International Residence Hall

What International Residence Hall does

International Residence Hall (IRH) is a U.S. private company that builds, owns, and operates purpose-built dormitory-style employee housing for the seasonal international workforce — primarily BridgeUSA J1 work-travel participants, H2B temporary workers, and hospitality interns. Founded in 2013 in Wisconsin Dells under the name Hiawatha Residence Hall, IRH now operates six campuses across five states (Wisconsin, Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina) with combined capacity exceeding 3,000 beds and serves residents from over 30 countries. The product is co-located with major tourism employers (Dollywood, Silver Dollar City, Big Cedar Lodge, Gulf Shores-area resorts) and operates in partnership with visa sponsors BridgeUSA and Intrax, which designate IRH as the 'Gold Standard' J1 housing provider. The company is operated as part of the Holtz Companies holding group.

IRH's platform combines physical housing infrastructure with lightweight resident technology: RFID-secured doors and rooms, 24/7 live video monitoring of common areas, and an online resident portal for weekly rent payments and staff communication. The housing itself is fully furnished dormitory-style with shared bunk rooms, communal kitchens, laundry, and community spaces, and on-site staffing is available around the clock. An affiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit, International Angels, layers cultural exchange, English-language workshops, and community volunteer programming onto the housing product to differentiate from generic lodging.

IRH earns revenue via two streams: (1) weekly resident rent (subscription-style recurring payment) booked through the IRH portal or paid in cash at the front desk, with flexible lease terms matched to visa program duration; and (2) employer housing contracts under which tourism and hospitality operators purchase blocks of housing for their seasonal workforce, outsourcing accommodation logistics. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed; rent is described as 'affordable.' Sales motion combines direct enterprise relationships with employers, referral pipelines through BridgeUSA/Intrax, and direct applications from individual participants. The company is privately held with no external venture funding disclosed.

Name

International Residence Hall

Legal name

International Residence Hall

Website

https://irhliving.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Residence Hall (IRH) builds, owns, and operates purpose-built dormitory-style housing across six U.S. campuses for seasonal international workforce — primarily BridgeUSA J1 work-travel participants, H2B laborers, and hospitality interns — serving tourism employers such as Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seasonal Workforce Housing

NAICS

Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce & Contract Worker Monthly Housing (THAMAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intern & Co-op Employer-Arranged Housing (THAMAGAD), University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing (THAMAGAA)

Keywords

• Seasonal workforce housing
• J1 visa housing
• Employee housing services
• Hospitality workforce accommodation
• International student housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Wisconsin Dells

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Resident Housing Rent: Weekly rent payments from J1, H2B, and intern residents who occupy the employee housing facilities. Rent is paid through the online portal or in cash at the front desk. The company emphasizes affordable rent as a core value.
2. Employer Housing Contracts: Contracts with local employers (tourism/hospitality businesses) to provide housing for their international workforce. Employers benefit from having steady access to seasonal workers who have safe, reliable housing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Residence Hall (IRH) owns and operates purpose-built dorm-style employee housing facilities across six U.S. locations (Wisconsin Dells, Pigeon Forge, Branson West, Big Cedar, Foley, Myrtle Beach) serving BridgeUSA J1 work-travel participants, H2B laborers, and U.S. interns with 3,000+ beds of capacity. Each facility features shared rooms with bunk beds, community kitchens and living spaces, RFID access control, 24/7 staffed front desks, live video monitoring, and an online resident portal for rent payments and communications. The company generates revenue from weekly resident rent and direct employer housing contracts with tourism and hospitality operators such as Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

Product overview

International Residence Hall (IRH) operates a portfolio of dorm-style employee housing facilities across six U.S. locations (Wisconsin Dells, WI; Pigeon Forge, TN; Branson West, MO; Big Cedar, MO; Foley, AL; and Myrtle Beach, SC) serving BridgeUSA J1 work-travel participants, H2B laborers, and U.S. interns. The core IRH Housing product features shared rooms with community kitchens, living spaces, and 24/7 staffing with RFID security. Complementing the housing operations is the affiliated 501(c)(3) non-profit International Angels, which powers cultural exchange programs, community events, educational workshops, and volunteer initiatives for residents. The Intern Program, run in partnership with BridgeUSA and Intrax, offers 9-12 month hospitality internships to international students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IRH Employee Housing Dorm-style employee housing for international workers including BridgeUSA J1 work-travel participants, H2B laborers, and U.S. interns. Features include shared rooms with bunk beds, community kitchens, common areas, RFID access, 24/7 staffing, live video monitoring, and affordable weekly rent. Available across six locations: Wisconsin Dells, WI; Pigeon Forge, TN; Branson West, MO; Big Cedar, MO; Foley, AL; and Myrtle Beach, SC.
• IRH Intern Program A 9-12 month internship program conducted in partnership with BridgeUSA and Intrax that provides international students and IRH residents with hands-on experience in the hospitality industry at IRH locations across the United States.
• International Angels Community Programs A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides cultural exchange programs, community events, educational workshops, and volunteer opportunities for international residents. Programs include Angel Relief Program, Community Events, Cultural Exchange Activities, Educational Workshops, Holiday Season of Sharing, Volunteer Angels, and the Intern Program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dollywood added 53 operational days to park calendar due to workforce availability from IRH housing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• AllFriendscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with AllFriends to offer exceptional tourism experiences for international residents. AllFriends provides organized trips to iconic U.S. destinations such as New York City, Chicago, and California, allowing students to explore American culture and create lasting memories.
• Help! A Language ExperiencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024International Angels partnered with Help! A Language Experience to offer customized workshops and e-courses focused on enhancing residents' written and verbal English skills, understanding American culture, and preparing for professional and social success.
• BridgeUSAflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024BridgeUSA is the visa sponsor program through which IRH provides housing for J1 intern participants. The internship program is conducted in partnership with BridgeUSA and Intrax, providing 9-12 month hands-on experience in hospitality at IRH locations.
• Intrax Work TravelflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Intrax is referenced as a program partner and considers IRH the 'Gold Standard' for J1 Summer Work Travel Program housing. Intrax recruits participants and refers them to IRH facilities.
• Boys & Girls ClubscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024International Angels partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs to deliver enriching gifts and supplies to local programs during the 2024 Holiday Season of Sharing in Pigeon Forge, Wisconsin Dells, and Branson communities.
• Holtz CompaniescoreOthers · 1 January 2023Holtz Companies is the parent/affiliated company that develops and builds the IRH housing facilities. Holtz Builders Inc. (HBI) constructed the $18 million Foley facility. Tom Holtz is Co-Owner of IRH and CEO of Holtz Companies.
• Poarch Creek IndiansmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Poarch Creek Indians partnered with Holtz Companies and the City of Foley to launch the innovative seasonal workforce complex in Foley, Alabama. This $18 million investment provides employee housing for over 600 residents.
• City of FoleymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The City of Foley partnered with Holtz Companies and Poarch Creek Indians to develop the IRH housing campus near the Gulf Shores beaches, supporting the coastal Alabama hospitality industry's need for seasonal workforce housing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Selina: Tourism-focused hostel and co-living brand operating in destination communities with mixed dorm and private rooms; comparable to IRH's dorm-style housing anchored in tourism-driven markets serving transient populations.
• Blueground: Furnished apartment provider for medium- to long-stay business travelers and relocating employees, with centralized operations; overlaps with IRH's workforce/student housing model and multi-month stay customer profile.
• The Scion Group: Student housing owner-operator and developer managing purpose-built residential communities near universities; comparable to IRH as a developer-operator providing dormitory housing to a defined seasonal population under multi-month leases.
• Chapter: Operator of purpose-built student housing communities with bundled services and a resident experience platform; comparable to IRH's dormitory housing-with-services offering to short-stay students/interns under managed operations.
• Stay Alfred: Corporate and group extended-stay apartment provider serving business travelers, interns, and relocating workforce; directly comparable to IRH's employer-arranged, multi-week-to-multi-month housing model for non-permanent residents.
• Kasa Living: Tech-enabled apartment-style lodging operator with flexible-stay units targeting travelers, relocations, and group housing; comparable to IRH's multi-week seasonal stays and remote-management operating model across multiple geographies.
• Sonder: Tech-enabled alternative accommodations operator offering short- and longer-stay units in destination cities with central booking and remote management; overlaps with IRH in multi-unit dormitory-style lodging for transient populations (workers, students, travelers).
• Roam: Co-living operator running shared residential properties with curated community experiences in destination markets; comparable to IRH's dorm-style housing with intentional programming (International Angels) for residents who stay for multi-month stays.
• Asset Campus Housing: Student housing third-party management firm operating purpose-built residence halls near universities; closely analogous to IRH in operating dormitory communities on a seasonal subscription model with university/institutional clients.

Broad incumbents

• Greystar: Largest U.S. multifamily and student housing operator and developer; comparable to IRH as a scaled, vertically integrated owner-operator of residential communities including student and workforce housing portfolios.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/irhliving
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-residence-hall
• Instagraminstagram.com/irhliving
• TikToktiktok.com/@irhliving

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Residence Hall