The Art of STR Podcast

Kadek Adnyana is the Chairman of BVRMA, representing hundreds of villa owners and operators across Bali. With roots in guiding and guest relations, he has worked across hotels and independent villas and now advocates for a more professional, sustainable, community-aligned STR ecosystem. He is also the founder of Individual Bali Villas, focused on locally grounded hospitality with long-term care for the island. 

 Bali is the beating heart of Asia’s villa movement — and few leaders have shaped it from the inside like Kadek, Chairman of BVRMA (Bali Villa Rental & Management Association) and founder of Individual Bali Villas.

In this opening episode, Kadek shares how Bali’s villa ecosystem evolved from early luxury roots into today’s fast-growing STR market — and why the next chapter must be driven by standards, compliance, and community-led sustainability.

He speaks candidly about unlicensed builds, zoning pressure, scams, service dilution, and the urgent need for government + industry alignment — including a clear call to action: start with a transparent registry, define villa standards, and protect conservation areas before it’s too late.

•  Why Bali’s “villa” product is at risk without clear standards and service expectations
   
• How BVRMA formed as a response to unpermitted development, scams, and environmental strain
   
• The case for step-by-step compliance (education first, enforcement second)
   
• Why a public list / registry of legal STR properties matters for trust, investment, and guest confidence
   
• Where Kadek believes demand is heading next: eco-led, nature-driven stays (bamboo, low-plastic, sustainable operations)

This episode is part of The Art of STR — a special series created in collaboration with Short-Term Rentals Asia (STRA), exploring how hospitality in Asia is evolving through real voices, regional context, and the stories behind the stays.

Bruno Barone is a Phuket-based operator and founder behind multiple ventures spanning property management, marketing/creative production (Closer Asia), and legal/compliance support (Closer Law). With 14+ years building in Thailand, Bruno is known for combining operational depth with community-minded leadership — and for seeing hospitality as both a business and a human system. 

Phuket is no longer just a beach destination — it’s a full-scale hospitality ecosystem powered by entrepreneurs, operators, and community builders. In this episode, Bruno Barone joins host Justin Sun (The Curious Concierge) to unpack what it really takes to build — and sustain — short-term rentals at scale in Thailand.

From his early days in Europe to launching in Phuket in 2011, Bruno has built across the entire STR stack: villa operations, property management, guest services, transport, maintenance, cleaning, pool services, marketing production (Closer Asia), and now legal/compliance support (Closer Law). What ties it all together is a clear philosophy: hospitality is not just a product — it’s emotion, rhythm, and community.

This is a grounded operator conversation about growth, adaptation, people management, infrastructure, and why Phuket’s next chapter will be shaped by quality tourism, stronger standards, and long-term livability.

•  How Phuket’s STR market evolved from “need” to today’s multi-layered ecosystem
   
• Why Bruno built vertically: housekeeping, transfers, pools, renovations — to protect quality
   
• The reality of running high service levels across independent villas (not hotel chains)
   
• Phuket’s advantages: connectivity, safety, diversity of guest segments, and emerging wellness/medical travel
   
• The rise of mid-term stays and “relocation demand” — and how it’s changing villa design and pricing
   
• Why compliance, residency questions, and trusted legal support are now core to destination maturity
   
• A leadership view on community: how giving back became part of the operating model

This episode is part of The Art of STR — a special series created in collaboration with Short-Term Rentals Asia (STRA), exploring how hospitality in Asia is evolving through real voices, regional context, and the stories behind the stays.

Ritwik Khare his journey from his eight years scaling MakeMyTrip’s international hotels and GCC business, to leading growth as COO & CCO at LEAD School,

Ritwik has built a career driving expansion, market share, and revenue at scale. An MBA Gold Medallist from FMS Delhi, his leadership at ELIVAAS is redefining premium hospitality and second home experiences across India and beyond. 

Working to build the world’s most admired vacation rental platform for second home owners and travellers. One villa, one apartment at a time! 

India’s luxury villa market is evolving fast — and it’s no longer just about space, privacy, or price. Today’s travellers want control, consistency, and a level of hospitality that feels both premium and personal.

In this episode, Justin Sun (The Curious Concierge) sits down with Ritwik Khare, Founder & CEO of Elivaas, to unpack how India’s short-term rental market is being reshaped by technology, guest expectations, and what Ritwik calls “humane hospitality.”

Born out of Ritwik’s own frustration managing a second home, Elivaas has grown into a fully serviced luxury villa platform — blending data discipline with deeply human service, and redefining how guests experience villas and how owners think about hospitality as a long-term business.

•  Why travellers now demand more control over the stay
   
• The rise of “privacy on demand” — and why rules are being rejected
   
• How Elivaas blends tech + human service at scale
   
• What “humane hospitality” looks like operationally
   
• India’s travel renaissance — and what it signals for Asia’s villa economy
   
• Lessons for founders building at the intersection of real estate + hospitality
   

This episode is part of The Art of STR — a special series created in collaboration with Short-Term Rentals Asia (STRA), exploring how hospitality in Asia is evolving through real voices, regional context, and the stories behind the stays.

We are inviting a small number of aligned sponsors and strategic partners to help shape the next chapter of this series — focused on deeper regional insight, live conversations, and the evolving future of short-term rentals across Asia. 

 Sponsorship opportunities will be highly curated, integrated across STRA platforms, live events, and the Knowledge Hub — ensuring meaningful visibility, trusted association, and long-term value. 

If you are interested in supporting Season 2 and contributing to the conversation shaping Asia’s STR ecosystem, we’d welcome the discussion.