How They Transformed a Cape Cod Inn into the #1 Inn in the U.S — The Story of Candleberry Inn with Marco DiDomizio

What happens when you pour your heart and soul into reviving a historic inn, transform it into the #1 Bed & Breakfast in America, and then decide to walk away? In this episode, Marco DiDomizio, co-owner of the Candleberry Inn, shares his incredible journey — from leaving a succesful corporate careers in New York City to restoring a hidden gem on Cape Cod into a TripAdvisor and Travel + Leisure award-winning destination.

Marco takes us behind the scenes of how he and his partner, Angelo, spotted potential in an underperforming property, strategically elevated every guest touchpoint, and mastered the art of personalized hospitality—leading to record-breaking rates, loyal repeat guests, and international recognition.

We also dive deep into:

- How to spot an asset with untapped potential in hospitality
- The key upgrades that drive real revenue growth
- Why small details — like knowing the bartender’s name — matter more than ever
- The psychological shift from innkeeper to seller and why timing the exit is crucial
- Marco’s next chapter: Helping future innkeepers find, buy, and scale their dream properties

If you're thinking about investing in boutique hotels, reimagining historic properties, or simply love the magic of high-touch hospitality, this episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and real-world lessons from someone who built—and exited—a legendary inn at the peak of its success.

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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 journey.com/alliance.