Scaling STR in Europe
Podcast Summary
Europe is often discussed as a single market. This panel makes clear why it is not.
In this panel, Simon Lehmann brings together three leaders navigating growth across Europe’s most fragmented markets: Alexander Limpert (GuestReady and RentalReady), Antoine Serrurier (COCOONR), and Harold Lubberdink (Happy.Rentals). Together they break down what sustainable growth really looks like when regulation, local execution, and trust change country by country.
You’ll hear why there is no single European playbook, how operators balance centralized systems with hyper-local operations, and why technology only works when it supports operational excellence on the ground.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Why short-term rental growth in Europe looks different market by market
- How STR regulation in Europe shapes scaling strategies and operating models
- Why trust and local operations matter more than brand when scaling STR in Europe
- How European STR operators balance centralized systems with local execution
- Where technology actually helps scale STR operations and where it falls short
- Why there is no single business model for scaling short-term rentals in Europe
We Say What Others Won’t
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Resources mentioned in the show:
- Connect with Alexander Limpert on LinkedIn to learn more about GuestReady & RentalReady.
- Connect with Antoine Serrurier on LinkedIn to learn more about COCOONR.
- Connect with Harold Lubberdink on LinkedIn to learn more about Happy.Rentals.
Guest Appearing in this Episode
Simon Lehmann
Simon Lehmann is the CEO of AJL Atelier, a strategic advisory firm for the global short-term rental industry. He has decades of experience in vacation rentals, travel tech, and hospitality, and has advised hundreds of operators, startups, and investors across EMEA, North America, APAC, and LATAM. He’s also a frequent speaker and moderator at global events like VRMA, Phocuswright, and Skift, covering STR tech, market consolidation, and professional hosting. Simon was Co-Founder & Chairman of Vacasa Europe, President of PhocusWright, and a Board Member of HomeAway. He also held executive roles at Interhome, Hotelplan Group, and Swissport.
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