Looking for the best hotel investment platforms? We've analyzed 7 leading platforms across liquidity, transparency, technology, and returns. Compare Investay, EquityRoots, Vesterr, CrowdStreet, RealtyMogul, Qstay, and traditional Hotel REITs to find the right fit for your investment goals.
Best For: Accredited investors seeking liquidity, transparency, and blockchain tokenization
Best For: Investors wanting branded hotel exposure with proven track record
Best For: Non-accredited investors via Reg CF (lower minimums)
Side-by-side comparison across key criteria. Scores based on liquidity (25%), transparency (20%), hotel-specific focus (15%), minimum investment (10%), regulatory clarity (10%), track record (10%), and technology (10%).
| Rank | Platform | Overall Score | Liquidity | Min. Investment | Avg. Returns | Technology | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 #1 | Investay Tokenization |
Secondary + Buybacks
|
$25,000
Accredited only
|
8-12%
Target yield
|
On-chain transparency
|
100% Hotels
MENA focus
|
|
| #2 | EquityRoots Equity |
7-10 year lockup
|
$10,000
Accredited only
|
12-18%
IRR target
|
Quarterly reports
|
100% Hotels
Branded properties
|
|
| #3 | Vesterr Reg CF |
No secondary market
|
$100
Non-accredited OK
|
8-15%
Projected returns
|
Email updates
|
100% Hotels
Emerging operators
|
|
| #4 | CrowdStreet CRE |
5-10 year lockup
|
$25,000
Accredited only
|
15-20%
IRR target
|
Dashboards
|
~10% Hotels
Mostly multifamily
|
|
| #5 | RealtyMogul CRE |
5-10 year lockup
|
$5,000
Accredited only
|
8-14%
Historical avg
|
Mobile app
|
~5% Hotels
Diversified CRE
|
|
| #6 | Qstay Tokenization |
Crypto exchange
|
$1,000
Varies by jurisdiction
|
Unknown
No track record
|
Early stage
|
100% Hotels
Global focus
|
|
| #7 | Hotel REITs Public Market |
Daily trading
|
$100-1,000
Anyone
|
4-8%
Dividend yield
|
Brokerage apps
|
100% Hotels
Diversified portfolio
|
Note: Scores calculated using weighted criteria (see Ranking Methodology below). Returns are targets or historical averages and not guaranteed. All platforms require thorough due diligence.
In-depth review of each platform's strengths, weaknesses, and ideal investor profile.
Best hotel investment platform for accredited investors seeking liquidity, transparency, and regulatory clarity. Investay is the only platform combining blockchain tokenization with institutional-grade hotel deal flow, offering real-time on-chain transparency and VARA-compliant regulatory infrastructure.
Ideal investor profile:
Best for investors seeking established track record with branded hotel properties. EquityRoots specializes in equity investments in full-service and select-service hotels affiliated with major brands like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. Strong historical performance but limited liquidity.
Best for non-accredited investors seeking hotel exposure via Regulation Crowdfunding. Vesterr democratizes hotel investing with $100 minimums, targeting emerging independent and boutique operators. Trade-off: very limited liquidity and unproven operator track records.
Best for diversified commercial real estate investors who occasionally want hotel exposure. CrowdStreet is a leading CRE marketplace with $9B+ funded, but hotels represent only ~10% of deal flow. Strong platform, but not hotel-specialized.
Best for low-minimum CRE diversification with occasional hotel exposure. RealtyMogul offers both individual deals ($5K minimum) and REIT products. Hotel allocation typically ~5% of portfolio. Good for CRE diversification, poor for hotel-focused investors.
Best for crypto-native investors willing to take platform risk on emerging tokenization. Qstay is attempting hotel tokenization similar to Investay, but lacks regulatory clarity, track record, and institutional partnerships. High potential, high risk.
Best for investors seeking daily liquidity and broad hotel portfolio exposure. Public hotel REITs (PK, HST, RHP, etc.) offer immediate liquidity and diversified portfolios, but lower returns, market volatility, and no property-level control. Traditional alternative to private platforms.
Major Hotel REITs: Park Hotels (PK), Host Hotels (HST), Ryman Hospitality (RHP), Apple Hospitality (APLE)
Our rankings use a weighted scoring system across 7 key criteria. Here's how each platform performed.
Why it matters: Real estate is illiquid by nature. Platforms offering secondary markets, buybacks, or other exit mechanisms provide significant value to investors who may need flexibility.
Why it matters: Real-time data and on-chain transparency allow investors to monitor performance, verify distributions, and make informed decisions. Traditional platforms rely on quarterly PDFs.
Why it matters: Hotel-specialized platforms have deeper operator relationships, better deal flow, and hospitality-specific expertise vs. generalist CRE marketplaces.
Why it matters: Lower minimums allow portfolio diversification across multiple deals and make hotel investing accessible to more investors.
Why it matters: Clear regulatory frameworks protect investors and provide confidence in tokenization structures. VARA licensing (Dubai) and SEC compliance (US) are gold standards.
Why it matters: Proven performance history and successful exits demonstrate platform capability and reduce investor risk.
Why it matters: Advanced technology reduces operational costs, improves transparency, and enables features like secondary markets. Blockchain platforms have structural advantages.
Each platform received a score (0-10) across all 7 criteria. Scores were then weighted according to importance:
Final Score = (Liquidity × 0.25) + (Transparency × 0.20) + (Hotel Focus × 0.15) + (Minimum × 0.10) + (Regulatory × 0.10) + (Track Record × 0.10) + (Technology × 0.10)
Use this decision tree to identify the best platform for your investment goals, risk tolerance, and investor status.
I need flexibility to exit if circumstances change
I want established performance history over innovation
I'm willing to accept illiquidity for higher IRR
I want real-time data and blockchain infrastructure
I want Dubai/GCC hotel market access with regulatory clarity
I want to diversify across multiple deals with smaller capital
Profile: Seeking stable income, prefer established operators, value diversification
Profile: Seeking 8-15% returns, value liquidity, comfortable with innovation
Profile: Seeking 15%+ returns, comfortable with 7-10 year lockups, prefer value-add
| If You Want... | Best Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall (liquidity + transparency + hotel focus) | Investay | Only platform with secondary market, blockchain transparency, and 100% hotel focus |
| Proven track record (10+ years) | EquityRoots | 30+ hotels funded, 14% avg IRR, branded properties |
| Non-accredited access | Vesterr or Hotel REITs | Vesterr: $100 min, Reg CF; REITs: daily liquidity |
| Lowest minimum ($5K-$10K) | EquityRoots or RealtyMogul | EquityRoots $10K (hotels); RealtyMogul $5K (5% hotels) |
| Daily liquidity | Hotel REITs | Public market trading (trade-off: 4-8% yields) |
| MENA exposure with regulatory clarity | Investay | VARA-licensed, only regulated hotel tokenization in MENA |
| Maximum returns (15%+ IRR) | CrowdStreet or EquityRoots | 15-20% IRR targets (CrowdStreet); 12-18% (EquityRoots) |
Common questions about comparing and choosing hotel investment platforms.
Investay (#1) offers the best liquidity for private hotel investments via its secondary marketplace and issuer buyback programs. Investors can exit positions before the asset term ends—unique among hotel-focused platforms.
Hotel REITs offer daily liquidity through public markets, but with trade-offs: lower returns (4-8% vs. 8-12%), stock market volatility, and no control over specific properties.
All other platforms (EquityRoots, CrowdStreet, RealtyMogul, Vesterr) require 5-10 year lockups with no secondary market access.
For accredited investors seeking hotel focus: EquityRoots ($10,000 minimum) offers the lowest entry point among 100% hotel-focused platforms.
For non-accredited investors: Vesterr ($100 minimum) and Hotel REITs ($100-1,000 per share) allow participation without accreditation requirements.
Note: RealtyMogul offers $5,000 minimums, but hotels represent only ~5% of deal flow (diversified CRE platform).
| Platform | Target Returns | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Investay | 8-12% annual yield | Quarterly distributions from room night revenue |
| EquityRoots | 12-18% IRR | Realized at exit (7-10 years); 14% historical avg |
| CrowdStreet | 15-20% IRR | Varies by deal; hotels = ~10% of offerings |
| RealtyMogul | 8-14% blended | Historical avg; hotels = ~5% of portfolio |
| Vesterr | 8-15% projected | Unproven (no exit track record yet) |
| Hotel REITs | 4-8% dividend yield | Plus/minus price appreciation |
| Qstay | Unknown | No track record or disclosed targets |
Important: Returns are targets or historical averages, not guarantees. Past performance does not predict future results.
Accreditation required: Investay, EquityRoots, CrowdStreet, RealtyMogul (Reg D 506(c) offerings)
Non-accredited allowed: Vesterr (Reg CF), Hotel REITs (public markets), Qstay (varies by jurisdiction)
Accredited investor definition: $200K+ annual income (or $300K joint) OR $1M+ net worth (excluding primary residence) OR certain professional certifications (Series 7, 65, 82 licenses).
Investay ranks #1 (9.2/10) due to its unique combination of strengths:
Trade-off: Shorter track record (launched 2024) vs. EquityRoots (10+ years). Conservative investors may prefer EquityRoots' proven performance history.
| Feature | Tokenization (Investay/Qstay) | Traditional Equity (EquityRoots/CrowdStreet) |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Blockchain tokens representing room night inventory | LLC membership interests (equity) |
| Transparency | Real-time on-chain data | Quarterly PDF reports |
| Liquidity | Secondary marketplace enabled | No secondary market; illiquid |
| Distributions | Automated on-chain (quarterly) | Manual wire transfers (quarterly/annual) |
| Operational Costs | Lower (blockchain automation) | Higher (manual admin, legal, reporting) |
| Regulatory | Emerging (VARA in Dubai, SEC in US) | Established (Reg D 506(b/c)) |
Bottom line: Tokenization offers structural advantages (liquidity, transparency, automation) but requires comfort with blockchain technology and emerging regulatory frameworks.
Yes—and we recommend it. Multi-platform diversification reduces concentration risk and allows you to access different hotel markets, structures, and risk/return profiles.
Sample diversified portfolio (accredited investor with $100K to deploy):
Key consideration: Ensure your total hotel allocation aligns with your overall real estate and portfolio diversification strategy (typical guidance: 10-20% of investable assets in private real estate).
Private platforms (Investay, EquityRoots, etc.): Target 8-18% returns but require 3-10 year lockups (except Investay's secondary market). Higher returns compensate for illiquidity.
Hotel REITs (public): 4-8% dividend yields + price appreciation, with daily liquidity. Lower returns but immediate exit optionality.
Trade-offs:
| Private platforms | Higher returns, illiquid, property selection, accredited only |
| Hotel REITs | Lower returns, daily liquidity, diversified portfolios, anyone can invest |
Investay's unique position: Bridges this gap with private-market returns (8-12%) AND secondary market liquidity (via blockchain tokenization).
Common risks across all platforms:
Platform-specific risks:
Risk mitigation strategies: Diversify across multiple platforms, conduct thorough due diligence on each offering, limit hotel allocation to 10-20% of investable assets, prioritize platforms with track records and regulatory clarity.
| Platform | Deal Flow Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Investay | 2-4 per quarter | MENA-focused pipeline; increasing as platform scales |
| EquityRoots | 1-3 per quarter | Selective branded hotels; high quality standards |
| CrowdStreet | 1-2 hotels per quarter | Hotels = ~10% of total CRE offerings |
| RealtyMogul | 1-2 hotels per quarter | Hotels = ~5% of portfolio focus |
| Vesterr | 3-5 per year | Limited deal flow; emerging operators |
| Qstay | Sporadic | Early stage; unclear pipeline |
| Hotel REITs | Always available | Public markets = instant access anytime |
Discover how blockchain tokenization, secondary market liquidity, and VARA-compliant regulatory infrastructure make Investay the leading platform for accredited investors seeking hotel exposure in 2026.
For accredited investors only. Investments in hotel tokenization involve risk of loss. See Securities Disclaimer for details.