Founded in 2016 by Brian Carrico & Chris Herndon, The Guild operated a collection of 16 apartment hotels across 7 US markets. Despite the team’s heroic efforts to keep the dream alive, we closed up shop in 2023.
Guild guests were treated to roomy, vibe-centric spaces within vibrant urban neighborhoods. In many locations, artisans and merchants would immerse our guests into the nearby scene.
We teamed up with apartment buildings to convert designated floors into nightly accommodation. We sprinkled on some hotel-like accoutrement. We used tech to delight our guests and remove friction from the experience. Happy guests led to brand loyalty which led to best-in-breed direct booking rates.
We built an A+ team. We worked hard. We played hard. Often too much of both. Guild alums have gone on to launch and run important companies across tech and hospitality.
We got in over our skis. We signed a few risky leases. We often stretched the team too thin. We bought lots of furniture. Turns out used mid-century-modern couches aren’t worth much on Craigslist.
The Guild was among several startups that emerged in 2013-2018 with a vision to combine the best of hotels and AirBNB. Travelers have loved the concept. Despite all that demand, nary a company has cracked the code on scale + profitability.
While it would be easy to blame COVID, we won’t go there. Cracks in the business model began to appear in 2019. With the benefit of hindsight, we jotted down some takeaways. Thanks to all the team members, investors and partners who joined us on this incredible journey.
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