Masters of Moments Experience is the New Asset Class - Sean Hehir - President & CEO - Trinity Investments
Nov 5, 2025
Sean Hehir, President & CEO of Trinity Investments, dives into the future of hospitality by embracing AI for operations and predictive analytics. He discusses the rise of experiential travel and its impact on hotel investments, contrasting unique experiences with commodity assets. Sean shares insights from major renovations like The Diplomat, highlighting the importance of culture and leadership in scaling a global firm. He also explores strategies for navigating joint ventures and maintaining a strong company culture amidst growth.
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Create Longer Hold Vehicles For Irreplaceable Assets
- Underwrite assets for five-year holds but seek structures to retain long-term winners in separate vehicles.
- Consider continuation or private REIT vehicles to hold irreplaceable assets and protect investor returns.
Prioritize Counterparty Quality
- Continuously assess counterparty risk: lenders, operators, and JV partners affect outcomes when markets shift.
- Prefer partners who will work shoulder-to-shoulder through downturns.
Sold The East With Cap-Rate Discipline
- Trinity sold The East at roughly the same cap rate they bought it at after operational improvements boosted cash flow.
- Keeping cap-rate discipline going in and going out still delivered strong investor returns.