The Hotel Asset Management Intensive (HAMI)  is a nine-week program that introduces participants to hotel asset management through speaker events, discussions and and an integrative case study. Participants learn how asset managers balance owner goals, brand standards, and operator performance while making decisions on acquisitions, revenue, CapEx, and crisis response, gaining practical insight into the skills and responsibilities that drive long-term hotel value. 

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Cumulative Case Study

The program is anchored by a semester-long, cumulative case study that mirrors the lifecycle of a hotel investment. Working in small teams, students begin by pitching an acquisition to their assigned owner type, grounded in opportunity identification, market research, and risk analysis. As the semester progresses, teams shift to a value-creation and asset management strategy, focusing on capital planning, operational optimisation, and long-term positioning. The program culminates in an exit strategy presentation, challenging students to articulate how value was ultimately realised and communicated to ownership. This structured progression allows students to see how decisions evolve over time and how asset managers think beyond the initial acquisition.

 

Unparalleled Industry Exposure

HAMI features a curated lineup of industry speakers from across the hospitality real estate ecosystem, including asset managers, operators, designers, architects, and specialised consultants. These sessions expose students to how investment strategy, design, and operations intersect, and highlight how asset managers must manage all of these relationships. Speakers share career paths and decisions, offer insight into the wide range of roles within hotel asset management and assist students in their final presentations.

 

A Close-Knit Community

Real estate, especially hotels, relies on relationships, and HAMI is intentionally designed as a small, collaborative cohort of students who share a strong interest in hospitality asset management. Participants work closely together throughout the semester in debates, group projects and deal simulations, fostering meaningful peer relationships, open discussion, and shared learning. The program creates a supportive environment for students to explore a specialised niche within real estate, build confidence early in their academic careers, and connect with others who are equally passionate about hotels as a real estate career path.

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For any questions or inquiries, please reach out to Cyrus King (cbk47@cornell.edu), our Vice President of HAMI