18. Splash The Cash & Cross Your Fingers
The Secret Serviced Podcast
08/11/25
•50m
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S3 EP18: Splash The Cash & Cross Your Fingers 💸🤞
In this week’s episode of The Secret Serviced Podcast, we lift the lid on the realities of running and scaling serviced accommodation and aparthotels — and this one is packed.
🏰 Sefton Place update – more rip-out work, meeting a potential builder, and yes... yet more surveys!
🛎 Our origin story – how we got started in serviced accommodation back in 2018 with a title split strategy that turned out to be a game-changer.
📊 Lessons learned – the common pitfalls we see people make when scaling SA or moving into aparthotels, and how to avoid overleveraging, poor financial planning, and operational headaches.
This one’s a mix of storytelling, straight-talking business advice, and plenty of laughs from the trenches.
📲 Click the link in our bio to watch the full episode on YouTube and subscribe for more BTS from Sefton Place.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify – link in bio.
#SecretServicedPodcast #ServicedAccommodationUK #ShortTermRentals #AirbnbBusiness #AparthotelLife #HotelRenovation #SeftonPlace #PropertyInvestingUK #StaycationUK #BehindTheBookings #STRCommunity #BoutiqueHotelDream #HospitalityBusiness
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Previous Episode
17. King Of The Swingers & Distracted By Kites
August 4, 2025
•36m
S3 EP17: King Of The Swingers & Distracted By Kites 🏗️🪁
This week on The Secret Serviced Podcast, we are back with another dose of behind-the-scenes madness from the world of serviced accommodation and aparthotel life – and this one has a bit of everything...
🏰 Sefton Place Update – Caroline and I are getting properly hands-on with the rip-out, meeting potential builders, and finding out (yet again) that this project needs even more surveys than we planned for...
👩💻 Meet Jennifer – our brand new virtual assistant is flying through her training programme! We dive into what we covered this week, including the truth about Online Travel Agent platforms, which ones we prefer, and why.
🤦♂️ The Guest from Hell – sometimes you dig your heels in, sometimes you cut your losses. This one taught us a few lessons about knowing when to pull the plug.
📲 Click the link in our bio to watch the full episode on our brand new YouTube channel @secretservicedpodcast and follow us here for more unfiltered property stories, hotel updates, and hospitality life insights.
#SecretServicedPodcast #ServicedAccommodationUK #PropertyPodcast #ShortTermRentals #HospitalityLife #HotelRenovation #SeftonPlace #AparthotelBusiness #PropertyInvestingUK #VirtualAssistantTraining #AirbnbBusiness #OTAPlatformsExplained #GuestFromHell #STRCommunity #StaycationUK
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Next Episode
19. Barefoot DIY & Getting Frisky In The Shower
August 18, 2025
•37m
Season 3, Episode 19 – “Barefoot DIY & Getting Frisky in the Shower” 🎙️
This week on The Secret Serviced Podcast, Mark and Caroline are back with another behind-the-scenes update from our serviced accommodation and aparthotel journey.
🔑 In this episode:
- 🏰 Sefton Place Update – we have been knee-deep in R&D surveys, finalising concept plans, and getting close to an agreed spec on our state-of-the-art heating and cooling system. Think fancy air con, but with an environmentally friendly twist!
- 👥 Team Restructure at Gateway Accommodation – how we are reshaping roles within the business to drive efficiency, growth, and a smoother operation.
- 💷 Refinancing Serviced Accommodation – a deep dive into securing a commercial valuation, what the process looks like, and how it impacts scaling.
💡 Side note: apologies for the echo (you will hear what we mean) – we recorded in one of the grand reception rooms at Sefton Place with ceilings higher than our Airbnb occupancy rates. We did promise to keep bringing you updates no matter where we were, so sometimes that means trading studio-quality sound for a slice of real life.
Also... did anybody notice Mark very confidently calling this Episode 18? Turns out it is actually Episode 19! 🤦♂️ (Keeping it professional as always...)
👉 Don't forget to subscribe to our new YouTube channel @secretservicedpodcast - link in bio for full video episodes and exclusive updates.
#ServicedAccommodation #Aparthotel #PropertyInvestment #HospitalityBusiness #ScalingUp #SecretServicedPodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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