Merilee Karr, CEO of UnderTheDoormat, on Building Trust, Tech, and a Safer Future for Short-Term Stays

After waking up in yet another identical hotel room, the kind where you have to check the stationery to remember what country you’re in, Merilee Karr knew something had to change.

A longtime Shell executive, she loved travel but not the sterile sameness of it. The trips that stayed with her were the ones spent in colleagues’ homes, where she got a taste of real life. Then came the clincher: an Airbnb stay in Lausanne that hadn’t been cleaned and came with an unexpected roommate…a cat.

That was the moment that inspired Merilee to leap into entrepreneurship and fix short-term rentals for good. Ten years later, she’s the Founder and CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group, leading a global movement to bring hotel-quality standards to real homes through the brands Veeve, Hospiria, and TrustedStays. Along the way, she’s learned plenty about leadership, risk, and resilience. Here’s herstory…

How did you get into hospitality?

I actually came from the corporate world. I spent 13 years at Shell, doing everything from setting up IT operations in India to managing maintenance for 12,000 petrol stations across 43 countries. It was a fascinating career, but I realized I wanted to really build something. My years of constant business travel gave me an idea. After too many nights in identical hotel rooms, I wanted to create a way for travelers to feel at home without giving up hotel-level standards.

What inspired the concept for UnderTheDoormat?

It really came from that mix of experience and frustration. When I traveled for Shell, the best trips were when local colleagues hosted me…I saw real life, not just another lobby. Then I had a nightmare Airbnb experience in Lausanne: we arrived late at night to an unclean house and a surprise cat. That was the turning point. I thought this should be done professionally. People shouldn’t have to gamble on quality or safety when they stay in a home.

At the same time, I was always away from my own flat in London, leaving it empty. That’s when the lightbulb went on: there must be a way to manage homes properly, giving owners peace of mind and guests a consistent, hotel-quality experience. That was the seed for UnderTheDoormat.

What is your role now?

I’m CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group, which has grown into three connected parts. Veeve is our curated collection of beautiful homes and serviced apartments in London and Paris, now expanding across the UK and into more of Europe. Hospiria came next, the tech that powers it all, a property management system built specifically for institutional real estate, branded residences and professional short term rental companies. And then there’s TrustedStays, our distribution platform that puts accredited short-term rentals into the GDS, so corporate bookers and travel advisors can finally access this type of inventory safely and confidently.

I also helped found and chaired the UK Short-Term Accommodation Association for 7 years. During the pandemic, I led NHS Homes, which donated accommodation to healthcare workers. That project led to a partnership with the UK government and Amadeus, enabling us to integrate professionally managed homes into the GDS for the first time.

What are some of your standout properties?

There’s a stunning seven-bedroom Georgian waterfront home in Chiswick that sleeps 14 and rents for around £2,500 per night. It’s historic, elegant, and full of character. In Chelsea, we manage an apartment-hotel on Sloane Gardens, just off Duke of York Square, perfect for longer stays. In Paris, our portfolio features elegant apartments with ornate ceilings and grand salons, the kind of light-filled spaces that remind you why you fell in love with the city.

How did TrustedStays come to life?

One of the silver linings of the pandemic was the creation of NHS Homes. With everything shut to tourism during COVID, we launched the initiative to unite professional short-term rental companies and house NHS workers. The government then asked for a single, standards-led way to book properties in our sector, which became TrustedStays. We secured the Crown Commercial Service framework and partnered with Amadeus to connect accredited homes into the GDS. For the first time, corporates and travel advisors can book professionally managed homes with the same confidence they have booking hotels.

What sets it apart from mass platforms like Airbnb?

Airbnb is a marketplace, it doesn’t vet most inventory. TrustedStays only lists professionally managed homes that meet strict safety, insurance, and documentation standards. Everything is verified by third parties, so it meets duty-of-care requirements for companies and agencies. It’s about reliability and accountability.

You recently raised $7 million in funding, congrats! Less than two percent of female-founded start-ups raise capital. What does this mean for your business?

Thanks! Our investor is Omran, the tourism investment company of Oman. They see real potential in our technology to support their national tourism goals. In the Middle East, hotels alone can’t meet growing demand, and short-term rentals currently make up less than five percent of all stays, compared with about twenty percent in Europe. There’s huge room to grow, and our technology and standards can help bridge that gap, especially in markets that are investing heavily in residential real estate and branded residences.

What have you learned as an entrepreneur?

That resilience is everything. We’ve had at a few near-death moments as a company, including COVID. You have to keep solving problems and moving forward, even when you can’t see the full path. It always takes longer and costs more than you think, but the rewards are worth it.

Coming from a corporate background helped me understand regulation and systems, but entrepreneurship is all about mindset…staying focused, calm, and being creative when things get tough. And building a strong network is critical; the industry collaborations that started with NHS Homes ended up shaping the future of our business.

Advice for women founders?

Lead with your vision and your numbers. Investors care about the strength of the business. Most of mine are men, but they’re excellent partners who believe in what we’re building. Focus on being a great founder, your success makes it easier for the next generation of women to follow.

How do you balance leadership and motherhood?

I have two young children, both born in November, almost exactly two years apart. I like to joke that I took American-style maternity leave, very short and straight back to work. My mornings are full-on: up early, feed the baby, get everyone ready, and cycle them to nursery on our electric cargo bike before starting the day. My mum, who lives in the U.S., comes over to help whenever she can. It’s not perfect, but it works, and it reminds me daily that support systems—both personal and professional—are everything.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

When I was left Shell and decided to start my own company, I was full of doubt. My brother asked me two simple questions. First: Can you think of a time when you’ve set your mind to do something and really failed? I thought about it and said no. I’m determined, and when I commit, I find a way to succeed. He said, Then why assume you’ll fail this time?

The second question was, What’s the worst thing that could happen? If I tried it for a year and it didn’t work, I could always find another job. Once I realized I could live with that worst-case scenario, the fear disappeared. It was such freeing advice: know the risk, make peace with it, and go for it.

Quickfire with Merilee

Morning routine: Up at 6:45, milk, breakfast, cargo bike to nursery, desk by nine.

Self-care: Long cycle rides with friends.

Weekly read: The Economist—it keeps me informed without the daily noise.