Business Details
23 Years
experience
Trusted Hotel Real Estate Asset Management & Advisory Services
Founded in 2003 by Michelle Russo, hotelAVE has grown into a 48-person team of former hotel owners, operators, and financial professionals dedicated to creating value through innovation. Our expertise spans asset management, advisory services, investment management, and operational effectiveness in the hospitality industry. With a track record of managing $12.5 billion in assets and serving over 1,700 hotels, we prioritize client success by leveraging data-driven insights and proprietary methodologies. Our team's deep understanding of hospitality real estate enables us to deliver above-market performance and sustainable results. We treat every client's assets as if they were our own, aligning our goals with theirs to achieve ambitious outcomes.Our passion for excellence and owner-centric approach has earned us recognition as a leader in the hospitality sector. We continuously adapt to industry changes, utilizing technology and strategic foresight to drive value for clients. Our commitment to transparency, ethical practices, and measurable results ensures long-term trust and partnership. With offices in Providence and New York, we serve clients across North America, Latin America, and Europe. Our mission remains rooted in our founding principle: creating value for clients through innovation, experience, and a relentless focus on results.
Services
Asset Management
Advisory Services
Investment Management
Operational Effectiveness
Lender Services
Details
- Year established: 2003
Highlights and features
- We offer 20+ years of specialized expertise in hotel real estate.
- Our 48-person team includes former hotel owners and operators.
- We manage $12.5 billion in hospitality assets globally.
- We implement data-driven methodologies for measurable results.
- Our client-centric approach prioritizes long-term value creation.
What people say
Track record of success
Data-supported insights
Passionate about results
Industry-recognized
Innovative solutions
Services
Asset Management
hotelAVE's asset management services focus on maximizing cash flow and sustainable performance for hospitality assets. Our proactive approach includes market analysis, financial benchmarking, and strategic planning tailored to each property's unique needs. With a team-to-asset ratio under 2:1, we ensure personalized attention and measurable value enhancement initiatives.
Advisory Services
We provide customized advice on equity and debt decisions throughout the hospitality asset lifecycle. Our services include acquisition due diligence, brand selection, operational assessments, and disposition strategies. Backed by 450+ years of cumulative experience, we deliver fact-based solutions aligned with client objectives and market realities.
Investment Management
Our investment management services cater to institutional owners and lenders seeking specialized hospitality real estate expertise. We offer separately managed account strategies, portfolio-wide sustainability initiatives, and active asset management supported by accounting and compliance professionals to generate above-market returns.
Operational Effectiveness
This service enhances hotel operations through 12-week on-site implementations followed by ongoing monitoring. We focus on labor efficiency, revenue optimization, and best practice implementation, achieving an average 4x return on cost in the first year through data-driven process improvements.
Lender Services
We safeguard lenders' interests throughout the hotel real estate lending cycle. Our services include loan underwriting, forensic analysis, receivership management, and special asset monitoring. Our team's combined experience as former owners and lenders ensures practical, risk-mitigated solutions for complex situations.
People
Michelle Russo
Founder & CEO
Michelle founded hotelAVE in 2003 with a vision to create value through innovation. Named one of Lodging Magazine's most influential women in hospitality, she leads a 48-person team focused on client success through owner-centric strategies.
Chris Hague
Chief Operating Officer
Chris oversees daily operations and strategic execution at hotelAVE. With extensive hospitality industry experience, he ensures seamless delivery of asset management and advisory services across the firm's global portfolio.
Loren Balsam
CIO & EVP of Advisory
Loren leads investment strategy and advisory services, leveraging his background as a former hotel operator. He specializes in creating data-driven solutions that align with client objectives and market dynamics.
John Paulsen
Senior Vice President
John provides strategic insights and market analysis, drawing from his extensive experience in hospitality asset management. He contributes to industry thought leadership and client advisory services with a focus on emerging trends.
Merande Sek
Director of Operations
Merande oversees operational effectiveness initiatives, implementing efficiency improvements across hotel portfolios. Her expertise in hospitality operations drives measurable cost savings and performance enhancements for clients.
Questions
What services does hotelAVE specialize in?
We specialize in hotel real estate asset management, advisory services, investment management, operational effectiveness, and lender services tailored to hospitality assets.
How long has hotelAVE been in business?
We've been creating value in hospitality real estate since our founding in 2003 by Michelle Russo.
Which geographic markets do you serve?
We serve clients across North America, Latin America, Canada, and Europe through our Providence and New York offices.
What makes hotelAVE different from competitors?
Our team of former hotel owners and operators combines 450+ years of experience with data-driven insights to deliver measurable, above-market results for clients.
How do you measure success in your projects?
We track measurable outcomes like RevPAR improvements, cost savings, and asset value increases, with operational projects averaging 4x return on cost in the first year.
