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July 24, 2025 6 mins

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Bill Graf, the visionary founder of ONDA Hotels, to uncover how a former finance exec traded spreadsheets for surf towns and is now building a hospitality brand for the modern traveler.

Bill shares the bold story of how a sabbatical, a motorcycle, and a post-COVID pivot led to the creation of ONDA—a growing hotel brand designed to bring trusted, high-vibe stays to off-the-beaten-path destinations. From his first property in Costa Rica to his vision of scaling globally through a franchise model.

In this episode, you'll learn about: 

  • How contrarian investing led him into hospitality
  • What “the vibe” really means and why it's everything
  • Why ONDA is filling a massive gap in emerging travel markets
  • What it takes to build trust in remote, lifestyle-driven destinations

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZEiYFVyL5vk
 

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamgraf/?originalSubdomain=cr
ONDA: https://www.stayonda.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/192

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

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