Life & Work with Alaina McGraw of Houston

Voyage Houston

See the full article and pictures at https://voyagehouston.com/interview/life-work-with-alaina-mcgraw-of-houston

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alaina McGraw.

Hi Alaina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Jason and I were both raised in small Southeast Texas towns under Friday night lights and Sunday family dinners. We married young and moved to Oklahoma from our hometown for work with our 8-month-old son and away from both our families.

Over the years, we followed career opportunities that took us to different places before eventually settling in The Woodlands, Texas. Jason built his career in the oil and gas industry, while I worked in marketing, events, and later graphic design.

Living just outside Houston, I was introduced to Round Top by a friend more than 13 years ago. I quickly fell in love with the town and became a regular visitor and shopper.

As our boys grew older and entered high school and college, Jason and I began to realize that a new chapter of life was approaching. We started having conversations about what might come next. Real estate had always interested both of us, and the hospitality side of events and fundraising had always been my favorite part of my career. We were both drawn to Round Top’s mix of big energy and small-town warmth. Jason and I both loved the idea of owning something there. It had grown so much over the years, but we never found anything that fit.

I’d been sitting on the Hotel Bebe listing for months. One day I just decided to send it to Jason. About an hour later he told me he was into it. One Friday on our way to spend our Anniversary weekend in Fredericksburg, we took a detour to Round Top to see it in person.

It was a chance to take a property with already such a unique set up and beautiful design and build off of that. We decided to take a leap of faith and go for it.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We’ve definitely had our bumps in the road. We closed on Hotel Bebe just two weeks before the 2025 Spring Antique Show, which meant we had almost no time to make updates before welcoming guests.

We had owned long term rentals before, but the short-term rental market was obviously different. Jason and I went from owning none, to owning five overnight. Small issues on paper became big issues when real guests were experiencing them in real time. We felt like deer in the headlights, trying to learn an entirely new business while navigating one of the busiest seasons in Round Top.

We muscled through that Spring with wine and tears. But we learned quickly, and every challenge helped us become better operators and hosts.

When summer arrived, we started to renovate the 4 bungalows. Opening up walls and ceilings tend to bring about its own surprises but luckily we had great contractors and tradespeople who walked with us through everything and kept us moving forward.

We renovated 4 bungalows in 4 months, finishing the last two on the morning of the Fall Antique Show with a sold-out calendar of reserved guests waiting to arrive. Looking back, it was exhausting, stressful, and incredibly rewarding all at the same time.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Jason and I are very hands-on owners, and I think that’s one of the things that sets Bebe apart. We aren’t absentee owners. We are constantly involved in the property’s growth, from renovations and design decisions to guest experience and future planning. We also happen to love what we’re doing.

What we’re most proud of is the progress we’ve made in a relatively short amount of time. We’ve preserved what made the property special while continuing to improve it in ways that add value for our guests. My background has shaped the way I approach hospitality. I want to create spaces that feel welcoming and thoughtfully curated.

Hotel Bebe itself is uniquely suited for bringing people together. The property allows large groups to gather comfortably while still offering privacy and personal space. Combined with its location just minutes from downtown Round Top, it offers a balance of relaxation and convenience that can be hard to find.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to invest in improvements, guest amenities and events. Our vision is to blend the independence of a vacation rental with some of the thoughtful conveniences and experiences people love about boutique hotels. Our goal is to create a place guests want to return to year after year.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Of course, every business needs to be financially successful, but for me, success is also getting to share a place I love with other people and somehow calling that work. I fell in love with Round Top years ago, and now I get to create a space where others can experience the same things that drew me there in the first place. That feels pretty rewarding.

One of the things that motivates me most is the opportunity to build something that can involve our entire family. I love the idea of creating a business where our boys can contribute, learn valuable skills, and help shape its future if they choose. Whether they become involved in hospitality, marketing, operations, or just bring their own ideas to the table, I hope Hotel Bebe becomes something that continues to connect our family.

I’m also at a stage in life where success means having the freedom to be intentional with my time and energy. I want to continue growing Hotel Bebe and challenge myself creatively. All while still making room for family, relationships, and things that matter the most.

If guests leave feeling relaxed, happy, and already planning their next visit, and if we’re able to build a business our family is proud to be a part of, I consider that success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hotelbebe-roundtop.com
• Instagram: @hotelbebe.roundtop