Hotel lending isn’t dead in 2026—but it’s definitely different.

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase Keller sits down with Ryan Bosch, Principal at Arriba Capital, to unpack what’s really getting financed right now, what lenders are passing on, and how owners can structure deals that actually close.

Ryan explains why cash flow—not hope—is the single factor driving credit decisions, how banks have quietly reopened to hospitality, and what separates financeable stories from expensive lessons. From PIP-heavy properties to construction loans and bridge-to-perm plays, he outlines what lenders want to see long before term sheets hit your inbox.

If you own one to five franchise hotels and you’re thinking about refinancing, renovating, or buying again, this episode is your practical guide to surviving (and thriving in) today’s debt markets

What happens when an institutional finance guy stops analyzing deals… and starts operating them?

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase sits down with Tom Bono, Managing Partner of Bono Capital Group, to talk about the real-world playbook behind buying underperforming motel assets and turning them into boutique, higher-performing hospitality properties.

Tom shares how his early career in structured finance shaped the way he underwrites risk, why he prefers “buying potential” instead of paying for stabilized performance, and what practical changes actually move the needle—especially when ADR is frozen, systems are outdated, and operations are running on habit instead of strategy.

You’ll also hear Tom walk through his team’s mindset around adding revenue streams (not just renovating rooms), leveraging dynamic pricing tools and modern PMS platforms, and finding “hidden NOI” in places most owners overlook—laundry ops, cleaning cost structure, and small amenity upgrades that improve the guest experience and the margin.

Topics we cover

1. Tom’s path from Queens/Long Island to Ernst & Young to full-time real estate operator
2. Why boutique motels are trending—and why “motel stigma” is often operational, not inherent
3. The first moves after close: tech stack, management, expense cleanup, and revenue expansion
4. What Tom considers non-negotiable in a modern motel operation (pricing + PMS)
5. Advice for owners thinking about a sale in the next 12–24 months

Disclaimer

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not investment, legal, or tax advice.

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase Keller sits down with Rachel Humphrey—attorney, former AAHOA executive, and founder of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance—to explore a remarkable career defined by reinvention and impact.

Rachel shares how she traded trial law for trade associations, how leadership “chose her,” and what she learned from years representing hotel owners and leading the nation’s largest hospitality organization. She opens up about the moment she realized self-care was essential to sustainable leadership, why collaboration beats competition, and how she’s using her Alliance and podcast, It’s Personal Stories, to elevate diverse voices and bring humanity back into hospitality.

Whether you’re a hotel owner, an emerging leader, or simply love great stories, this episode delivers insight, authenticity, and inspiration from one of hospitality’s most respected voices.