Hotel investment has shifted. Traditional hotel chains aren't the only game anymore.
Boutique hotels with 50 rooms now compete with 500-room towers. Luxury properties command $1M+ per key. Lifestyle brands attract younger travelers willing to pay premium rates.
Different types of hotels need different types of investors.
Boutique hotel investors want unique concepts in prime urban locations. Luxury hotel investors seek trophy assets with proven operators. Lifestyle hotel investors chase the next Ace or Mama Shelter.
This list covers all three. Active investors. Their portfolios. Investment criteria. Deal sizes.
How to pitch your hotel project to investors
You've found the perfect property. Designed a unique concept. Created realistic projections.
But investors ignore your emails.
Stop sending PDF investment memorandums. They vanish in inboxes. You can't see who opened them. Partners can't track which sections matter.
Use trackable links instead. Know when investors open your deck. See time spent per slide. Get alerts when shared internally.
Ellty makes it simple. Share secure links. Track pitch deck engagement. No more guessing if investors saw your work.
Start tracking your hotel pitch deck
25 Hotel investors (Boutique, luxury, lifestyle)
Boutique Hotel Investors
1. Limestone Capital
Leading private equity firm specializing in boutique and experience-driven hospitality.
Investment focus: Boutique hotels, experience economy, value-add real estate
Investment range: €10M-€50M per asset
Notable investments: Aethos Hotels, Emerald Stay, Loisium Wine & Spa Hotels, Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch
Contact: limestone-capital.com
2. Somers Capital
Vertically integrated boutique hotel investment firm with in-house operations.
Investment focus: Underperforming boutique hotels with repositioning potential
Investment range: $5M-$25M per property
Notable investments: 5 boutique hotels through Somers Collection brand
Contact: somerscapital.com
3. Driftwood Capital
Hospitality ecosystem investor with 30+ years of experience.
Investment focus: Boutique properties to name brands, full lifecycle investment
Investment range: $10M-$100M per deal
Notable investments: Portfolio spans boutique to major brand hotels
Contact: driftwoodcapital.com
4. Geolo Capital
Private equity group focused on lifestyle and boutique hospitality.
Investment focus: Adaptive reuse, boutique hotels, lifestyle brands
Investment range: $20M-$200M per transaction
Notable investments: Thompson Hotels, Alila Hotels, Chicago Athletic Association
Contact: geolo.com
5. Thayer Ventures
Travel and hospitality-focused VC with boutique hotel investments.
Investment focus: Technology-enabled hospitality, boutique concepts
Investment range: $1M-$20M
Notable investments: Travel tech and boutique hospitality brands
Contact: thayerventures.com
6. Fifth Wall
Real estate technology VC investing in hospitality innovation.
Investment focus: PropTech, hospitality tech, boutique hotel platforms
Investment range: $5M-$50M
Notable investments: Alternative accommodation and boutique hotel tech
Contact: fifthwall.com
7. Travel Impact Lab
Accelerator and investor for travel and hospitality startups.
Investment focus: Early-stage hospitality, boutique hotel concepts
Investment range: $50K-$500K
Notable investments: Boutique hotel tech and operations platforms
Contact: travelimpactlab.com
8. Alstin Capital
Munich-based VC investing in hospitality technology.
Investment focus: Tech-enabled hospitality, boutique hotel solutions
Investment range: €1M-€10M
Notable investments: European boutique hotel platforms
Contact: alstincapital.com
Luxury Hotel Investors
9. KSL Capital Partners
Global leader in travel and leisure investments with $19B+ AUM.
Investment focus: Luxury resorts, trophy assets, hospitality real estate
Investment range: $50M-$500M+ per transaction
Notable investments: Most active PE investor in hotels globally
Contact: kslcapital.com
10. Blackstone
World's largest alternative asset manager with significant luxury hotel portfolio.
Investment focus: Trophy luxury hotels, major portfolios
Investment range: $100M-$1B+ per deal
Notable investments: Hyatt Regency Clearwater, W Fort Lauderdale
Contact: blackstone.com
11. Mohari Hospitality
Mark Scheinberg's luxury hospitality investment platform.
Investment focus: Ultra-luxury hotels and branded residences
Investment range: $50M-$300M per project
Notable investments: Four Seasons Madrid, luxury properties globally
Contact: moharihospitality.com
12. Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF)
Sovereign wealth fund actively investing in luxury hospitality.
Investment focus: Ultra-luxury hotel brands and trophy assets
Investment range: $100M-$1B+ per investment
Notable investments: $1B+ investment in Aman Group
Contact: pif.gov.sa
13. LVMH Hospitality
Luxury conglomerate's hospitality investment arm.
Investment focus: Ultra-luxury hotels, exclusive destinations
Investment range: €50M-€500M
Notable investments: Belmond, Bulgari Hotels, Cheval Blanc
Contact: lvmh.com
14. Rosewood Hotel Group
Luxury hotel operator and investor backed by Chow Tai Fook.
Investment focus: Ultra-luxury properties in prime locations
Investment range: $100M-$500M per property
Notable investments: Rosewood hotels globally
Contact: rosewoodhotelgroup.com
15. Oaktree Capital Management
Alternative investment firm with luxury hospitality portfolio.
Investment focus: Distressed luxury assets, repositioning opportunities
Investment range: $50M-$500M
Notable investments: Four Seasons hotels, luxury resorts
Contact: oaktreecapital.com
Lifestyle Hotel Investors
16. KHP Capital Partners
Real estate PE firm focused exclusively on lifestyle hotels.
Investment focus: Full-service lifestyle hotels, repositioning opportunities
Investment range: $20M-$150M per asset
Notable investments: Lifestyle hotels requiring brand/management changes
Contact: khpcapitalpartners.com
17. Ennismore
Lifestyle hospitality company and investor (Accor partnership).
Investment focus: Lifestyle brands, creative hospitality concepts
Investment range: €10M-€100M
Notable investments: The Hoxton, Mama Shelter, 21c Museum Hotels
Contact: ennismore.com
18. Ace Hotel Group
Lifestyle hotel operator seeking investment partners.
Investment focus: Urban lifestyle hotels, creative communities
Investment range: $20M-$80M per property
Notable investments: Ace Hotels in major urban markets
Contact: acehotel.com
19. Noble Investment Group
Specialty lodging REIT focused on lifestyle properties.
Investment focus: Select-service and lifestyle hotels
Investment range: $10M-$100M per asset
Notable investments: Lifestyle brands across US markets
Contact: nobleinvestment.com
20. Lightstone Group
Real estate investment firm with lifestyle hotel portfolio.
Investment focus: Lifestyle brands, Moxy hotels, urban properties
Investment range: $30M-$200M
Notable investments: Moxy Hotels, lifestyle properties in gateway cities
Contact: lightstonegroup.com
21. Brookfield Asset Management
Global alternative asset manager with hospitality investments.
Investment focus: Lifestyle hotels, mixed-use developments
Investment range: $100M-$1B
Notable investments: Hotel portfolios globally
Contact: brookfield.com
22. Starwood Capital Group
Global private investment firm founded by Barry Sternlicht.
Investment focus: Lifestyle brands, innovative hospitality concepts
Investment range: $50M-$500M
Notable investments: 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels
Contact: starwoodcapital.com
23. Sydell Group
Lifestyle hotel creator and operator.
Investment focus: Boutique lifestyle hotels, unique concepts
Investment range: $20M-$100M
Notable investments: NoMad Hotels, LINE Hotels, Freehand Hotels
Contact: sydellgroup.com
24. Quadrum Global
Investment firm focused on lifestyle hospitality.
Investment focus: Lifestyle hotels, adaptive reuse projects
Investment range: $15M-$75M
Notable investments: Lifestyle properties in urban markets
Contact: quadrumglobal.com
25. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
Publicly traded REIT focused on lifestyle hotels.
Investment focus: Upper upscale and lifestyle hotels in urban markets
Investment range: $50M-$300M per asset
Notable investments: Portfolio of lifestyle hotels across major US cities
Contact: pebblebrookhotels.com
How to approach investors
What Actually Matters
RevPAR beats the comp set by 10%+? Good.
You've turned around hotels before? Better.
STR reports prove it? Now they're listening.
Forget vision statements. Show them the deal math.
Meeting Triggers
Broker intro from CBRE or JLL works.
Another hotel owner vouching for you works better.
Cold emails? Dead on arrival.
Best route: Meet them at ALIS or NYU conference. Five-minute chat beats 50 emails.
The 5-Minute Pitch
"Buying the Courtyard in Denver. $35M. Needs $8M reno. Projecting 18% IRR. I did the same thing with the Marriott in Boulder. Here's the STR data."
That's it. If they want more, they'll ask.
Quick Reality Check
They ask for feasibility study = interested
They ask for your deck = not interested
They ask when you're closing = very interested
No response after a week? Move on.
Success stories
Aman Group - The Billion Dollar Saudi Deal
2023: Struggling to expand. Limited capital.
Saudi PIF invests $1 billion. Values company at $3 billion.
What worked: Ultra-luxury positioning. Scarcity model - only 34 properties globally. Average room rate $1,500+.
Now: Opening in Saudi Arabia, NYC, Miami.
Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch
Underperforming boutique hotel. Great location, wrong concept.
Limestone Capital buys it in 2025. Converts to Nobu.
The math: Purchase price undisclosed. Renovation budget £15M. Expected RevPAR increase: 40%.
Key move: Brought proven luxury operator to East London.
Four Seasons Madrid
Historic building sat empty for years. Too expensive to convert.
Mohari Hospitality partners with Four Seasons. Invests €200M.
Opens 2020. Now charges €1,000+ per night. First Four Seasons in Spain.
Lesson: Trophy location + luxury brand = premium pricing.
Moxy Hotels - Lightstone's Budget Brilliance
Lightstone sees gap: Millennials want style, not stuffy.
Creates Moxy with Marriott. Lifestyle design, budget prices.
Results: 100+ hotels globally. Development cost 30% less than traditional. RevPAR matches full-service competitors.
How Ellty helps boutique hotel founders
Know Who's Serious
Sent your boutique hotel pitch to 20 investors. Silence.
With Ellty: See that KHP Capital spent 8 minutes on your RevPAR projections. Limestone Capital downloaded your renovation plans. The rest bounced after slide 2.
Follow up with the right people.
Fix What's Not Working
Financial model page: 15 seconds average.
Location slides: 3 minutes.
Your boutique concept story: Skipped.
Message is clear. Lead with location. Simplify the numbers. Drop the fluff.
Secure Your Data
Competitor opened your deck? You'll know.
Investor shared with partners? You'll see it.
Need to update occupancy projections? Change them instantly.
PDFs can't do this.
The Follow-Up That Works
"Hi Sarah, noticed you reviewed our Brooklyn boutique hotel location analysis. The site is across from the new Google campus - happy to discuss the demand drivers."
Beats "Just following up" every time.
Track your boutique hotel pitch
FAQs
What's the minimum deal size for hotel investors?
Boutique: $5M minimum
Luxury: $50M minimum
Lifestyle: $20M minimum
Do I need hotel operating experience?
Yes. Or partner with someone who has it. No exceptions.
What returns do hotel investors expect?
Boutique: 15-20% IRR
Luxury: 12-18% IRR
Lifestyle: 18-25% IRR
How long is the typical investment process?
First meeting to close: 4-6 months. Due diligence alone takes 60-90 days.
Which investors are most active in 2025?
KSL Capital (30+ deals annually), Blackstone, Limestone Capital for boutique, KHP for lifestyle.
Can I raise money for a hotel concept without a property?
No. Need a specific asset under contract or owned.
What kills most hotel deals?
Bad location (40%), unrealistic projections (30%), no brand/operator (20%), high CapEx needs (10%).
Do investors prefer branded or independent hotels?
Branded lifestyle (Moxy, Canopy) gets funded fastest. Pure independent is hardest sell.
Should I use a broker?
For $20M+ deals, yes. They have the relationships. Costs 1-2% but worth it.
What's the best conference to meet hotel investors?
ALIS in January (biggest), NYU in June (most serious), IHIF Berlin (European focus).
