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Revenue strategy does not happen on autopilot.

Markets shift, booking windows move, owners ask harder questions, and guests become more price sensitive. For vacation rental managers, the strategy that worked last month may need a second look today.

That is the focus of Revenue Reality Check, a 6-part bimonthly series brought to you by Beyond. Each episode takes a closer look at the pricing decisions, demand trends, owner conversations, and revenue moves property managers should be paying attention to right now.

For the first episode, Alex & Annie are joined by Julie Brinkman, CEO of Beyond, to talk about one of the biggest topics in revenue management today: AI.

Julie shares how AI is already helping operators make sense of large amounts of data, reduce repetitive work, and give revenue managers more time to focus on strategy. She also explains why human oversight still matters, especially when it comes to pricing decisions, owner communication, and the revenue line of the business. For Julie, the opportunity is in using AI to support stronger decisions while keeping operators involved in the strategy.

We discuss:

00:37 - Why revenue strategy needs regular review

03:01 - How AI is being used in vacation rental revenue management

08:39 - Where automation can help reduce repetitive work

11:12 - Why owner communication needs market context

19:21 - How AI may affect OTAs, direct bookings, and listing visibility

28:22 - Julie’s Stop, Start, and Scale advice for using AI thoughtfully

31:43 - What operators should watch as World Cup demand develops

Tune in for the first episode of Revenue Reality Check, brought to you by Beyond, and follow along as we look at the trends, data, and revenue decisions vacation rental managers should be paying attention to now.

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbrinkman/

Connect with Beyond:

Website: https://beyondpricing.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-pricing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondpricing/

Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-pricing/

#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #strindustry

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In this episode, Alex & Annie sit down with Pierre-Camille Hamana, founder and CEO of Hospitable, to talk about the evolution of vacation rental software and why adoption across the industry still has so much room to grow.

Pierre-Camille shares how his own experience as an Airbnb host in Brussels led to the creation of Smartbnb, which later became Hospitable. What started as a solution for repetitive guest messaging has grown into a broader property management platform supporting communication, operations, channel management, direct bookings, payments, and more.

The conversation also explores why many hosts and operators still hesitate to adopt property management software, how Hospitable is working to make software more accessible, and what AI could mean for guest communication, support, direct bookings, and the future of vacation rental distribution.

In this episode, we discuss:

02:27 - How Pierre-Camille’s experience as an Airbnb host led to the creation of Hospitable

04:22 - Why guest messaging became the starting point for a larger software platform

09:45 - How Hospitable evolved from Smartbnb into a broader property management system

20:16 - Why software adoption remains low across parts of the short-term rental industry

21:55 - The challenges that keep smaller hosts and operators from adopting software

23:44 - Hospitable’s approach to making property management software more accessible

17:47 - How self-managers can grow into co-hosts or professional property managers

41:47 - The role of AI in guest messaging, customer support, and software usability

44:07 - Why AI should make tools easier to use, not simply add more complexity

53:07 - What AI agents could mean for OTAs, direct bookings, and property discovery

53:07 - Why strong owner service, guest experience, and operational consistency still matter as technology evolves

Connect with Pierre-Camille:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pchamana/

Connect with Hospitable:

Website: https://hospitable.com/partners/alex-annie

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hospitable/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospitable_com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hospitable/

✨ Exclusive Offer to Alex & Annie Listeners:

Automate your short-term rental operations with Hospitable.

Start a 14-day free trial and get 25% off your bill for the first 6 months.

👉 Get started: https://hospitable.com/partners/alex-annie

Reach more guests across top travel sites with BookingPal.

Alex & Annie listeners get onboarding fees waived + 20% off the first two months.

👉 Get started: https://alex-and-annie-offer.bookingpal.com/

Enjoy 20% off a monthly or annual subscription to Lasoh’s Guest Portal or House Manual when you use code: AlexandAnnie. Valid through May 31, 2026.

👉 Access the offer here: https://explore.lasoh.io/alex-annie

#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #pms

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In this special episode, Alex and Annie sit down with Tim Rosolio, Vice President of Vacation Rental Partnerships at Vrbo, for a behind-the-scenes look at Vrbo’s Vacation Rentals of the Year program and what it takes to earn that recognition.

Recorded on location at Lakefront Escape on Squam Lake, New Hampshire, one of this year’s winning properties, the episode offers both a platform perspective and a firsthand look at the kind of hospitality Vrbo is celebrating.

Tim shares how Vrbo selects winners from millions of properties across its global network, using a mix of performance data, guest reviews, local market insight, and hospitality storytelling to identify homes that deliver standout guest experiences.

The conversation then shifts to David Rose, owner of Lakefront Escape, who shares how he transformed a dated lake house into an award-winning retreat designed with intention, warmth, and usability in mind.

From intuitive in-home tech and thoughtful labels to tailored recommendations and architectural details, this episode highlights how exceptional hospitality is built through the details.

In this episode, we cover:

03:50 - Why Vrbo created the Vacation Rentals of the Year program
04:39 - How Vrbo selects its Vacation Rentals of the Year
08:04 - What makes a vacation rental experience feel personal and memorable
13:35 - Meet David Rose and the story behind Lakefront Escape
16:42 - Why intuitive technology matters more than flashy features
23:00 - How David Rose designed Lakefront Escape for connection, comfort, and discovery
25:20 - Why David chose self-management and how Vrbo supports pricing and promotion
26:43 - How personalized recommendations can elevate the guest stay
30:34 - How labels, notes, and in-home guidance reduce guest friction
32:21 - The Japanese design influence behind the home’s guest experience
35:27 - How design, layout, and local insight help create repeat guests

This episode captures both the criteria behind Vrbo’s recognition and the real-world hospitality choices that help a property earn it.

Connect with:

David Rose / Lakefront Escape
https://www.squamlakehouse.com/

Tim Rosolio / Vrbo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rosolio-434b2a98/

✨ Exclusive Offer to Alex & Annie Listeners:

Automate your short-term rental operations with Hospitable. Start a 14-day free trial and get 25% off your bill for the first 6 months.

👉 Get started: https://hospitable.com/partners/alex-annie

Reach more guests across top travel sites with BookingPal. Alex & Annie listeners get onboarding fees waived + 20% off the first two months.

👉 Get started: https://alex-and-annie-offer.bookingpal.com/

Enjoy 20% off a monthly or annual subscription to Lasoh’s Guest Portal or House Manual when you use code: AlexandAnnie. Valid through May 31, 2026.

👉 Access the offer here: https://explore.lasoh.io/alex-annie

#vacationrentals #shorttermrentals #vrbovacationrentalsoftheyear