“Mitti, right?”
That’s how I was greeted the first time I checked into a Black-owned stay. The front desk attendant greeted me by name before I even introduced myself. While small, I immediately felt a sense of belonging. It’s the same sense of belonging that guests at Wanderstay Boutique describe.
It’s been seven years since Deidre Mathis made history by opening the first Black-owned hostel in the United States. Mathis opened Wanderstay Houston Hostel in 2018 and, in 2023, a second location, Wanderstay Boutique Hotel. She still gets emails from previous guests who have not forgotten how her spaces under one of the Wanderstay Hospitality Group’s properties made them feel.
“This makes me so happy,” Mathis tells Travel Noire. “It means our staff are going out of their way to get to know our guests and build a connection.”
The comfort and emotional safety people feel at a Wanderstay property is why she says Black-owned stays matter. Walk through the doors of a larger hotel company and, likely, the staff won’t remember your name. You’re often just another occupancy number. But as Mathis’s hotels prove, travelers walk into her accommodations with a sense of belonging, recognition, and community.
Why Representation In Hospitality Matters
A pain point for Mathis is that she is still the only Black-owned hostel in the United States. It’s reflective of the broader landscape: there is underrepresentation of Black ownership in the hospitality industry.
According to the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD), Black people own less than 3% of hotels in the United States, with some figures reporting closer to 1% or 2%.
Despite low ownership rates, travel carries unique emotional and historical layers for Black travelers. In fact, the Green Book was created so Black people could find safe routes while driving, lodging, and eating because travel was once associated with danger.
The Green Book enabled Black travelers to plan journeys of safety, freedom, self-discovery, and cultural affirmation. Black-owned hotels aren’t just businesses. They’re also refuges, cultural anchors, and community builders.
Building In Her Community: A Black Hotel Owner’s Perspective
Taking time for self-care and travel after college inspired Mathis to open her first property in Houston. She wanted to fill a gap in the Houston hospitality market for affordable, inclusive, and community-focused accommodations.
So, she invested in her own community in Houston. Her hotel has been a gift for residents who were growing tired of what they called an “eyesore” of a building before she took over.
“I get people who stop by and say, ‘I’ve been driving by this building for 15 years, and now it’s so beautiful,’” says Mathis.
These moments are not lost on Mathis, who says now it invites the community into a space that feels reflective of the neighborhood, one that all can be proud of. Still, the hotel has also allowed her to reinvest in other local minority-owned businesses.
“90% of the hotel project was completed by Black-owned businesses. A Black woman did my interior design, A Black couple was behind the beautiful woodwork in my office, and the person who designed my front office was a Black man,” she tells Travel Noire. “My glass doors were done by a young Black man who has his own business. I feel such a sense of pride that our project was 90% Black done.
The hotel industry does come with challenges. She runs a small boutique hotel and hostel in one of America’s largest cities. It can be difficult to market in a city where the largest brands have bigger budgets. She doesn’t let that deter her and shows up for her guests seeking an intimate, personal experience.
Mathis is also trying to break down the barriers and create more opportunities for hoteliers, especially from underrepresented communities. She is hosting a two-day hoteliers’ weekend course at Wanderstay Boutique Hotel for aspiring and early-stage hoteliers who are ready to create the lodging space of their dreams.
A Black Airbnb Host’s Perspective
For Natina Hill and her husband, owning a bed and breakfast was a lifelong dream because they love welcoming and hosting people in their home. The couple decided to purchase their first property in Atlanta and list it on Airbnb to get their feet wet in the hospitality industry. They fell in love and so have their guests.
Hill says guests will immediately feel welcome at home because she and her husband go out of their way to celebrate each person who books with them.
“This matters to us because with so little Black representation, it allows people to feel safe,” Hill tells Travel Noire. “It also means something to us to be able to preserve the legacy and history of the Green Book, when we created our own safe spaces to go.”
On Airbnb, her two-bedroom, two-bathroom home in East Point is listed as one of the most-loved homes, according to guests. It’s also the only way to taste her sweet potato cake, a family recipe that she shares with guests who stay long enough to become like extended family.
“Natina’s home is lovely. She worked with me before I booked to ensure I was accommodated,” Amari said in her review. “I stayed for almost 4 months, and it felt like home. I highly recommend staying here! My stay was 10/10.”
The best feedback that Hill and her husband get are not just from the reviews. They have built a network and friendships through their Airbnb. The couple plans to expand on the community that they have created.
“We have a decent-sized backyard and are looking to create tiny homes on the property,” she says. “We plan to expand on the land and create a theme with the homes.”
Black-owned hotels and lodging symbolize autonomy, heritage, healing, and connection. As Hill and Mathis prove, these stays contribute to community economics, storytelling, and intergenerational pride. In a world where Black travelers have historically had to move with caution, these stays do more than offer lodging, but also a sense of freedom.
