Designing the Unforgettable: How Experiential Stays Are Redefining Hospitality
By Ru Kotryna
Inside the Miami Short-Term Rental Forum’s Most Thought-Provoking Panel
You've seen them go viral—an off-grid spaceship in Joshua Tree, a treehouse perched in the Hawaiian rainforest, a "Hobbit house" hidden in the Pacific Northwest. These aren’t just vacation rentals; they are destinations unto themselves. They promise more than a place to sleep; they offer an experience. And in today’s hospitality landscape, that’s exactly what travelers want.
At the Miami Short-Term Rental Forum, a panel of leading hospitality innovators, designers, and developers gathered to unpack the art of creating and scaling these one-of-a-kind properties. The discussion went beyond real estate and into the realm of storytelling, psychology, and artistry—proving that great design is about more than aesthetics; it’s about emotion.
The Cliffs at Hawking Hills features soaring trees, a stunning waterfall and natural swimming hole just 45 minutes from Columbus, Ohio.
Meet the Panelists Shaping the Future of Unique Stays
Isaac French – Founder of Live Oak Lake and Experiential Hospitality, Isaac is a hospitality entrepreneur and designer who took his vision from concept to execution in under a year. His Texas-based landscape hotel amassed 150,000 social media followers, boasted an 80% direct booking rate, and achieved an institutional exit just 18 months post-launch.
Emily Padan – Co-founder of Hinter, Emily is a slow-living advocate who transitioned from teaching to hospitality, building a brand that seamlessly merges architecture with nature. Hinter’s philosophy is rooted in minimalism, allowing guests to disconnect and reset.
Ben Wolff – Co-founder of Onera and Oasi, Ben is leading a $35M expansion of his upscale treehouse resort brand while spearheading a new model for landscape resorts and boutique hotels. His approach blends experiential hospitality with smart brand strategy.
Josh Peterson – Director of Business Development at Journey, Josh specializes in market research and STR investment strategies that drive both revenue and guest experience.
Zach Busekrus – Head of Alliance at Journey and panel moderator, Zach’s deep expertise in marketing and growth strategy helped shape an engaging discussion.
Live Oak Lake offers 7 lake-front modern cabins in Waco, Texas designed and built by Isaac French.
Beyond Data: The Role of Passion, Art, and Instinct
Numbers don’t tell the whole story. In a world obsessed with analytics, Isaac French challenged the audience to think differently:
“The best properties come from an uncompromising vision, passion, and dream”
While tools like AirDNA and Key Data are invaluable for researching markets and forecasting performance, the panelists emphasized that intuition often plays a more significant role in creating iconic properties.
Ben Wolff echoed this sentiment, pointing out that over-saturated markets should be avoided, and instead, developers should focus on revenue per square foot rather than comps. In other words, a well-designed, experience-driven property will always outperform a generic rental.
The magic ingredient? Taste.
Isaac recalled how he found the perfect site for Live Oak Lake:
"When that 5-acre property came up on Zillow, I just knew—this was the place."
He referenced Cliffs at Hocking Hills, where designers took an artistic approach by utilizing existing land structures to create a unique quest experience. The consensus? 0.5 to 1 acre per unit is the ideal ratio for creating immersive nature experiences.
A Tomu Signature Studio, Virginia
Prefab & Hospitality: Can Modular Design Still Be Unique?
The panelists debated a long-standing challenge: Can prefabrication coexist with uniqueness?
Emily Padan revealed that Hinter’s first-ever cabin was a prefab, while Ben Wolff highlighted the operational advantages of modular builds, including reduced construction time, lower noise impact, and sustainability benefits.
Isaac French gave Tomu a shoutout for proving that prefab can, in fact, be bespoke. Traditionally, prefab has struggled with flexibility, but Tomu’s approach allows for customization—something that has been a game-changer for experiential hospitality brands.
The takeaway? Prefab is evolving, and when executed thoughtfully, it can balance efficiency with character.
Brand vs. Property: Which Comes First?
Should you build a property and then brand it? Or should branding be the foundation of the project?
The answer: Both approaches work—but consistency is key.
Isaac emphasized the power of a strong design narrative—one that guests can connect with emotionally before even arriving.
Emily stressed the importance of curated brand aesthetics. Before Hinter’s first cabin was even completed, she and her team used high-quality renders to build anticipation, amassing a waitlist before opening.
Ben and Josh noted that overly broad branding dilutes value. Instead, they suggested focusing on a specific niche and ensuring the brand identity carries across social media, website experience, and guest touchpoints.
Fred summed it up well:
"If your stay goes viral but your website and booking experience don’t match that energy, you’ve lost the guest before they even book."
Hinterhouse, QC: A serene retreat crafted by Mauricio Padilla and Emily Padan, designed to embrace the art of slowing down and savoring the passage of time.
Why Guests Will Pay More for a One-of-a-Kind Stay
The financials matter. Experiential stays aren’t just about aesthetics; they’re about ROI.
Ben pointed out that highly curated couple stays command premium rates and that unique stays often perform 200-300% better than traditional STRs.
One standout example? A simple cabin in the woods marketed as a “treehouse” was generating $100,000+ per unit per year.
The conclusion? People will pay for inspiration. Guests aren’t just booking a place to stay; they’re booking a story, a mood, an emotion.
Onera in Fredericksburg, TX is an upscale landscape hotel co-founded by Ben Wolff.
Final Thoughts: Designing for the Future of Hospitality
The panel closed with a powerful thought: Experiential stays are more than rentals—they are destinations.
To stand out in an increasingly competitive market, developers must blend design, psychology, and marketing into a seamless, high-touch experience.
Key Takeaways for Future Hospitality Innovators:
✔ Design for emotion, not just aesthetics. What feeling does your space evoke?
✔ Curate your brand before launch. The right storytelling strategy will drive organic interest and direct bookings.
✔ Location matters, but experience is king. You don’t need the “perfect” market—you need the right vision.
✔ Prefab is evolving. Tomu and others are proving that modular builds can be both efficient and unique.
✔ Guests will pay for inspiration. Revenue per square foot is a more important metric than market comps.
In a world where travelers are looking for more than just a place to stay, the future belongs to those who dare to build beyond boundaries.
