Boutique hotel investors often lose money in the same place: they renovate what’s visible, and ignore what actually drives guest behavior.

In this episode, we talk about design as a business tool, not a decoration budget. The goal is simple: create a guest experience that feels intentional, sells itself, and supports your NOI, even when you’re operating without brand-level resources.
My guest is Scott Lamont, CEO of EDSA, a globally recognized design and planning firm. Scott and his team work on hospitality projects worldwide, from master planning new destinations to repositioning existing resorts.

You’ll hear:

• How to “program” spaces so they earn money at different times of day
• What to look for during acquisition that signals hidden upside
• Why the lobby is not a pass-through, it’s a profit center
• How local partnerships create authenticity without big construction costs
• The infrastructure investments (water, resiliency) owners regret skipping
• A practical way to use guest reviews as free due diligence

If you’re graduating from Airbnb to your first hotel deal, this episode will help you avoid rookie capex mistakes and make design decisions that actually translate to revenue. Follow and share the Hotel Investor Playbook so more people can learn how to invest in hospitality assets the right way.

About Scott

Scott LaMont is the CEO and Principal of EDSA, a globally recognized planning and landscape architecture firm where he has spent nearly three decades shaping award-winning destinations for brands like Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton. An expert in “deconstructed hospitality” and nature-focused design, Scott combines environmental stewardship with pragmatic business planning to drive long-term value and ROI for developers. He leads with a collaborative, human-centered philosophy that integrates emerging technologies like AI to create authentic, immersive guest experiences that connect people with place.

Connect with Scott

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-lamont-aa598027/

Website: https://www.edsaplan.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edsaplan/?hl=en

Learn how to use AI to underwrite faster, streamline operations, automate the busy work, and make better decisions. Start your 7-day free trial of the AI for CRE Collective here.

Connect with Michael:

Invest with Malama Capital: malama-capital.com/invest
Submit a deal: https://www.malama-capital.com/deal-submission
Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook
Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Is now a terrible time to buy a hotel, or the best buying window you will get this decade?

In this episode, Michael sits down with Suraj Bhakta, CEO of NewGen Advisory, a national hotel brokerage that has closed deals in 44 states. Suraj explains what he is actually seeing in today’s market, from the SBA shutdown fallout to the quiet distress building under the surface.

In this conversation, you will learn:

• Why are the 2021–2022 performance numbers misleading so many sellers and buyers
• Where distress is most likely to show up first, and how to spot it before the crowd
• How to think about value-add when required upgrades do not pencil on the back end
• Concrete steps buyers should take this week if they want to be ready when deals crack

If you are serious about buying hotels in this environment, this episode will help you see what is really happening behind the scenes and how to move with more confidence.

Follow and share the Hotel Investor Playbook so more people can learn how to invest in hospitality assets the right way.

About Suraj

Suraj Bhakta is the CEO of NewGen Advisory and Chief Legal Counsel for NewGen Worldwide, where he leads a national brokerage team that has executed hospitality transactions across 44 states. Drawing on over two decades of experience as both a commercial real estate attorney and a lifelong hotelier, Suraj has advised on more than $850 million in acquisitions and facilitated nearly $500 million in capital raises. He specializes in guiding investors through the full property lifecycle, offering expert counsel on complex market challenges ranging from financing and Property Improvement Plans (PIPs) to creative adaptive reuse projects.

Connect with Suraj

Email: suraj.bhakta@newgenadv.com

Phone: +1.602.648.2702

Website: https://newgenadv.com/

LinkedIn: Suraj Bhakta

Instagram: @newgenadvisory

Learn how to use AI to underwrite faster, streamline operations, automate the busy work, and make better decisions. Start your 7-day free trial of the AI for CRE Collective here.

Connect with Michael:

Invest with Malama Capital: malama-capital.com/invest
Submit a deal: https://www.malama-capital.com/deal-submission
Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook
Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Click here to start your free 7-day trial of the AI for CRE Collective.

Most boutique hotel investors are running lean. No analyst team. No data department. No six-figure tech budget. Yet the demands of buying and operating hotels keep getting heavier.

In this episode, I sit down with Jake Heller, founder of the AI for CRE Collective, to break down the most effective AI tools that give small operators the firepower of a full investment team without hiring more staff or burning more hours.

We workshop real tools you can start using today to:

• Research any hotel market in minutes
• Underwrite deals 5 to 10 times faster
• Build pro-grade investor decks and OMs
• Create renovation concepts and renderings
• Cut legal costs with AI-assisted contract review
• Streamline asset management and portfolio reporting
• Automate day-to-day admin and communication

1. Claude (Deep Research) – Market feasibility, multi-source synthesis
2. Perplexity (Market Intel) – Accurate analytical research with citations
3. Shortcut AI (Underwriting) – Flexible financial modeling inside Excel
4. Google Gemini (Nano Banana Image & Video Generation) – Property renderings, façade upgrades, interior redesigns, branding, teaser videos
5. Wilson AI (Legal & Due Diligence) – Contract review, redlines, title exceptions
6. Gamma (Decks & OMs) – Investor decks, offering memorandums, pitch materials
7. Wspr Flow (Voice-to-Text & Admin) – Ultra-fast transcription, notes, emails, and communication

Whether you’re trying to scale your hospitality business, underwrite more deals, or operate your hotel with fewer people, these tools will change the way you work.

If you want to buy and operate hotels without a big team or a ton of time, this episode is your new playbook.

Get One Week Free Membership to Jake’s AI for CRE Collective

If you want help implementing everything we discuss in this episode - the prompts, the workflows, the tools, the systems - Jake’s community is the best place to start.

Listeners of The Hotel Investor Playbook can get full access for FREE.

Click here to start your free 7-day trial of the AI for CRE Collective.

About Jake

Jake Heller is a third-generation homebuilder and entrepreneur who co-founded the AI for CRE Collective, a central hub where AI and technology meet real estate. As an expert focused on practical, implementation-oriented solutions in AI in Commercial Real Estate, he built this 400+ member community to provide battle-tested workflows, automation templates, and a database of 300+ vetted AI tools for professionals. Drawing on his experience in development and consulting, including cofounding JDJ Consulting Group, Jake specializes in helping CRE firms and individuals scale and streamline processes to accelerate deal speed across critical tasks such as underwriting and deal analysis.

Connect with Jake

Website: https://a

Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Visit the Hotel Investor Playbook Instagram

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