In this episode of the Recipe to the Road podcast, I continue my conversation with Sandra and Eddie. Sandra and Eddie are the owners of Real Juquilita Hotel in Puerto Escondido. We discuss their vision of creating a hotel with a welcoming and artistic vibe and their longer term goals to replicate it in different locations. 

This is part 2 of our conversation. In part one we spoke about how Sandra and Eddie met, lessons they’ve learned from travel and a bit about Sandra’s nonprofit. 

Dreaming of owning a hotel in La Punta

Sandra and Eddie share their inspiring story of how they ended up running a hotel and their vision for the future. They learned a lot about hotel administration from their experience as managers in another hostel, which gave them the confidence to pursue their dream of owning their own place. 

They believe that luck and attracting positive things play a role in achieving their goals, and that commitment and hard work are necessary. They hope to eventually replicate what they have created in La Punta in other locations. 

Tips for opening a hotel

Sandra and Eddie share their tips and learnings from their experience of opening a hotel. For Sandra there is the added experience of doing so in a new country.  

These tips include: 

• Expanding your network

• Understanding the culture and expectations

• Being smart about opportunities

They emphasise the importance of making a decision and going all in, even when doubts arise. They also discuss the importance of being in a good mental and emotional state to attract opportunities.

Keys to success in running a hotel

Sandra and Eddie have learned a lot in their experience in hospitality. For Sandra the most important part of running a hotel is treating guests well and making them feel at home. For Eddie it is important to be on top of the admin side of things, such as costs and turnover. Together their different skills complement each other. 

Sandra and Eddie both emphasise the importance of being open to feedback.

Creating a hotel/hostel vibe in La Punta

Sandra and Eddie talk about the balance between relaxation and exploration in La Punta, and how they wanted to create a space where people can chill and stay for longer periods of time. They aimed to create a hotel/hostel vibe where guests can have the comfort of a hotel and the social atmosphere of a hostel. They also talk about their interest in bringing in more creative projects for guests to get involved in. 

Book into Real Juquilita

On Instagram: @realjuquilita

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