Walk Into VRMA International With 70 Friends
The STR industry's most talked-about fringe event. One hotel. Four days. The best VRMA experience you will ever have.
Most people walk into VRMA not knowing a single soul. They leave the same way.
You arrive on Sunday already knowing 70 operators, peers, and people who actually get what you're building.
Four days of community, late nights on Broadway, penthouse breakfasts, masterminds, surprises, and the kind of conversations that don't happen on a conference floor.
This is how you have the best VRMA Nashville experience possible.
Backstage Nashville is where to be.
▶ Watch · The Maddox Hotel — your home for three nights
Partnering With
Nashville · 4–7 October 2026 · VRMA Fringe · Invite Only
Applications close 31st May. Decisions in June.
Applications received so far
8 of 70 spots claimed
Numbers updated manually as applications are reviewed. Applications close 31st May 2026 or when full — whichever comes first.
VRMA 26 Is The Biggest STR Rodeo Of The Year. That's Also The Problem.
You ride in alone
Hundreds of people. Packed schedule. Everyone already seems to know someone. You spend day one wondering why you booked the flight.
The best conversations aren't on the agenda
They happen at midnight in a honky-tonk with six people who get it. If you don't know where to be, you miss every single one.
You fly home inspired but unchanged
Three days of sessions, a notebook full of ideas, and back to the same problems on Monday morning. Same OTA dependency. Same desk.
Backstage Nashville Is Built For This.
We've taken over an entire hotel 12 minutes from the VRMA venue. You will know everyone in the building before you arrive. Mark Simpson — your Nashville concierge — knows every vendor party, every session worth attending, and every person worth meeting. You will not ride into Nashville alone. You will ride in with a crew.
Applications close 31st MayThe Honest Filter
Is This You?
Four days, one house, 70 operators. Read both lists before you apply.
This Is For You If…
- You run or serve a short-term rental business
- You're past the basics — you don't need another OTA 101 session
- You'd rather have one real conversation than fifty business cards
- You're going to VRMA and want to make it actually count
- You're ready to contribute to the room, not just take from it
- You understand that the best rooms are built on trust, not transactions
This Is Not For You If…
- You're looking for a cheap place to stay near the conference
- You treat networking as a numbers game
- You need hand-holding through the basics
- You can't be present for the full four days
Imagine Riding Into Music City With 70 Friends.
Not LinkedIn connections. Not people you vaguely recognise from a conference corridor. People who've sat in a penthouse with you, solved real problems together, and stayed up too late on Broadway.
"The most talked-about fringe event, mastermind, and retreat at VRMA 2026."
The Programme
The Four Days At A Glance.
Conference by day. Community, learning, and late nights at night. Every hour from arrival on Sunday to checkout on Wednesday is mapped out — birthday party, group walks to VRMA, vendor party tour, penthouse breakfasts, and the Wednesday mastermind.
- Sun 4 Oct — Mark's Birthday · Arrival from 3pm · Surprises · The Famous Icebreaker Party
- Mon 5 Oct — VRMA Day 1 · Penthouse Breakfast · Vendor Party Tour
- Tue 6 Oct — VRMA Day 2 · Final Night in Nashville
- Wed 7 Oct — Optional Breakfast · AI Buildathon · Checkout by 12pm
Your Host & Nashville Concierge
Mark Simpson. In the building all three nights.
Founder of Boostly. Connector. Professional party-starter. Curator of hangovers. He knows every vendor party, every session worth attending, and every person worth meeting.
Meet Mark →The Venue
We've Taken Over An Entire Hotel.
The Maddox Hotel. 9 named suites. Full kitchens. The Hitchcock Tavern downstairs. 12 minutes from VRMA on foot. 5 minutes to Broadway.
This Ain't For Everyone
Backstage Nashville Is Invite Only.
"We're not selling tickets at the door. We're building a room. Every application is reviewed personally by Mark. We're looking for operators, property managers, and industry professionals who are serious about their business and serious about the people they surround themselves with."
"The room fills with the right people or it doesn't fill at all."
📅 Application deadline: 31st May 2026
✉️ All decisions communicated personally: June 2026
Limited to 70 places total. Once full — it's full.
Where You'll Stay
Choose Your Bunk, Partner.
Three room types inside The Maddox's named suites. From $1,295 for 3 nights · breakfast & stocked fridge included — including penthouse breakfasts, mastermind, AI workshop, and vendor parties.
See Pricing & Packages →The Honest Numbers
Same Money. Completely Different Week.
Standard VRMA hotels: $1,050–$2,550 for 3 nights, room only. Backstage Nashville: from $1,295 for 3 nights · breakfast & stocked fridge included — penthouse breakfasts, mastermind, AI workshop, vendor parties.
See the full price comparison →What People Say
Real Rooms. Real Results.
These aren't from Backstage Nashville. They're from the last two rooms Mark built. Same energy. Four days longer.
★★★★★
"The Icebreaker in London was the best hour of the entire Short Stay Summit. I met more useful people in that one room than in two full days of conference sessions. I left with three introductions I'm still acting on."
Short Stay Summit Attendee
London 2025 · STR Operator
★★★★★
"Mark has a rare ability to make everyone in a room feel like they belong there. The Manchester Icebreaker set the tone for the whole event. People who'd never met were collaborating within the first hour."
Scale Manchester Attendee
Manchester 2024 · Property Manager
★★★★★
"I walked into the Icebreaker not knowing a single person. I walked out with three people I'm still working with today. One of them introduced me to my current business partner."
STR Operator
London 2025 · 40+ properties
Attendees of Mark's Icebreaker events at Scale Manchester and Short Stay Summit London.
And The Maddox Speaks For Itself.
★★★★★
"The Maddox Hotel is truly a hidden gem. The Hitchcock Bar is one of the most extraordinary bars I've ever seen — the craftsmanship, storytelling, and atmosphere are unmatched."
— Kim Pearson, Google Review
★★★★★
"We often travel in large groups and rent out homes — this was by far the best one we have ever stayed in."
— Ali Merola, Google Review
★★★★★
"Quick 5-minute walk to Broadway. Spacious, comfortable, and beautifully decorated with a fun Nashville vibe."
— Angela Hall, Google Review
For Vendors and Partners
Want To Sleep Down The Hall From Your Best Prospects?
Every sponsor at Backstage Nashville has the option to be in the building. Not a logo on a lanyard. An actual room. Four days with the property managers buying your software.
Packages from $300. Full suite buyouts available. Bespoke packages built around what access means to you.
Sponsors and delegates both welcome. This page is for delegates. The sponsor page is where to go.
Good Questions
Got Questions?
Eligibility, what's included, the application process, the schedule — all answered.
Don't Be The One Who Watched From The Outside.
Every year there are people who wish they'd applied. Don't be one of them in 2026. The room fills with the right people or it doesn't fill at all. Either way — this is where you find out which one you are.
Applications close 31st May 2026Applications close 31st May
8 of 70 spots claimed