What's it really like hosting in the Belize jungle?

In this episode of the Host Planet Playbook – powered by Hospitable – James Varley speaks with Cheryl McConnaughey, from Lucky Dreamer Lodge in Belize, about building a unique short-term rental business in one of the world’s bucket list destinations.

Cheryl shares:

• Her journey from running a US bed & breakfast to hosting in Belize

• The realities and challenges of operating in the jungle

• How to attract the right guests using social media, blogs, and SEO

• The essential amenities you need (even without air conditioning or microwaves!)

• How to deliver an authentic, memorable guest experience

• The biggest lesson she’s learned as a host

If you’re an Airbnb host, vacation rental owner, or property manager looking to create a distinctive guest experience and stand out in a competitive STR market, this episode is packed with practical insight.

Watch or listen now and discover what it takes to run a truly authentic short-term rental business.

1:45 Lucky Dreamer Lodge – hosting in the Belize jungle

2:14 From bed & breakfast hosting in the US to Belize

3:06 What Cheryl loves about Belize: the people

4:01 The challenges of hosting in the jungle

8:15 How to attract the right types of guests (social media, blogs, SEO)

10:08 Belize is a bucket list destination

11:41 Essential amenities in the jungle, including an outdoor kitchen and laundry hut

13:48 Authentic hosting: no air conditioning and no microwaves!

17:02 Tips to deliver a great guest experience

20:30 Biggest lesson learned: don’t assume anything

21:26 Meeting people from across the globe

22:30 Quickfire questions

30:42 Industry shout-outs

32:03 Ultimate goal for the business

Download a free copy of the Host Planet Playbook: https://www.hostplanet.club/host-planet-playbook

The Host Planet Playbook was created in collaboration with property management software, Hospitable. Interested in using a PMS which will help you manage your rentals on autopilot? Get 25% off Hospitable for the first three months: https://hospitable.com/partners/hostplanet

Lucky Dreamer Lodge: https://www.luckydreamerlodge.com/

The Host Planet Playbook series is presented by James Varley, Founder and CEO of Host Planet. Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/

The Host Planet Podcast is where Airbnb hosts, Booking.com hosts, Vrbo hosts, and short-term rental operators come to learn what actually works. Each episode features expert insights from people actively building, managing, and scaling short-term rentals, covering everything from Airbnb hosting fundamentals to advanced rental strategies. Whether you’re focused on guest satisfaction, rental management, or smarter automation tips, the show delivers practical advice you can apply immediately to improve performance and increase Airbnb bookings.

Across the series, we explore Airbnb host tips, listing optimization, price optimization, and Airbnb listing optimization – alongside real-world investing insights and behind-the-scenes Airbnb secrets you won’t hear elsewhere. From hosted conversations with industry leaders and Airbnb ambassadors to actionable guidance on bookings and short-term rental growth, Host Planet helps hosts navigate short term rentals with confidence and clarity.

The show is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club

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