Rural Hospitality

STR operators have a potential edge over Marriott right now, and a lot of people don’t see it.

Major hospitality companies are already dominating in the two extremes of rural STRs: the glamping-plus site with a prefab cabin and a firepit (think: Postcard Cabins), and the ultra-luxury stay with a nightly rate that rivals a mortgage payment (think: Aman Resorts).

But there’s a massive middle market that’s much harder for big brands to crack, and it’s where STR operators who are willing to dive into development have a potential advantage. For now.

It’s landscape-focused, rural micro-hospitality.

An individual investor can create a thoughtful, landscape-driven complex on lots zoned for residential without special use permits. They can get three or four units that feel like a photo-worthy, restorative stay guests can’t get from the big players in the industry. Because, right now, they can’t.

Those hospitality giants see how lucrative the micro-hospitality industry can be, and they want in. How do we know? They call us and ask how it’s done and how they can scale the model to make it pencil. There’s a window of opportunity here before those companies figure it out.

Curious to see what one of these projects could look like? See the step-by-step build we’re planning on a property in upstate NY where this model could work. See HUTS developments at Canoe Hill.