LODGING LEADERS
124 | A New Generation of Lifestyle Hostels with Rafael Museri
LODGING LEADERS
Rafael Museri has over fifteen years of experience in international real estate development. Eight years ago, Rafael moved from Tel Aviv to Panama City, Panama. In 2008, he founded the Dekel Group where his knowledge and expertise have been invaluable in the aggregation of Dekel’s extensive portfolio of real estate assets. Rafael’s vision has facilitated the growth of Dekel and its team – it took Rafael three years to find the village of Pedasi through careful research and then he found the correct team to help take his imagination and turn it into reality. He is the founder and CEO of Selina, a rapidly growing, new generation of lifestyle hostels with 13 locations in Latin America. His personal and successful business record has drawn a lot of successful business groups with great influences to invest in his company.
In This Episode, Rafi Reveals:
- The inspiration for Selina, how was the idea born, and where it all started.
- Their target demographic, digital nomads ages 20-35, and why he believes their product is such a good fit for them.
- What makes Selina different than other hostels in the hospitality industry, including Summer Camps, Retreats, Educational Programs, Eco-Tourism and more.
- The positive effect their Hospitality Academy has had on Selina employees and interns.
- Why social responsibility is important to them, how they get involved in local communities, and the steps they take to ensure that they have a positive impact wherever they choose to develop.
Resources & Links
Rafael Museri
- rafael@selinahostels.com
Selina Hostels
LODGING LEADERS
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311 | Shelters From the Norm: Hotels used for hospitals and housing face unexpected problems
A year ago, Darshan Patel, CEO of Hotel Investment Group in San Diego, California, was one of the first hoteliers in the U.S. to step up and offer properties to overwhelmed hospitals seeking places to care for COVID and non-COVID patients as well as vulnerable populations. As the crisis eases and Hotel Investment Group works to return the hotels to business, Patel is negotiating with local governments to pay for the wear and tear on the properties. Patel is not alone as many hoteliers are unexpectedly dealing with problems that state and local governments’ urgent decisions have created, including property damage, increased costs and eviction bans. This report is the second in a two-part series examining the pros and cons of opening hotels to alternative uses during the pandemic. It is part of Long Live Lodging’s special coverage of the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the hospitality industry.
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310 | Hotels Convert to Housing: Federal COVID-19-relief funds fuel transactions
Dhruv Patel, president of Ridgemont Hospitality, in October shared a bittersweet moment with his parents, Pravin and Sima Patel, when the family business sold the first motel that Pravin had built from the ground up more than 30 years ago. But they rest assured knowing it was the right decision because the 22-room property is being converted into affordable housing for military veterans at risk of homelessness. The transaction is among hundreds taking place across the U.S. as state and local governments work with non-profit agencies to create affordable housing solutions for vulnerable populations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In Episode 310 Long Live Lodging reports on the financial and legal aspects of what it takes to convert a hotel into long-term housing. This report is part of Long Live Lodging’s special coverage of the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the hospitality industry.