Wave Hospitality Advisors

What Wave Hospitality Advisors does

Wave Hospitality Advisors Inc. is a privately-held hospitality advisory firm founded in 2009 by Jens von Gierke and headquartered in Laguna Niguel, California. The firm provides hotel asset management, development advisory, feasibility studies, and acquisition support to hotel owners, developers, lenders, and institutional investors, with a stated "owner's perspective" methodology derived from the founder's prior experience on both the ownership and operator sides of full-service and luxury hospitality. Core service lines cover the full asset lifecycle: feasibility analysis and market studies, brand selection and negotiation of management agreements (HMA, TSA, SLA, CMLA), development oversight, pre-opening support, and ongoing asset management. The firm operates on a professional-services revenue model with project-based, quote-based engagement fees and does not maintain a proprietary technology platform.

The company's customer base is concentrated in enterprise hospitality: engagements include the St. Regis Aspen (acquired 2010 with OptAsia), Crowne Plaza Resort Guam and Crowne Plaza Saipan (IHG rebrand work, 2022), a 192-room InterContinental Palau new-build, W Hoboken, Standard East Village, Residence Inn Jersey City, Element Harrison-Newark, Timber Cove Resort, and the Willow Village Hotel for Meta's corporate business in Menlo Park. Wave has direct working experience with Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, Kimpton, and Wyndham. Geographic reach spans California, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Guam, Saipan, Palau, and Mexico. A 2016 joint venture with Ironstate Development created Ironwave Hospitality, a related third-party hotel and restaurant management company that handles ongoing operations for several portfolio properties, while the 2020-established Wave Children's Foundation is a charitable affiliate.

The firm is founder-controlled, privately held with no disclosed outside equity, and operates with 1–10 employees. GTM is sales-led, relationship-driven, and dependent on the founder's 30 years of industry network rather than broad digital marketing. Marketing surfaces include a portfolio-style website, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. There are no patents, no proprietary software, no AI/ML capabilities disclosed, no API, and no mobile app. No funding rounds have been disclosed; revenue figures are not public.

Name

Wave Hospitality Advisors

Legal name

Wave Hospitality Advisors Inc.

Website

https://wavehospitalityadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wave Hospitality Advisors is a privately-held, founder-led boutique hospitality advisory firm providing hotel asset management, feasibility studies, development advisory, and acquisition support to hotel owners, developers, lenders, and institutional investors across the United States and select Pacific and international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Advisory Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitality (Hotels & Resorts) Asset Management (BPAJAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Strategy Advisory (BPAHADAA), Hospitality (Hotel) Property Management (BPAJAGAG), Hospitality Brokerage (BPAJABAE)

Keywords

• Hotel asset management
• Hospitality advisory
• Hotel feasibility studies
• Hotel development advisory
• Hotel acquisitions support

Headquarters

HQ city

Laguna Niguel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: Wave Hospitality generates revenue through professional advisory services including asset management, development advisory, feasibility studies, acquisition support, and lender advisory services. Revenue appears project-based and engagement-specific, working directly with hotel owners, developers, lenders, and institutions on hospitality assets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Wave Hospitality Advisors is a privately-held hospitality advisory firm providing hotel asset management, development advisory, feasibility studies, acquisition support, and lender advisory services to hotel owners, developers, lenders, and institutional investors. The firm guides hospitality projects from initial feasibility and brand negotiation through development, pre-opening, ongoing asset management, and eventual repositioning or exit, supported by a related management company, Ironwave Hospitality.

Product overview

Wave Hospitality Advisors is a hospitality advisory firm offering a unified suite of professional services centered around hotel asset management, development, feasibility studies, and acquisitions. The core advisory platform is complemented by Ironwave Hospitality, a related third-party management company providing operational, accounting and human resources services for managed properties. Services work together as a comprehensive offering: Wave Hospitality handles strategic advisory, feasibility analysis, brand negotiations, and asset management from inception through operations, while Ironwave Hospitality provides day-to-day hotel and restaurant management post-opening. The company manages a portfolio of hotel and resort projects across the United States and Pacific regions, including properties such as Crown Plaza Resort Guam, Crowne Plaza Saipan, InterContinental Palau, Residence Inn Jersey City, Element Harrison-Newark, Standard East Village, W Hoboken, and Timber Cove Resort.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hotel Asset Management Provides cost-effective solutions to hotel owners, developers, lenders, and institutions for managing and enhancing hospitality assets, with focus on maximizing return on investment through brand collaboration, financial analysis, revenue management strategy, and capital improvement planning.
• Hotel Development Advisory Turnkey development strategy offering full project management and owner's representation, including evaluation of stalled developments, due diligence management, and repositioning of hotel developments from inception through pre-opening.
• Hotel Feasibility Studies Customized feasibility analysis reports covering proposed sites, local market and demographics, hotel supply and demand pipeline, brand interest and availability, and overall best use of the land for hotel owners and developers.
• Hotel Acquisitions Support Identification of under-performing and value-add properties requiring redevelopment, repositioning, and investment to meet high underwriting and performance goals; includes lender advisory and workout support services.
• Hospitality Advisory and Consulting Services Other professional services including Hotel Management Agreement Review and Brand Negotiations (HMA, TSA, SLA, CMLA), Lender Advisory, Strategic Consulting, Restaurant/F&B Advisory, and Spa and Leisure Facility Consulting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful rebranding of properties including Fiesta Resort Guam to Crowne Plaza, opening December 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Wave Hospitality led successful negotiation of new management agreements with IHG for Crowne Plaza Guam (rebranded from Fiesta Resort), opening December 2022.
• Ironstate DevelopmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Joint venture partnership to form Ironwave Hospitality in 2016 with Ironstate Development, combining Wave's hospitality expertise with Ironstate's real estate development capabilities for hotel management services.
• OptAsiamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Wave Hospitality partnered with OptAsia for the successful acquisition of the St. Regis Aspen in Colorado in December 2010, with Wave serving as asset manager for several years following acquisition.
• Hilton Hotels and ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave Hospitality has experience developing, negotiating, renovating and operating with Hilton Hotels and Resorts brands. They work with brands from the owner's perspective, communicating with brand representatives on behalf of ownership to achieve optimal project outcomes.
• Hyatt Hotels and ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave Hospitality has experience developing, negotiating, renovating and operating with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. They maintain corporate relationships at the highest level to maximize brand leverage for owned assets.
• InterContinental Hotels and ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave Hospitality has extensive experience with InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, including successful negotiation of management agreements (e.g., Crowne Plaza Guam with IHG) and ongoing brand relationship management.
• Kimpton Hotels and RestaurantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave Hospitality provided brand agreement negotiation and development advisory for the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs, including pre-opening budget analysis, procurement reviews, punch walks, and staffing analysis.
• Marriott Hotels and ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave Hospitality has experience with Marriott brands including Element and Residence Inn, providing feasibility studies, brand negotiations, development advisory, and asset management services for properties like Element Harrison-Newark and Residence Inn Jersey City.
• Wyndham RewardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave Hospitality has experience developing, negotiating, renovating and operating with Wyndham Rewards hotel brands.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cushman & Wakefield Hospitality: Major global commercial real estate services firm with a dedicated hospitality group providing investment sales, debt placement, valuations, and consulting. Comparable to Wave on owner advisory, lender work, and feasibility, but as part of a broad incumbent platform.
• JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group: Major global real estate services firm's hotels group, providing investment advisory, asset management, valuations, and consulting. Comparable to Wave on owner advisory and hotel investment work, but at much larger global scale and broader service portfolio.
• Aimbridge Hospitality: Large third-party hotel management and asset management company operating a wide portfolio of franchised and independent properties. Comparable to Wave's operating exposure via Ironwave Hospitality, but at vastly larger scale and as a broad operator rather than a boutique advisor.
• CBRE Hotels & Hospitality: Global real estate services firm's dedicated hotels practice, providing investment sales, debt origination, valuations, and asset management for hospitality assets. Overlaps with Wave on owner advisory, lender work, and feasibility, but operates as a broad, full-service incumbent.
• Newmark Hotels & Hospitality: Global commercial real estate services firm with a dedicated hotels practice covering investment sales, debt and equity placement, and advisory. Overlaps with Wave on owner-side hotel investment and lender advisory but as part of a broad, scaled platform.

Direct peers

• HVS (Hospitality Valuation Services): Long-standing hospitality consulting and valuation firm offering feasibility, valuation, and asset management advisory to hotel owners, lenders, and investors. Directly comparable to Wave on feasibility, lender advisory, and hotel investment work, though at much larger global scale.
• HREC (Hospitality Real Estate Counselors): Specialized hospitality investment advisory and brokerage firm focused on hotel transactions, financing, and consulting for owners, developers, and lenders. Comparable to Wave in its owner-side hospitality M&A, financing, and consulting focus.
• The Plasencia Group: Boutique hospitality investment advisory firm focused on hotel and resort acquisitions, financing, and asset management for owners and investors. Closely comparable to Wave in size, business model, and client base of owners, developers, and lenders.
• LW Hospitality Advisors: Specialized hospitality consulting firm providing asset management, valuation, and investment advisory services to hotel owners, lenders, and institutions. Comparable to Wave in its owner-side, fee-based advisory model and lender workout work.
• Pinnacle Advisory Group: Hospitality-focused advisory firm providing consulting, asset management, and investment services to hotel owners and lenders. Comparable to Wave on boutique owner-representation engagements and lender-side workout support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wavehospitalityadvisors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wave-hospitality-advisors
• Instagraminstagram.com/wavehospitalityadvisors/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Wave Hospitality Advisors