The Hospitality Mentor

Nathan Kaplan left his family's real estate business to build something closer to the life he wanted to live. That decision led to Grotto Baths, a social bathhouse preparing to open in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, Steve Turk sits down with Nathan to explore how the idea became a business. Nathan shares how CrossFit changed his relationship with wellness and community, why he stepped away from a familiar career, and what it took to find a location, secure financing and bring the right partners together. They also get into the guest experience: sauna rituals, cold plunges, an outdoor café, and the challenge of growing a membership community while protecting access for the people who join. Nathan closes with a reminder for anyone building a business: approach the work with “I get to” instead of “I have to.” What you will learn Leaving a family business to pursue your own direction Turning an interest in wellness and community into a hospitality concept Finding a Miami location and financing the project Building a team with complementary skills How six parking spaces helped shape the café concept Balancing membership growth with the guest experience Staying grounded through the pressure of opening Grotto was preparing to open when this conversation was recorded in September 2026. Visit its website for the latest opening and membership updates. Chapters 00:00 Meet Nathan Kaplan of Grotto Baths 01:48 How CrossFit sparked a wellness shift 04:05 Growing up in a real estate family 05:09 Leaving the family business and finding support 08:16 How the Grotto Baths idea took shape 11:01 What makes a social bathhouse different 13:25 Finding a Miami location and financing the vision 15:58 Building the hospitality team and guest experience 19:51 Growing Grotto’s founding member community 21:09 Balancing membership growth and the guest experience 22:18 Sauna rituals, cold plunges and the outdoor café 25:06 Nathan’s advice on approaching the work Links Grotto Baths Nathan Kaplan on LinkedIn Presented by Lodgify. Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building and leading hospitality businesses.

How do you build a luxury resort on an island most travelers have never visited? Michael Tibbetts shares the story behind Salterra in South Caicos and the decisions that made it possible. Michael is the founder and CEO of Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. Before committing fully to hospitality, he was an ophthalmologist balancing patient care with responsibility for his family's resorts in the Cayman Islands. In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, he joins Steve Turk to discuss what medicine taught him about trust, how he made the decision to change careers and what it took to turn an existing property into a luxury resort with a clear sense of place. We get into: What caring for patients taught Michael about caring for guests and leading teams Why outside experience can make you a stronger leader in a family business How South Caicos' salt history shaped Salterra's design and guest experience The shipping, staffing and access challenges behind a small-island resort Why he chose Marriott's Luxury Collection for Salterra Why a major hotel affiliation still requires personal sales and relationship work The human skills Michael believes future hospitality leaders should develop Explore Salterra: https://www.salterra.com/ Presented by Lodgify. Use promo code THM60 for the show's Lodgify offer. See Lodgify for current terms and eligible plans: https://www.lodgify.com/ Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building, operating and leading hospitality businesses. 00:00 Welcome and Lodgify 00:44 Meet Michael Tibbetts 02:33 A first job on the landscaping crew 03:16 His family's Cayman Islands resort legacy 04:51 Choosing a career in medicine 07:10 What patient care taught him about hospitality 10:22 How to handle difficult conversations 13:02 Choosing between medicine and the family business 17:01 Finding the South Caicos opportunity 21:28 Rethinking the project during COVID 23:19 The story behind Salterra's design 27:35 Partners, construction and island logistics 29:00 Making South Caicos easier to reach 31:28 Staff housing and a global team 33:12 Why join Marriott's Luxury Collection? 34:50 Why the owner still has to build relationships 37:34 Gelato, family and the moments guests remember 39:04 Michael's vision for Salterra's next chapter 41:07 Advice for future hospitality leaders

Host Steve Turk interviews Melissa Blettner, CEO of Boyd Hollow Resorts and Ancient Lore Village in Knoxville, Tennessee. Melissa explains founder Tom Boyd’s book inspired mission to create a fantasy village where only good exists and guests leave happier, kinder, and friendlier. She shares her hospitality start from an XL Inn front desk job to studying hospitality management, advancing through roles in front office, sales, and leadership, and spending 20 years at Great Wolf Lodge building brand culture, openings, and a large call center with strong standards. After Great Wolf’s culture shifted following Blackstone’s acquisition and a corporate move to Chicago, she consulted before joining Boyd Hollow. Ancient Lore Village offers 14 themed dwellings on 67 acres, day passes, dining, axe throwing, archery, events, retreats, and weddings, and is expanding with Boki’s Trek Experience and an Ancient Lore Wellbeing Retreat. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Melissa 02:23 Ancient Lore Origin 04:03 First Hospitality Job 06:08 Breaking Into Hotels 07:51 Career Steps Forward 10:18 Great Wolf Breakthrough 12:44 Growing at Great Wolf 16:13 Call Center Culture 17:41 Brand Building Playbook 21:19 Leaving After 20 Years 22:12 From Mars To Buyout 22:49 Dream Big Consulting Reality 24:24 Finding Boyne Hollow 26:19 What Ancient Lore Offers 28:23 Managing Crowds And Groups 30:39 Small Resort Big Opening 32:20 Guests Define The Magic 34:41 Future Attractions And Wellness 36:02 Luxury Not Kitschy Design 40:13 Team Growth And Mentorship 42:10 Advice And Farewell

Host Steve Turk introduces Josef Forstmayr, managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica. Forstmayr shares growing up working in his parents’ Austrian farm restaurant, attending hotel school in Salzburg, and arriving in Jamaica in 1979 as a German tutor before quickly becoming an assistant manager and advancing to GM roles, including rebuilding Trident after Hurricane Allen. Hired in 1989 to convert Round Hill from a winter-only operation to a year-round resort, he describes evolving the property into a family- and group-friendly luxury destination guided by “timeless elegance, understated luxury, warm Jamaican heart,” with design input from shareholder Ralph Lauren and tech perspective from Bob Pittman. He emphasizes Jamaica’s authentic luxury, staff legacy across generations, strong community investment and charity work, rapid recovery after Hurricane Melissa, and advises young hoteliers to learn multiple languages to build international careers. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify Message 01:34 Meet Josef in Jamaica 01:57 First Job and Jamaica Move 04:13 Hurricanes and Career Growth 06:11 Transforming Round Hill Year Round 09:02 Growing Up in Family Restaurant 11:23 Why He Stayed in Jamaica 14:27 Round Hill Owners and Design 19:08 Evolving with Core Values 23:53 Real Jamaica Beyond Cruises 29:52 Community Hikes and Belonging 31:27 Running Long Term with Locals 33:32 Giving Back and Hurricane Recovery 36:33 Future of Authentic Luxury Jamaica 39:27 Advice Learn More Languages 42:04 Wrap Up and Where to Visit

In this “random show” episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, Steve Turk shares a multi-generational Miami Beach staycation at the Marriott Stanton South Beach, highlighting the South of Fifth location, Michelin star-winning The Den inside Azabu, and strong beach service and guest acknowledgment as a key hospitality lesson. He also recommends the Loews Miami Beach Hotel’s Sushi Bar inside Bar Collins, praising Chef Khaleel Ali and the value of standout culinary “hidden gems” in big hotels. The family then takes the Brightline train from Miami to Orlando for a Disney trip, emphasizing assigned seating, onboard amenities, and the productivity and low-stress benefits versus driving. In Orlando, he reviews the Signia by Hilton (connected to Waldorf Astoria) as a strong value with great rooms, pool, restaurants, and fireworks views, noting slower bus transport to the parks, and shares a Disney day tip: book an air-conditioned sit-down meal like the Brown Derby. He announces the launch of staybaya.com for Baya, his upscale resort on a tropical fruit farm in Miami’s Redland area targeting a mid-year opening next summer with a $50 VIP program offering 40% discounts, and he confirms plans for a Hospitality Power Breakfast series, with the first eight-person event hosted at The Moor in the Design District. Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Lodgify. Make sure to use promo code THM60 for 60% off. 00:00 Welcome and Topics 00:39 Sponsor Lodgify 01:25 Miami Beach Staycation 02:37 South Beach Service Lesson 03:54 Loews Sushi Find 05:28 Brightline to Orlando 07:31 Signia Hotel Review 09:41 Disney Dining Tip 11:05 Train Back and Florida Travel 12:08 Baya Resort Announcement 13:31 Hospitality Power Breakfast 14:14 Wrap Up and Subscribe