Building a Scalable Hotel Brand in High-Barrier Leisure Markets - Matthew Mering - EVP of Hospitality - Waterton

In this episode of Masters of Moments, Jake Wurzak sits down with Matthew Mering to explore the evolution of lifestyle hotels and the founding story behind Outbound Hotels. From his early experiences in the hospitality industry, starting with bartending at Club Med to co-founding a nightclub while attending business school. Matthew shares how his path ultimately led to building a distinct hotel brand focused on outdoor destinations. 

He and Jake dig into the nuanced thinking behind site selection, brand building, operations, and capital strategy, offering a masterclass in how to create hospitality experiences that resonate deeply with both travelers and local communities.

They discuss:

* Why Outbound Hotels targets seasonal, outdoor-focused markets with high barriers to entry

* How brand consistency is balanced with property-level flexibility using a “soft brand” approach

* The value of partnering with Gettys Group and CoralTree to stay lean yet vertically integrated

* Why strong local GMs and creative directors are essential to outperforming in independent hotels

* How AI and social media are disrupting traditional hotel loyalty and booking behavior

A must-listen for anyone building or investing in the future of independent hospitality.

Links:

Matthew on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmering/

Waterton - https://www.waterton.com/

Connect & Invest with Jake:

Follow Jake on X: https://x.com/JWurzak

1 on 1 coaching with Jake: https://www.jakewurzak.com/coaching

Learn How to Invest with DoveHill: https://bit.ly/3yg8Pwo

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:00:42) - Matthew’s background and career
(00:15:06) - Launching Outbound Hotels
(00:17:59) - The importance of location in hotel development
(00:27:11) - Creating unique guest experiences
(00:30:46) - Challenges and rewards of remote hotel locations
(00:35:20) - Deal evaluations, renovation challenges and strategies
(00:40:59) - Navigating the pandemic: Jackson Hole project
(00:44:42) - Operational insights: The importance of good management
(00:54:53) - Marketing innovations: Embracing the outdoorsy campaign
(00:57:10) - AI and technology: The future of hospitality
(01:01:07) - Lessons learned: Mistakes and low leverage strategy
(01:04:14) - Favorite hotels and closing remarks