So how do you concentrate on that from a advertising and marketing perspective?

Bree Brostko – 00:15:46: Completely. However I’m an enormous income model advocate. And I feel that at a sure level in my profession, I really feel like some individuals had been type of much less enthusiastic about electronic mail advertising and marketing. Form of everybody felt like, “Oh, we’ve been doing this for some time. There’s one thing else.” However I really feel like within the numbers that we see persistently are that electronic mail continues to be certainly one of our greatest communication instruments. From open charges, from engagement, principally throughout each metric, electronic mail continues to carry out for us. And so one of many issues that we actually do, clearly we’re different channels, and we’re leveraging textual content and attempting to play in any form of new, attention-grabbing digital area, however actually leaning into this product that we use by means of Revinate and ensuring that we’re persevering with to the touch the company earlier than their arrival to provide them these nuggets to shock and delight them or issues to sit up for. Certainly one of our properties in Richmond has this superb artwork gallery and the displays change each six, to eight weeks. And it’s such an incredible alternative. The gallery is hooked up to the resort and it’s an exquisite expertise to have the ability to verify this out and see native and regional artists. And so we actually lean into the artwork and the artwork gallery to be form of doing a drip marketing campaign to individuals who have already booked, letting them find out about who the artist is that’s displaying. Right here’s some examples of their artwork and that is the hours of the artwork gallery. So ensuring that they’re getting excited in regards to the journey. Occupied with tips on how to — issues they may wish to do whereas they’re on web site. So we lean into electronic mail fairly closely.

Karen Stephens – 00:17:19: I really like that. I feel the opposite level that you simply’re making as effectively is that there’s the advertising and marketing facet the place you’re attempting to drive bookings and income, which is clearly crucial. However the visitor expertise from the reserving on, all the communications that you are able to do pre-arrival to get individuals excited. It’s just like the keep begins earlier than the keep and the ramp-up to that.

Bree Brostko – 00:17:39: You’re precisely proper. Like, I feel from the minute you get that affirmation electronic mail, that it has began. You’ve virtually had a possibility to lose it earlier than somebody even arrives, proper? Relying on the standard of the communication. And so, sure, completely. I feel I discover all of our company are savvy shoppers. Everybody’s experiencing different on-line purchases, and form of dwelling their lives, anticipating to work together with manufacturers that they’re involved in or wish to be taught extra. And so we wish to ensure that we’re delivering simply in addition to some other product they’re buying.

Karen Stephens – 00:18:12: Yeah, I’d love that. So your function at Retro, I discussed within the intro, you had been the Chief Advertising Officer, and now you’ve transitioned to the Chief Working Officer and Head of Model Technique, which is such an superior transition. However are you able to inform me, has there been any change to your strategy to communication and advertising and marketing technique now that you simply’re on this facet of the home? Or does all of it type of come collectively? What has your journey been like personally making that transition?

Bree Brostko – 00:18:35: Such an excellent query, Karen. Brief reply is sure. One of many causes I made this transition is that by means of our group, we noticed a must have this function that may very well be actually centered on maximizing income for our homeowners, and ensuring we’re appropriately staffed, and all of our properties are getting the sources that we want. However I’ll say that usually while you’re in a advertising and marketing function or communications function or a public relations function, generally, I imply, the suggestions I’ve gotten generally is that folks all the time really feel like I’m simply spending cash, proper? “Such as you’re simply spending cash. The place’s the ROI? You simply, all the time need extra money.” Which was true for wonderful causes, however being extra on this operations function and sitting with the quantity a lot extra, I’ve change into a lot extra of a critic or take a important eye to spending type of throughout the board. I feel actually pushing our workforce to say, “Nicely, that’s an incredible concept. What’s the ROI? How lengthy until we see that?” Like stress testing it much more, and actually desirous about it by means of the lens of our homeowners. “Right here’s a spend. How lengthy will it’s, till they see the return on that or doing this model or public relations push? Like how can we measure that?” And I feel I’ve completely seen a change in the way in which that I strategy operations typically.

Karen Stephens – 00:19:53: Proper. It seems like with operations, you’ve to have the ability to domesticate stakeholder engagement for all times since you’ve bought homeowners, you’ve bought your personal exec groups to work with, and all of that. In order that’s very attention-grabbing. I imply, do you’ve an instance that involves thoughts? Or if somebody is on the market considering, “Okay, I’m new within the enterprise, and I’m attempting to achieve my goals, and I’ve bought to get all of those different individuals engaged and on board.” So what’s your strategy to stakeholder engagement? And might you consider an excellent instance of how that’s labored for you or an efficient technique?

Bree Brostko – 00:20:23: Earlier in my profession, a few mentors had guided me to take accounting programs. As a marketer and a comms particular person, I steered very away from accounting programs. And so once I was in grad college, getting a communications grasp’s, I made a decision to take some accounting programs as electives to essentially construct that muscle, I suppose. And one of many causes that these mentors had guided me to do this was, they mentioned, “Entrepreneurs and communications individuals converse a special language than the finance workforce. And all through your complete profession, you’re going to be needing to speak to them about cash and funding and ROI. And in the event you’re principally coming to the desk with a very totally different vocabulary than this group of those that it’s going to be so essential to speak with, you’re doing your self a disservice.” And so I did that. And I’m so very glad that I did as a result of they had been precisely proper. Like with the ability to sit on the desk by means of funds season or by means of finance conferences, and have a greater understanding of the place they’re coming from has actually helped me. And I feel it’s virtually important to do this. In order that’s form of my recommendation to everybody. And on this COO function, it’s much more essential. Like I’m actually leaning into that studying. And I’m so glad that I did that.

Karen Stephens – 00:21:43: I wish to double down on that assertion as a result of I feel numerous our listeners are advertising and marketing professionals. They is likely to be arising of their profession. You’ve had an incredible profession in advertising and marketing. You’ve transitioned now, and also you’re Chief Working Officer. Backside line — know your numbers. I imply, I bang on about internet working revenue, and I feel enterprise runs on {dollars} and cents. And I feel generally while you’re on the advertising and marketing workforce, in fact, we’re inventive people, and we wish to speak about model id and affect and the way individuals, however you want to have the ability to translate how that impacts the enterprise general. So that’s an superior piece of recommendation.

Bree Brostko – 00:22:17: Yeah, thanks. I truly listened to the podcast that you simply did with the gentleman speaking about NOI. And I believed his form of level about there’s a, significantly in advertising and marketing and communications, you’re measuring all of this stuff. What’s your web site expertise like? What’s your social media engagement? However he was proper. Like on the finish of the day, the NOI is what issues.

Karen Stephens – 00:22:35: It’s what issues. Yeah, that was Joe Pettigrew from EOS Hospitality. Nice. So I’ve one final query for you. So the place do you see motels having their second or spark of innovation? So is there something that involves thoughts that you simply’re seeing on the market? And as we’re type of coming into 2025, what are you seeing when it comes to innovation or sparks of know-how which can be attention-grabbing for you?

Bree Brostko – 00:22:57: Sure, nice query. Personally, I’m very within the metaverse. I feel that I actually envision a day by which we’re utilizing the metaverse to expertise and guide motels. So I envision the following iteration being leveraging the metaverse. And I see a chance the place we are able to’t fathom having booked a resort room with out standing within the resort room and bodily seeing the area and seeing what could be out the window. And so I feel we’re a methods from that. However I’m actually involved in all the applied sciences which can be form of steps in that path, whether or not it’s corporations that present form of a 3D visitor expertise by means of public areas, which is absolutely well-liked on the group facet. And in order that kind of know-how is changing into increasingly more accessible. And so I’m actually involved in that and wish to ensure that we’re leveraging that as a result of I do see a future by which we have to be form of much more concerned in that digital experiential meta-type realm. So I’m actually enthusiastic about that.

Karen Stephens – 00:23:59: Yeah, that’s actually attention-grabbing. Let’s see what occurs. It’s type of just like the Grand Lodge with the ability to run into all of the rooms, however out of your front room. “What room kind do I need? The place’s the balcony? The place’s the factor?” I really like that. Nicely, hey, Bree, thanks a lot for becoming a member of me right now. It’s been an superior dialog. I admire it.

Bree Brostko – 00:24:14: Completely. Thanks for having me, Karen. I actually loved it.

Outro – 00:24:21: Thanks for becoming a member of us on this episode of Lodge Second by Revinate. Our group of hoteliers is rising each week, and every visitor we converse to is tackling trade challenges with the innovation and suppleness that our trade calls for. When you loved right now’s episode, don’t overlook to subscribe, charge, and depart a evaluation. And in the event you’re listening on YouTube, please just like the video and subscribe for extra content material. For extra info, head to revinate.com/hotelmomentpodcast. Till subsequent time, maintain innovating.