What happens when you take an underperforming boutique hotel… and completely reimagine it?

In this episode, I'm joined by former client Andrés Pérez, co-owner of The Iceberg Tahoe, and we're breaking down the story behind transforming what was once the Avalon Lodge in South Lake Tahoe.

Andres spent nearly a decade working at Google before transitioning into real estate investing. Like many investors, he started with long-term rentals, then moved into short-term rentals. But eventually he realized something a lot of people in this industry are starting to discover.

Scaling single properties is hard.

The margins are tighter than people on Instagram make them seem, interest rates change the math, and building a real hospitality business requires something more strategic than just buying one property after another.

That realization is what led Andres and his team into the boutique hotel space.

In this conversation, we walk through the entire journey of acquiring the property that would eventually become The Iceberg Tahoe. From building broker relationships that led to an off-market opportunity, to negotiating seller financing, raising investor capital, and renovating a 20-room hotel in just 90 days.

But the transformation didn't stop at the renovation.

The property had outdated branding, weak reviews, and no real identity that matched the experience Andres wanted to create. Instead of trying to polish what was already there, they made the decision to start fresh.

That's where the branding work came in.

Together we built the strategy behind The Iceberg Tahoe. A name designed to be memorable, iconic, and deeply tied to the Tahoe experience. A brand story rooted in mystery, discovery, and the idea that there's always more beneath the surface.

Because branding is not just about making something look better.

It's about creating a story people want to be part of.

It's about giving a property an identity that guests remember, talk about, and come back to. It's about positioning a business so that marketing actually works.

And the early results are already showing up.

Just a few months after launch, The Iceberg Tahoe has already seen strong early revenue and is generating a meaningful percentage of direct bookings. Even more interesting, the branding has created real excitement among investors and stakeholders who now feel emotionally connected to the project they helped bring to life.

This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when branding, strategy, and hospitality vision all come together.

If you've ever wondered what it actually takes to reposition a property, launch a boutique hotel, or build a hospitality brand that stands out in a crowded market, this conversation is packed with insight.

Let's get into it.

Connect with Andrés and The Iceberg Tahoe: @theicebergtahoe Connect with Steph: @theweberco Apply to work with us: theweberco.com