For this special session of The Insider, we sat down with
Steve is the founder of Parker Chase Properties, a boutique collection of ultra-luxury, ski-in/ski-out vacation homes in Park City, Utah. Over the past two decades, he has personally designed, owned, and managed each residence to deliver a hospitality experience on par with the world’s most exclusive brands—think Four Seasons, St. Regis, or the Ritz-Carlton. Every detail is intentional, and the result is a high-performing direct booking business closing in on $1 million in direct revenue.
In this session, Steve pulled back the curtain on how he’s built lasting trust with guests, grown a strong direct channel, and maintained five-star consistency without scaling up a massive team.
Here are the key takeaways from our conversation:
Getting into the ultra-luxury space
Steve didn’t set out to build a luxury brand—he grew into it. His first property in Park City was reasonably priced 25+ years ago, but over time, the market evolved and so did his strategy. Through refining the guest experience, investing in product quality, and understanding his ideal guest, Steve and his team leaned further into the high-end segment. The result: a brand that delivers consistent, premium guest experiences with minimal overhead.
Direct Booking strategy: what actually works
When asked what drives his direct bookings, Steve was clear: it's mostly repeat guests. Here's how it breaks down:
- Repeat Guests (60-70%): Once guests stay and have a great experience, they come back—and they find him directly.
- Search Savvy Guests (10%): Some guests spot the property on Airbnb or Vrbo, Google the name, and book direct.
- No Paid Ads: Steve avoids social media ads and Google Ads—calling them a waste of budget in a competitive search landscape.
- Professional Site & Embedded Widget: Using Hospitable Direct Premium embedded into a custom Squarespace site keeps the booking flow seamless and polished.
He emphasized: "We make our properties work for us. We don't work for our properties."
Weekly activities that move the needle
Running a lean operation (4 properties + 2 managed for a friend), Steve focuses on automation:
- Tech-Driven Efficiency: Hospitable automations + other tools allow Steve to run the business without daily hands-on involvement.
- No Posting in Facebook Groups or Manual Marketing: Steve spends zero hours on grassroots promotion. Instead, he lets the guest experience speak for itself.
- 30-40% Repeat Rate: The product quality and experience keep guests coming back, reducing the need for constant lead generation.
Building trust in Direct Booking
Steve shared a pragmatic approach to building guest trust:
- Professional Branding: High-end website, cohesive branding, and embedded Hospitable Direct widget go a long way.
- Reassurance Without Breaking OTA Rules: He never encourages off-platform booking over OTA channels, but educates guests on options post-stay.
- In-Property Branding: From grocery totes to signage and QR codes, everything leads guests back to the brand site—without being pushy.
His golden rule? "Never bite the hand that feeds you."
Social Media: why Steve doesn't use it (and what he would do if he did)
Despite building a premium brand, Steve doesn't use Instagram or TikTok. He's nearly fully booked year-round and doesn't see the need. But if he were starting from scratch, here’s what he'd do:
- Leverage Influencer Reach: Partner with micro-influencers who align with the brand.
- Giveaways or Paid Stays: Offer a stay in exchange for promotion.
- Platform Picks: Instagram and TikTok would be his go-to channels for awareness.
Payments, platforms, and premium features
Steve’s site is built on Squarespace, but booking is powered by Hospitable Direct Premium, including:
- Embedded Booking Widget
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Amex, etc.
He noted that while he doesn’t have access to specific payment method breakdowns, he appreciates how Hospitable removes friction for both guests and hosts: “You’re constantly removing friction from my life and from the guest’s.”
Final advice for Hospitable hosts
Steve left us with a key reminder:
“Your product should sell itself. If you offer a highly differentiated, exceptional stay—you don't need clever marketing tactics. You need consistency, professionalism, and the systems to support it.”
Thanks again to Steve for sharing such candid and practical insights. If you’re building toward more direct bookings, fewer support hours, and a stronger brand, there’s plenty here to learn from Parker Chase Properties.
--
You can find the whole Insider conversation here: