The Modern Hotelier #94: Paws Up Resort, Glamping, and Authentic Outdoor Experiences | with Steve Hurst
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Steve Carran: We are really excited to release this episode with Steve Hurst from the resort at Paws Up. David, what were a couple of your takeaways from this conversation?
David: Uh, enjoyed it, man. I was, I've mentioned a couple times, coming off a not so great vacation, his property sounds amazing, paws up, and uh, they're just approached to the way they treat the guest, and we talk about it on many episodes about the guest experience, this is truly a guest experience, so it was, I thought it was a really cool conversation.
Steve Carran: Yep, and I, I told him after the interview they were on my bucket list of kind of glamping experience based properties and now they have moved to number one. this place is Amazing. You have the luxury. You have the hyper local experience. Hugh's talking just about the food and beverage options, how many options they have, and they all tie back into Montana.
And then they have the experiences with, you know, fly fishing, with horseback riding, four wheeling, mountain biking. I mean, it's a luxury experience with unlimited activities. So, really excited to release this and, uh, hear what everybody thinks. Enjoy.
David: Alright, enjoy the episode. 
Welcome to The Modern Hotelier. I'm your host, David Millili.
Steve Carran: I'm your co host Steve Carran,
Jon Bumhoffer: And I'm the producer, Jon Bumhoffer.
David: Steve, who do we have on the program today?
Steve Hurst: And I'm, I'm Steve Hurst. Should I just say that? sure, why
We're I think it's our first Steve.
that, uh, yes, I am the additional Steve available today. Yes, yes, thank you for joining us, Steve. So a little background about Steve Hurst. Steve is the Managing Director at The Resort at Paws Up. The Resort at Paws Up combines luxury with adventure on a 37, 000 acre ranch featuring the Montana wilderness. Steve has almost 20 years of hotel experience in all major aspects of luxury hotel and resort management.
Steve Carran: Welcome to the show, Steve. Thanks for joining us. Thanks.
Steve Hurst: Thank you, Steve. Thank you, David. Appreciate being on. All right, good. So Steve H, we're going to get started with a quick lightning round of some questions, get into your background, your professional career, and then dive into some industry topics. Sound good?
Fantastic. 
David: Okay, so what was your first job?
Steve Hurst: coffee shop. I, uh, was the barista slinging coffee before a barista was a common phrase here in America. At 14 years old, I started working 15 years old at a coffee shop.
David: Well, what's something you wish you were better at? Oh, I guess predicting the future, uh, seeing what's coming next, uh, it would be incredibly valuable, uh, to be better at that.
Do you have a role model? Or did you have a role model growing up? 
Steve Hurst: I don't think so. I think, uh, between authors, books, uh, various teachers and various leaders throughout my career, it's always been pieces of people and not putting an overburden on one individual. I think often we try to idolize one, and I think it's unfair to that person as we're all flawed.
David: Got it. Good answer. What's a luxury you cannot live without? 
Steve Hurst: Time. Time with my family, I think, is the primary. you have to force that sometimes, and certainly in hospitality, there can be a lot of pulls, but, time is for sure it.
David: Okay. And what's a place you've never been to that you want to go to? 
Steve Hurst: Oof. Uh, I feel like I'm, I'm fortunate in my life that I can go where I need to go, uh, and where the, the, where I'm being pulled to go, but I would say some obscure, quiet beach with mixed weather throughout a month, 30 day period with my wife would be pretty amazing.
David: So if you had your own late night talk show, who would your first guest be? 
Steve Hurst: That's a tough one. I don't know. I, would, I'd deliberate that on months, for months, I think, uh, but I, I think I would like to feature, uh, people who have made hospitality a career who didn't plan on it because I think a lot of people don't understand that there's an incredible career available in this business and, uh, anything I can do to increase exposure would be wonderful.
David: All right, last one. So you have a time machine and you can go into the future or into the past. Which way are you going and what year are you going to, 
Steve Hurst: As much as I'd like to relive some incredible moments in my life, I don't think they'd be the same if I did. So I would go to the future and I'd want to go to a future or to a place where I can make a difference with my decisions today.
Steve Carran: Great answers, Steve. Great answers. So, now we're going to go into your background a little bit. Your personal details. What makes you tick a little bit? So, you grew up in California. Was it around Hermosa Beach? Is that 
Steve Hurst: Now, so, I moved around quite a bit. I think it's, uh, there's, there's something, uh, in my childhood. We, I, I was born in Great Falls, Montana. So, I guess coming back to paws up is coming home. I did spend most of my youth in, in Chicago, south of Chicago. and then midway through, that youth, I was raised by a single mom and, uh, we moved to, uh, Southern California.
So I had that change and it was around Huntington beach, California, where we ended up landing.
Steve Carran: Huntington.
Steve Hurst: Yes. Close.
Steve Carran: Close, close. how did that kind of shape you? I mean, growing up in the Midwest, where I'm from, Jon's from as well, and then moving to California, that's quite a big shift. How did, you know, growing up in the Midwest and living in California shape who you are today? 
Steve Hurst: I think obviously major culture shock, to be old enough to recognize that change that happened, and seeing this dramatic difference in people and lifestyle and those things. I think how that shapes you is, you learn to adapt. You learn to fit in, in new places. I think it's given me the skill to adapt to the people I work with and serve every day.
And just a greater understanding of the challenges of moving and change. It's also probably made me a machine for change. I really enjoy change, and I do believe change or die is, an important part of how we exist, so I think that probably fueled a little bit of that, too.
Steve Carran: Love that.
David: so continue on with change. You went to NYU, what made you decide to go NYU and what was your major while you were there?
Steve Hurst: first why I went to NYU, I had a few choices at that time. It was either stay in Southern California, essentially, Go to NYU, uh, felt like it was a really easy choice, the excitement of an 18 year old moving to New York City, Greenwich Village, all of that. I also felt like, uh, at the time, and it was about a challenge and overcoming it.
Becoming, creating my independence and my space in life. I was the, a younger child and then had a new sister enter the world at about that year and was really looking for my space and my, my way to move into the world. and then I started, pursuing film and filmmaking. I thought that's where I wanted to be.
Quickly learned it wasn't where I wanted to be and shifted to philosophy and political science.
Steve Carran: very nice. So, Paws Up in Montana has a lot of activities when you're there, a lot of outdoor activities. Are you an outdoor guy, guy yourself? what can we find you doing on the weekends? 
Steve Hurst: it's funny, I am absolutely an avid outdoorsman. I am fortunate to have a family that loves being outdoors, but I don't think I necessarily fit into the category of doing the same type of activities. I will be on the river, I'll be on the lakes, I love, I love for water, my feet in the water, I am happy.
and with my dogs, I have two Bernadoodles, and my kids. running around into the water and swimming and playing and having a great time is where happiness exists. And, uh, so I am avidly outdoors all year round, but yes, in terms of horsemen or, uh, uh, you know, the equestrian world, or I do get on ATVs, uh, occasionally, but not quite to the breadth. I'm not doing rappelling, uh, or some of those things every day either.
Steve Carran: sure, sure. 
Steve Hurst: We do have plenty of people on our team that are very active at those things. They get off work after doing it all day, and then they go do it again. So they're excited for it. Yeah.
Steve Carran: That's very cool. So now we're gonna dive into your career a little bit, how you got to where you are today at the Pause Up. So after NYU, you were the membership director at the Sports Club Company. Then you went to Pebble Beach Company where you were the manager of a clubhouse on the 17th hole, which has a ton of history in itself with Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.
Overall great hole. But then you moved up to the assistant hotel manager at Pebble Beach. How did you learn from these early days of your career and what made you move from that clubhouse manager to the hotel side? 
Steve Hurst: I was very appreciative of my time at Pebble Beach. All of my jobs, all of the positions I've held have taught me a ton, whether it's short term one year or long term, like at Pebble Beach and and the sports club, both were long tenures. You learn a lot from the people in those places.
I thought I'd be in clubs my whole career. I really loved clubs. I loved the club member environment. but the then president of Pebble Beach, uh, asked me to move up there to bring a certain skill set to a hotel environment. and I was trepidatious to, would be an understatement. I was a little concerned, to move into that environment, but the addiction was fast.
the ability to provide an even elevated level of service over what a club can provide and really do something special was, was really exciting. And I'm very appreciative that I had the opportunity and worked for a company that completely shifted, kind of the core skill set and was willing to do so and give me an opportunity to do so.
So it was exciting.
David: over the next nine years, you were an assistant manager or manager at four properties in Oregon, all of which were luxury or boutique hotels, and most had experiences kind of within the hotel. What led you to that area of the hotel? 
Steve Hurst: So. Really, I think most people in hospitality don't really choose next step so much. It was, it's just where your skill set fit, where you were successful. I was very fortunate that I feel like in most of those places, I was surrounded by incredible talent. I always had really great, people. And I think I have a lot of great teammates that felt like we had a common goal together.
And as a result, I got opportunities. I think because I surrounded myself with talented people, the next thing that happened is I had opportunities to do more and more. And Oregon was such an incredible part of my career. I learned so much in an incredible community. It was a new, deeply, growing, emerging hospitality environment.
Uh, so, you can go from Pebble Beach, where if you need a new employee, there's a line outside, for the new employee, to Oregon, where you need a new employee, and they say, so, what is a Bellman? What do they do? Do you have to wear a hat? Uh, andit'sit'sso, it's a unique change, and I think it was a in hindsight, a very valuable change before coming to a remote place like this. 
Steve Carran: And for the past seven years, you've been the managing director of the Paws Up?
resort. Can you tell us more about your role as managing director and more background about Paws Up?
Steve Hurst: Sure, so that can take the next three hours. So we have the, we'll have this thing concluded. Uh, so the role itself is, uh, serving our ownership, which is I'm so proud that we have. We're owned by a woman owner, completely independent. We're not a part of 50 hotels or 30 hotels. This is us, every day.
Uh, I could look out my window right now, this window here, and I see her home, and it's a good chance I'm going to see her walking around. she is very close by. so. my role is to provide leadership for the overall direction of the resort. Uh, be a conduit for needing lipson's direction for the resort.
and really just make sure the resources are provided for what our expectations are for our guests, to make sure that everybody's in the, in, the right tools to be successful in their job. And you know, we could talk about the business side, we could talk about the service side, all these, these details.
But in the end, it is. I would say that we are in two very distinct teams, providing resources and tools, and making sure that we're all moving in the same direction nicely.
Steve Carran: And can you give us a little background about Paws Up? I know you have some pretty cool history with the area with you know, Lewis from Lewis and Clark Expedition. So can you tell us a little bit what what's it? There's so much to do at Paws Up and there's so many just as a resort, like I said, 37, 000 acres.
So tell us a little bit more about the about the hotel itself 
or the 
Steve Hurst: yeah, so I think that the best thing to say here is that we, don't fit in any category. We're a resort, we're a dude ranch, we're awe have all these different elements, so if you go back in history, I think the most interesting part of who we are Is that there was no, uh, desire to become a hospitality or service based business.
It was, truly David Nadine Lipson moving here to raise Black Angus. And, uh, really be away from the world and have their own space in the world. So, they wanted that, uh, separation and to be spread out. as they did that and people would come to visit, there was demand. People started saying, you know, you really could charge, uh, for this experience. And it turned into an opportunity. Dave Lipson, Nadine Booth, Entrepreneurial Spirits, uh, said, let's, let's do something with this. And it really started with a very simple, uh, Premise, the dean would say, I don't know what we're going to do, but we're going to make them say, wow, that's what we're going to do.
And if you think about the core of hospitality and care for others, that's a pretty great way to start, with a very simple message of making people say, wow. So. this area was really in this development into a resort was from that. And we used to do a backcountry, tent, safaris essentially into the hills and the mountains of Montana. So it was very organically grew into what we know today in the term of glamping. but we've created that. type of environment where you can have a tent, with a bathroom on suite. Within that tent, and that started really the, craze and growth of POSUP's awareness, when that decision was made for sure.
Steve Carran: And did I read correctly that you get like you get butler service for some of your rooms there as well, correct? 
Steve Hurst: Yeah, so the way it works in a camp, so we have 36 tents. Each of those is divided into 6 camps. So, there's 6 tents in each camp. Within that camp, there's a centralized pavilion, a dining pavilion. And in that dining pavilion, you'll have a private chef, you'll have the butler, the butler assistant, and even a camp runner who's running around getting all the details you need.
So, and then with that's, I'm counting the leadership team within that space as well. So you're talking about a small camp of six accommodations that really runs like a private inn. One of those small complexes that really is great for independent service for sure. 
David: Can you tell us more about the green O, your adult only property? 
Steve Hurst: it's such an incredible evolution of a brand or how a story is told. So we start with traditional log cabin accommodations that grows into the glamping or tinted wilderness accommodations and then we said we needed adults only version of that because adults were always Challenged with kids running around everywhere and all the, the the challenge that comes with that.
And so we knew we wanted to do something That would allow adults to have an experiential lodging accommodation as well. but we also, uh, as we talked internally, really started to feel we needed more year round employment. We wanted to make sure that everything wasn't so seasonal. So out of that organically to care for our employees to provide a better income and stability of income, we grew greeno into a year-round lodging accommodation instead of a tented accommodation.
But at its core it is glamping. It is 12 instead of six. But the, maybe the biggest separator is we said, okay, we create create great food and glamping. We have a private chef there. We have all this great food happening. What if we elevated that again and we really went after more of a James Beard style of food and preparation and we opened the social house?
And I think that's probably the biggest differentiator. Well, sure, there's these tree houses and beautiful accommodations. To have Brandon Cunningham, led by Sunny Jin, leading into that incredible culinary environment is what made it possible. So uniquely different, the culinary all over this property is incredible, but that allowed us to elevate it.
We know we're only going to serve 20 to 24 people. you can imagine what a dinner could be.
Steve Carran: Well, that was great. It was great to learn more about your role and PAWS Up. Now we're going to talk more about industry thoughts, and thought leadership. So, you know, whether you're staying, like you said, at one of the homes or a cabin, you are going to have a luxury experience at PAWS Up.
Are there any key areas or any specific areas that you, and your team specifically focus on to really create a high end, unique guest experience?
Steve Hurst: I think clearly in our environment, we must gather a lot of information about our guests well before arrival. And so, we have a team, there's Clayton and Leanne who run our concierge team. Uh, and that's such an understatement for what they do. they reach out to every guest prior to arrival.
They gather everything from dietary restrictions to desires for activities to just what they dream of in a vacation in Montana. So, they take all that information and how it's dispersed internally to our team is so vital. so all that information is provided to us well before that guest even arrives.
So you can imagine the driver at the airport already knows their dietary restrictions, what activities they're dreaming of doing while they're here. and it gives us such an advantage, uh, when we're serving them to genuinely provide a Montana experience that we know where their, their fears or excitements may live. So, It really is about what that team does in the beginning. I guess I can include a reservations team in that. But what they do to prepare for a stay is probably a big differentiator for sure.
David: Yeah, and you offer multiple dining options, having just come off vacation, which was a horrible experience with multiple dining options. Uh, what advice would you give a hotel or a resort looking to expand their, their food and beverage options or just bringing food and beverage into their property? 
Steve Hurst: and David, let's be clear, you weren't here, correct? So let's 
David: no, no, I was not. I was, 
Steve Hurst: Uh, so we, one of the things that when I did join, I saw as an opportunity is more, small dining opportunities to allow, uh, you know, I think some of the best restaurants we go to are smaller, they're more intimate. There's more of a connection. Our guests, uh, as they're moving around, cause we have as many as 290, 300 guests on property. We want to diversify their experiences to make sure they have options over those six or seven nights a day. We're, we're not in a city. you don't have 20 restaurants, 30 restaurants in walking distance. So we must provide unique menus, unique experiences within those.
And on any given night, especially in summer, we could be operating as many as 10 restaurants at the dinner hour. And as, as you diversify those dining experiences, you can see you're never in a place with 200 people dining. you you really feel like, wow, are we the only ones here? This is crazy. I know there was a lot of people here earlier.
I saw them at the outpost as we're going out to do activities, but here we sit for dinner and it's peaceful. It's calm. It doesn't feel like it's a high pressure environment where we need to speed through some dinners so they can flip a table. We generally don't even turn a table at any restaurant at any night.
So it's, it allows us that time to really slow down and digest their activities for the day along with the food that we're serving.
Steve Carran: And that's just chiming in here. That's one thing that I thought was really neat. When people go to your resort, they're dining like they're in Montana, right? But it's fine dining, and they also, you have different options if you're on the trail or something like that. But it all comes back to Montana and that hyper local experience, which I thought was, I thought was absolutely awesome. 
Steve Hurst: And we have these incredible chefs. I mean, truly between Sonny, Crystal, Brett, Brandon, I can go on and on, Benji, what he's doing in Chad. And I'm underserving 20 other chefs that are doing incredible things right now. They're, out there cooking in front of the guest over a fire pit, in plain view and you're, you're cooking at, you know, a very expensive Wagyu tomahawk and you're, you can't burn that thing, you know, you have to, the expectations are incredible.
So the pressure and stress of that, and on the fly, truly, a couple weeks we'll be cooking down. at a site where we have to pack in pack out and we'll be cooking for 200 people at a long table and it'll be right there in front of them they can go down and watch us cook all day long and do all the details so it's a very talented team uh and if you look up the culinary team's resumes that's they're world class they're some of the best chefs in america and they all work together to deliver these these challenging make sure that it's beyond elevated, that it's, while still authentically Montana, and that's, we certainly don't want to present a food or culinary message that's different than Montana. 
David: So Paws Up also offers a variety of activities. How are these activities enhanced or, you know, increase the guest experience? And second, is there one activity that just everybody loves? That is that, like that key activity that everybody walks away and says, wow, that was the coolest thing.
Steve Hurst: You know, there's not the one activity, I'll answer that question first, and we'll go back to the first part of that, but, you know, fishing and equestrian really drive, most core decisions. They have to do one of those, too. they're not a big fan of horses. Our equestrian team, Jacque and the equestrian team do such an incredible job of equestrian horses. Gatewaying you into it with confidence so you can get on the horse because we're not exactly nose to tail here. we do a little more adventurous Equestrian experiences for sure But she can grow you into that role and be successful in that and then fishing here The fly fishing on the famed Blackfoot is not And as you start walking out with waders on, we float you down the river so you get to experience miles of this river.
with a guide and two people at most fishing and the guide will bring you to all those secret spots to allow you to experience those, the movement that comes with moving down the river. And I think, uh, Fishing almost becomes secondary. The fishing guides would not be happy to hear that, so I apologize to all fishing guides.
it is their, their hosting of the river and, and moving down the river and experiencing this incredible
wilderness and this river with all this untouched land around it. It's really incredible. So there's, there's a lot to enjoy in that. And Dave, you have to remind me of the first part of the question because I get too excited about the second part.
David: it's a great answer. No, it was just more how do they increase, you know, you kind of, yeah, you do touch on how do you, does it increase the guest experience?
Steve Hurst: know, I do want to answer that. That's, it's actually one of my favorite parts of this resort is families come here, generally families together or couples are coming here. And it's such an incredible way to soften their stance in life, to put them in a place where they're a little more vulnerable, a little more open to other experiences.
And I think what it leads to is What happens when they're gathering later in the day and they're talking about how they grew, how they changed, how they had this opportunity to rebond as a family. I could come to tears telling stories about our guests in tears, giving me hugs and saying how their family reconnected for the first time in years.
And, uh, by doing something that was so foreign to them that it brought them all together again. And I think that, in the end, is why we do what we do. And, uh, it does differentiate us in that, I know there's a lot of great hotels and resorts out there, but we don't sell overnight stays. We really do, uh, provide an opportunity for families and teams to reconnect, which is so important to us.
Steve Carran: So I'm gonna list off a couple of, some recognition you have got. And this is from a week, just one week. So we have got, the resort at Paws Up is listed as one of the best glamping resorts near national parks. You are the most exclusive hotel in. Montana. 2024 Leisure, Travel and Leisure, listed you as the world's best.
You are on the world's best award list. Paws Up and The Green O have been nominated for Best All Inclusive Resort and The Resort at Paws Up for Best Family Resort by USA Today. Again, those are just from the past seven days. Is there a secret sauce? What are you guys doing here that is different from all these other, not, like you said, you're not only glamping your resort, you don't really fit into one category, but what are you doing that That is winning all these awards and what, what advice can you give to other hoteliers that may be, might have a resort or glamping
or experiential based? 
Steve Hurst: They're not going to be fortunate enough to get her owner, so let's start with that. Uh, uh, I don't see her growing out in that, in that environment. She loves what she does. She loves living here. We are fortunate to have an owner that inspires us. And that makes a difference for sure. the rest of it is all, and you're going to get, this is so, uh, Seemingly cliche, but it is the people, and we are so fortunate to have incredibly talented people in such, in so many spots.
Uh, even our seasonal staff is so excited to share Montana with their guests. and then we are for, we do use visas. We do have people from all around the world who come and work here in the J 1 and H 2B capacity. They're so engaged. They're such a lovely, warm, excited hospitality people that I think it gives us the mix of, you know, the local knowledgeable Montana talent.
But we also managed to receive some of the best J1s from around the world who are luxury hospitality professionals who come in and are serving your table and involved with the actual service details as well. So I think that diversity of experience. all so much for joining us today and I hope that this has helped us provide really world class experiences for our guests.
But you put those pieces together, great team, great staff, great ownership, and it provides this unique opportunity. I also think it helps that we're not beholden to a flag that's hanging on the flagpole. we are truly, uniquely independent and I think independent can be thrown around a little too much these days. if you don't have a Hilton flag, it doesn't make you independent. independent means that you truly are living the spirit of the place where you are and allowing it to breathe, in what it is. And the one other aspect of that that may be truly unique is, you know, all the windows behind me are closed. but that view is incredible, and, when you have the Blackfoot River, you have the, Bob Marshall Wilderness, in your mountain line, it is really a stunning location, And to have this valley that we sit in, that share with our neighbors that is really such a beautiful place is a differentiator for sure too. 
David: you touched on earlier, you brought up hospitality being a career. So what advice would you give to someone who's looking to get into hospitality? 
Steve Hurst: I think in the end, the uniqueness of get out there and do it, be a part of it. I've seen a lot of people hesitate to, jump into housekeeping or get into dish pit, and clean some dishes. you can learn from that. I don't want people to get stuck in that unless they want to be a, uh, an executive housekeeper, which is an incredible career too.
It really is about be out there with the guests, be out there with the team that you're working with. Deliver those experiences. we teach here, get involved with challenges where a guest is disappointed or a service is failing and say one simple line of, I'll take care of it. And then walk away figuring out how to take care of it.
and the more you do that, the more you'll gain the experiences necessary to be exceptional in this business. And the other thing is to decide where you really want to be. I think frequently. luxury hospitality is seen as this, pinnacle of hospitality. I think it's a segment of hospitality.
I've had incredible stays with incredible front desk clerks at a Holiday Inn Express, I can't talk down about. That was a really great experience. I think making sure you find where you fit so you can thrive. If you don't understand or believe in the luxury side of it, don't. be in it.
but if you want to do something exceptional, then pursue that as well. So it really is about finding where you fit and growing your experiences, because in The end, the people who say, I'll take care of it more, tend to be the ones that are in the senior leadership roles. 
Steve Carran: That's great. That's great. So we've been asking you questions this whole time. Now we're going to turn the tables a little bit and we're going to let you ask us a question. 
Steve Hurst: Oh, wow. That's not prepared for that. So you've, you've, you have interviewed a lot of exceptional people, whether it be on the, provider on the technology side to the, the software sides, and you provide in that space as well yourselves, but you also have interviewed a lot of leaders in this space.
Where do you see the biggest gap in the next five to 10 years in this industry and how do we fill it?
David: I think the biggest gap is, touched on it a lot, which I appreciate, is really just the you should be in this business if you want to be in this business. you know, I've worked every job in a hotel and that's helped me as I transitioned to the technology side. And, and I think, it's a little self serving, but I think.
Embracing the right technology where technology makes sense. So if your property, it might be more online before they get to the property than keeping the technology away, but there's other hotels that just. You know, don't embrace, technology that helps the guest experience. And I think exactly what you said.
You can feel it when you're in a hotel or you're checking in and the person doesn't really give a bleep, you know. And you're thinking, why did they take this job? They know they're going to have to stand here for eight hours and check people in. and so for me, and you just have to want to do it. Like I, I commented with, I think it was talking, On another podcast about, you don't see GMs anymore walking around properties.
They're tucked back, looking at a screen. And to me, I think it's just, uh, you have to want to be in it. Like you said, you get, you have to really just embrace this and make it a career.
Steve Carran: I think we're gonna have a little bit of a resurgence. I, to be honest with you, I, you mentioned having hospitality as a career. I think, you know, we, a lot of folks have seen hospitality as a job. Working in a hotel, but not really a career. I think we're gonna see more of that. I think we, I have been talking to, you know, younger folks who have gotten to hospitality and they are making waves, whether that's on the technology or the the hotel side.
And David and I both come from independence. I think we're going to have the independent space get more and more popular over the next couple years. I think experiential travel, kind of like yourself, folks want to travel and have experiences with that as well. So I think independent, we're going to see some research, we're going to see some growth, especially around experiential travel itself.
So.
Steve Hurst: I like the sounds of all these things. Uh, I think we, David, on the technology front, we do always try to find that, that special spot where communication, we're so spread out that we rely on communication tremendously here. And I think, uh, connecting with your guests where they want to be is, is so important.
I think it's, you're right, experiential travel. Genuine experiences in the place that they are, because there is this inauthentic experience that can happen too. so finding the key for your space and what it is. If you're a city hotel, embrace it. Be the city hotel. Let it be about the hustle and bustle, the lights, the romance of that.
but if you're a remote place, let it be about the land that you're authentically operating on.
Steve Carran: Absolutely. And our producer, Jon, he's been listening this whole time, so we're going to hand it off to him for the last question.
Steve Hurst: Hey Jon, what kind of guitars do you have behind you there? I have to jump in.
Jon Bumhoffer: yeah. I've got Telecaster, uh, bass, and then like a sloped shoulder Eastman acoustic 
Steve Hurst: We're, we're just about to announce our proud partnership with Fender. So
I don't know, 
Jon Bumhoffer: awesome. Yeah, yeah. 
I'm a Fender 
Steve Hurst: with Lex, we're partners with Lexus already, such a great part of our business. but now we're, we're partnering with Fender as well. And so I see those guitars back there. I want to make sure that Fender is 
Jon Bumhoffer: I do, I do have some Fender back there. Very cool. you were basically answering the question that I, I, uh, was going to ask you, and I want you to keep going on it. So, my question was, how do you think about Or what's the mindset that you have behind, deciding on what experiences to offer and that are going to be attractional and valuable to like your perspective guests.
Steve Hurst: may be less strategic than what some other places might want you to think. It is, what do, what do we love? What do we enjoy? And what do we want to share? so, you know, when we talked about Fender, music is such a big part of our experience here. We we have live music every night. There's some place to enjoy live music.
So, you, we think it's a big, authentic part of who we are. And I think if you're around a campfire, I, what do you expect next? Do you expect some live music? It's pretty great. So, I think we make our decisions when it comes to activities of what are we doing for fun? And do we think that others will love doing this as well?
And I think When we mention genuine, authentic care for others, I think that's part of it is how are we sharing our experience? We could fish like they do. in the photos where we're in waders and up to our waist, but that's not how you fish the Blackfoot River. Our fishing guides would think they were faking it.
So they know they, they do it on a boat. So if we're going to be authentic, we have to do it authentically. We can do waders. We can go into the, when I fish, I, I go into the, the river. I just wade in and that's what I do. Uh, so you can certainly do that, but it's more authentic to do it the other way. So Jon, to that answer, it's, It is, what are we loving?
And what it, when we added a mountain bike flow trail it was because we had an incredible activities manager who loved mountain biking and he said, wow, it'd be great if we had a flow trail here. Let's build a flow trail. Let's do it. So that's how we come to those conclusions is the talent and skills we have around us and the, the passions that we want to share every day.
David: Before we wrap this up, I do have vacation envy after listening to you and coming off my trip. I feel like, man, I got robbed. So that, that does it for another episode of The Modern Hotelier. Steve, this is where you get to plug away. Let us know how people can connect with you, can connect with Paws Up, can connect with the Greeno.
So plug away.
Steve Hurst: I think I've been doing that for the last, uh, whatever, 40 minutes or so, I just want to say that we authentically want to welcome people that want to experience Montana. It's that simple, so David, Steve, Jon, if you were here, we'd want to share it with you. We want people who are ready for a little bit of adventure, ready to feel like the safety net has been pulled away.
and then to end the night with an incredible cocktail and an incredible meal. We want to see people connect one way or another. So, someone's looking for that type of getaway, we're the place. If someone's looking to provide that service, I think that's probably where I get more excited is to find the people that want to share in providing that experience for the people who do travel so that they don't end up, as David's last experience had. 
David: well, that does it for another episode of The Modern Hotelier, so whether you're watching or listening, we appreciate you and hope to see you soon. Thank you so much. Thanks, Steve.
Steve Hurst: Thank you all. Thank you very much.