Behind the Stays The Hard Truth About Scaling a Luxury Vacation Rental Brand — And How AvantStay Cracked the Code
Sean Breuner and Reuben Doetsch saw an opportunity to transform the short-term rental space long before the industry exploded. In 2017, they set out to build AvantStay, a brand that blends the best of boutique hospitality with the freedom of private homes.
Their approach is anything but casual. Every property is meticulously designed, every experience carefully curated. While others rushed into the space during the pandemic, Sean and Reuben were already scaling with precision, setting a new standard for high-end vacation rentals.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why most vacation rental brands fail to scale—and how AvantStay cracked the code
- The secrets to making a vacation rental feel like a five-star hotel
- How they built a brand guests actively seek out—not just one that fills OTA listings
- What today’s luxury traveler really wants—and why it’s more than just a beautiful home
- Why competitors pouring millions into the space are still struggling to gain traction
- The future of hospitality: personalization, premium experiences, and the next big shift
Sean and Reuben are building more than just a portfolio of stunning homes—they’re redefining what hospitality looks like in the short-term rental space. If you’re interested in the future of luxury travel, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.
Connect with Sean and Reuben on LinkedIn.
Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.
Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at joinjourney.com/alliance.