{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"EP 229: 5-Star Hotel Principles Every STR & Boutique Hotel Owner Should Know with Katie Cline","description":"The moment a guest opens your door, you\u2019re no longer just a real estate investor, you\u2019re running a hospitality business.   In this episode, I\u2019m sitting down with my friend Katie to talk about something a lot of hosts say they care about, but don\u2019t always know how to execute: true hospitality. Katie spent years in global PR and communications for brands like W Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, Le M\u00e9ridien, and more, and now owns and operates three short-term rentals while co-hosting a fourth. She\u2019s lived on both sides of the industry, and she has a very grounded perspective on what it really means to move from \u201creal estate investor\u201d to \u201chost.\u201d We talk about the moment you open your doors and how, from that point on, you are running a hospitality business, not just holding an asset. Katie shares a hotel study that found the first ten minutes of a guest\u2019s arrival sets the tone for their entire stay, and we unpack what that looks like inside an STR: clear directions, lights that actually come on, intentional amenities, and those small, thoughtful touches that make guests feel seen instead of nickel-and-dimed. We also get into bachelorette groups, kids and pets, and why welcoming every member of the family changes how people experience your space and how they talk about it later. Katie walks us through her own portfolio in Lake George, Saratoga Springs, and the Finger Lakes, and how staying in a destination as a guest shaped what she looked for as an owner. We talk about design gaps, experience gaps, and why she\u2019s now exploring boutique motels and hotels with the same heart for hospitality she brings to her STRs. If you\u2019ve ever felt the tension between automation, profit, and genuinely caring for the people in your homes, this conversation will feel like a reset and a reminder of why this work matters. Connect with Steph: @theweberco Theweberco.com Connect with Katie:  @bykatiecline   ","author_name":"Branded & Booked","author_url":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/astoldbyus","html":"