Taylor | Experiential Real Estate

I dive into resorts, travel experiences & RE projects🏡 • Real Estate 🤝 Experiences • Think Lonely Planet for Real Estate🌍 • Day job: STR finance/acquisitions

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

In the 90's, London's "porn baron" had a problem.

He owned a townhouse in the middle of Soho that nobody wanted.

But then he struck a deal with Nick Jones who turned it into the world's most exclusive creative club – now worth $2 Billion.

Here's the story of Soho House:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This guy sold greeting cards for 38 years.

But in 1999, he sparked a golf revolution that he himself called “crazy.”

It all started with Bandon Dunes.

The Scottish links course in America that changed golf resorts forever.

Here’s Mike Keiser’s legendary story:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

Meet Alex Calderwood.

The Seattle rave promoter who accidentally became a hotel visionary.

In 1999, he turned a run-down flophouse into Ace Hotels – now worth hundreds of millions.

Here’s his incredible story:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This is André Balazs.

At 22, he lived in homeless shelters to study the human experience.

By 60, he'd built a hotel brand worth $150+ million.

He revolutionized luxury hospitality with The Standard.

The wild story of "the hotelier to the stars" 🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This is Aman:

- 36 ultra-exclusive resorts worldwide
- $5,000+ per night sanctuaries for the ultra wealthy
- Obsessed guests called "Amanjunkies" visit all properties

Each one feels like a private estate, not a hotel.

The top 10 Aman resorts ranked:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

Since 2021, I’ve obsessed over one idea…

Building a tropical landscape resort.

But not in Costa Rica. Not in Bali. Right here in the US.

For 3 years, I struck out repeatedly... until 6 months ago.

Here’s the story of my latest project, Baya in Redland, Florida: 🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This is Zaha Hadid:

- Called a "paper architect" for 13 years
- Built 950 "impossible" structures worldwide
- First woman to win architecture's highest honor

Her buildings look like they're from another planet.

The incredible story of how she proved every critic wrong:🧵

[Taylor | Experiential Real Estate @VibeyRE]

@uniquestaysguy ROI

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This hotel hosted the Vanderbilts in the 1870s.

By 2013, it was a crumbling Victorian relic that nearly got demolished.

Today, guests pay $600/night to be transported back to the Gilded Age.

The incredible comeback story of one of my favorite hotels:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

I'm finally ready to share a secret.

Meet Baya.

Our new 20-key tropical landscape resort in Redland, Florida. Just 45 minutes south of Miami.

But this isn’t your typical Florida resort.

Here's what makes Baya special...🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

Recognize this hotel?

Since 1972, this resort has hosted 150+ movies and TV shows including:

- Lost
- Hunger Games
- Pirates of the Caribbean

But its Hollywood fame started by accident...

Here's how a Hawaiian hotel became one of the world's top film sets:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

Barry Sternlicht revolutionized hospitality with W Hotels.

Then he sold Starwood for $13 billion and could’ve retired.

But at 55, he risked his reputation attempting to make sustainability sexy.

Here’s the story of how 1 Hotels redefined luxury:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This lady used to unload potato sacks in an Idaho factory for $13/hour.

Today, people travel from around the world to stay in her giant potato hotel.

$250/night. In the middle of nowhere in Idaho.

This might be the craziest Airbnb success story ever.

The full story:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

Airbnb just took a HUGE gamble.

They’re relaunching a project they’ve already failed once before.

But here’s what’s different this time...

If they pull this off they’ll completely revolutionize travel (again).

Here’s everything you need to know:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

This 15th-century sheep farm charges up to $100,000/night.

- 4.5 hrs from the nearest city
- Sheep outnumber humans 2:1
- Justin Bieber's secret hideout

But why are Wall St execs and celebrities flocking to a farm in Iceland?

Here's what's special about Deplar Farm:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

In 2023, a lawyer and a tech founder had a crazy idea:

3D printing an entire hotel.

2 years later, they’re creating a $50M desert resort built with only curved walls.

Here’s the story of "El Cosmico"🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

I bought a 5 acre forest for $375k after 20 banks rejected me.

11 months later, we were charging $1,000/night for treehouses.

A year after that, we sold to Wall Street for millions.

Here's the story of Onera – my first treehouse hotel: 🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

In 2017, this Mexican resort created the world’s most expensive taco:

$25,000. Caviar. Gold flakes. Critics call it "absurd excess."

But they were missing something…

Grand Velas Resort had given the world a masterclass in viral marketing.

Here's the crazy story:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

Wisconsin isn't just "America's Dairyland" anymore.

It's the most underrated state for luxury stays:

• Floating Nordic glass cabins
• PGA courses on prehistoric sand dunes
• Frank Lloyd Wright's hidden masterpiece

7 luxury stays in Wisconsin to put on your wishlist:🧵

[Ben Wolff @uniquestaysguy]

He was a fishing guide. She was a nurse.

In their village of 600 people, they built hotel rooms "floating" in the trees.

Locals called Kent and Britta crazy.

But today, royalty and celebrities fly to remote Sweden to stay there.

Here's their incredible story:🧵