Description

Zeke tours a new “landscape hotel” of Ben Wolf of Onera that flexes between full-property buyouts and eight private suites—each with its own hot tub—anchored by a communal living/dining hub, a high-end residential kitchen (bar-ready), commissary, and a convertible conference/dining room. The conversation widens into pricing strategy (why weddings aren’t their focus), midweek corporate/wellness retreat demand, smart upsells (private sauna/pool), and the real-world developer playbook: picking the right GC, collaborating with architects, building cash-flow support businesses, and structuring partnerships that actually work. 

We also get the founder’s origin story from NYC nightclub promoter to sober operator to one-of-one hotel developer—plus a sneak peek at a 20-key tropical, agritourism resort coming to South Florida (Bali vibes, stateside).

What you’ll learn:

• How to design a hybrid “house buyout + independent suites” hotel that feels both private and communal
• The revenue logic: midweek retreats > discounted weddings (and where high-ticket weddings still fit)
• Operational upsells that guests love: private pool/sauna access layered onto shared amenities
• Why GC selection trumps low bids—and how to align GC + architect from day one
• Partnership rules that prevent burnout: complementary roles, urgency culture, “project > ego”
• Cash-flow scaffolding for developers: management and marketing arms that keep the lights on
• Agritourism development 101: 99-year land leases, low-density zoning, and farmer revenue share
• Personal arc: sobriety, AirBnB arbitrage, Austin move, RV honeymoon inspiration, and learning the hard way

00:00 Intro & the landscape-hotel concept
03:20 Suite layout, hot tubs, communal core, and event flow
08:05 Pricing strategy: retreats vs weddings; upsell logic
12:10 Kitchen/bar configuration, commissary, and F&B support
17:40 From nightclub promoter to sober operator to developer
23:15 Cash-flow businesses that fund long-cycle development
28:30 GC vs architect: integrated delivery and cost control
34:10 Partnership filters: urgency, role clarity, reputation
39:45 South Florida project: 20 keys, agritourism lease, Bali vibes
46:30 Community/course preview and closing

Listen to another episode of the Radical Hospitality Podcast featuring Ben Wolff:

• Inside a $29 Million Treehouse Resort Business: Funding, Management, and Bookings

Connect with Zeke Freeman:
Instagram: @zekefreeman_rootarchitecture and @rootarchitecture
YouTube: @rootarchitecture
Facebook: @RootArchitectureandDevelopment
LinkedIn: Zeke Freeman
X/Twitter: @zfreemanroot

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