Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and hospitality brands and the hosts, operators, and entrepreneurs who’ve brought them to life. Every Tuesday and Friday you’ll meet the military veterans, retired flight attendants, tech entrepreneurs, school teachers, single moms, hoteliers, and real estate investors who are all, in their unique ways, shaping the future of travel and hospitality. Discover how these visionaries — from all over the world — have built stunning landscape hotels in the mountains, designed bohemian bungalows on the beach, erected eclectic off-grid and nature-immersed escapes, and so much more. Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Behind the States is hosted by Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Meet Steve Lassman, Vice President of Villas of Distinction—a luxury villa company that’s been curating remarkable vacation homes since the 1980s.
Steve’s story runs three generations deep in the travel industry, and he’s worn just about every hat you can imagine—from airline sales to hotel operations—before finding his calling in the world of private villa experiences.
In this episode, Steve reveals why Villas of Distinction is all about quality over quantity, and how they’ve nurtured enduring partnerships with top travel advisors around the world.
Their approach to vetting every villa (from hot water pressure checks to wine glass counts) is anything but casual, ensuring that each stay meets their lofty “five-star” criteria. And when things get tough—like after a major hurricane—they’ve proven they’ll put the guest experience above everything else.
Tune in to hear:
- How a legacy family business and decades of travel shaped Steve’s hospitality mindset
- Why a curated portfolio of villas (not 30,000 listings) guarantees the best guest experience
- Real-life stories of turning “fixer-upper” villas back into five-star stunners
- The magic of working with a travel advisor—and why it won’t cost you extra
- Predictions on the next big trends in luxury villa travel (hint: it’s all about experiences)
From private island getaways to truffle hunts in Tuscany, Steve’s passion for personalized service is palpable. If you’ve ever dreamed of a tailor-made stay that blends home comforts with high-end indulgence, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Steve
Explore Villas of Distinction
Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.
Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at joinjourney.com/alliance.
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