Radical Hospitality Show

Inside a $29 Million Treehouse Resort Business: Funding, Management, and Bookings (with Ben Wolff)

Zeke Freeman Season 2 Episode 2

In today's episode, I sat down with Ben Wolff, visionary co-founder of Onera and OAC, who has redefined upscale hospitality with unique stays and innovative landscape hotels. Starting in short-term rentals, Ben scaled to managing 200 units before transitioning into groundbreaking projects like Onera Fredericksburg and Wimberley.

We explore:

  • How Ben leveraged lease arbitrage and short-term rentals to build cash flow.
  • The development process behind Onera’s luxury landscape hotels.
  • Challenges with prefabrication, construction, and scaling operations.
  • Why social media marketing is key to driving direct bookings and increasing ADR.
  • Tips for entrepreneurs on raising capital, building a team, and crafting unique guest experiences.

0:00 Introduction
5:01 The Beginnings: From Short-Term Rentals to Unique Hotels
20:01 Building Onera: Challenges and Successes
35:01 Scaling and Innovations in Hospitality
50:01 Future Vision and Advice

Connect with Ben Wolff:

Connect with Zeke Freeman:
Instagram: @zekefreeman_rootarchitecture and @rootarchitecture
YouTube: @rootarchitecture
Facebook: @RootArchitectureandDevelopment
LinkedIn: Zeke Freeman
X/Twitter: @zfreemanroot

Ready to get started with your hospitality project?
https://root-ad.com/

Get in Touch: Stay connected with the Radical Hospitality podcast for more episodes exploring the intersection of architecture, design, and unforgettable guest experiences.

Follow, Rate & Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network! Your support helps us continue delivering conversations with industry leaders redefining hospitality.

People on this episode