On this episode of Suite Success, host Katie Cline sits down with Davonne Reaves—hotel owner, asset manager, and founder of The Vonne Group—to break down how hotel deals actually get done.

From her start at the front desk to managing over $1 billion in hotel assets, Davonne has built a career rooted in understanding both the operational and financial sides of the business. Today, she’s focused on making hotel ownership more accessible and showing others what’s truly possible.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level advice. Davonne unpacks the realities of the capital stack, how investors play a role in funding deals, and why most people are thinking about “affordability” all wrong. She also shares why starting smaller is often the smartest move, and how building the right team can make or break a deal.

The result is a clear, honest look at what it really takes to buy a hotel—and why it might be more within reach than most people think.

00:00 Welcome to Suite Success

00:38 Meet Davonne Reaves

03:04 Path to Ownership

05:10 Asset Management Lessons

08:39 First Hotel Deal

12:25 Capital Stack Basics

17:27 Crowdfunding 

22:36 Asset Management Explained

25:52 Hotels Need Humans

26:57 Service Scores Collapse

28:37 You Cannot AI Hospitality

29:50 Start Small Strategy

32:06 How to Pick the Right Investment

33:58 Big Brands versus Independent

35:13 Pitching Lenders

37:05 Build the Right Team

39:39 First Deal Fundamentals

40:44 Passive Investing 

49:14 Suite Summary

⁠Connect with Davonne:⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Davonne's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davonnereaves

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Vonne Group's Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://thevonnegroup.com/

Links:

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