Real Estate Counsel for Hospitality Owners
For the People Running a Business on Top of an Asset
Hospitality real estate is an operating business sitting on top of an asset, governed by management agreements, franchise agreements, liquor licenses, and a regulatory landscape that shifts from one jurisdiction to the next. You need counsel who understands all of it, not just the real estate on paper.
More About What We Handle
- Hotel and Resort Acquisitions and Dispositions: Purchase and sale agreements, due diligence coordination, and assumption or termination of management and franchise agreements.
- Hospitality Financing and Refinancing: Loan documentation, collateral structuring around operating businesses, and coordination with hospitality-specific lender requirements.
- Management Agreement Negotiation: Hotel and resort management agreements, performance standards, and termination rights.
- Franchise Agreement Review and Negotiation: Brand-affiliated agreements, area development rights, and property improvement plans.
- Restaurant and Retail Leasing Within Hospitality Properties: Leases for restaurant, retail, and amenity tenants within hotel and resort properties.
- Restaurant Site Leasing and Acquisition: Lease negotiation and acquisition counsel for restaurant operators, including liquor license considerations and build-out provisions.
- Operational and Regulatory Matters: Liquor licensing coordination, food service permitting, and regulatory matters that intersect with the underlying real estate.
- Multi-Jurisdictional and International Transactions: Coordination with local counsel on out-of-state and cross-border hospitality transactions.
❝ Hospitality is the kind of practice where the transaction is never just the transaction. There is always an operating business, a brand relationship, a regulatory layer, or a cross-jurisdictional consideration that has to be accounted for. That complexity is what makes the work interesting. ❞
- Angelique Thomas, Founder, Vellum Law
Our Representative Transactions
Our hospitality clients trust us with the work that shapes their portfolios, from boutique hotel acquisitions to resort refinancings to restaurant leasing rollouts. View a selection of these here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions clients ask most before they engage us.
What types of hospitality clients does Vellum Law work with?
Vellum Law represents hotel owners, resort owners, restaurant operators, and hospitality investors with a primary focus on Florida and New York. Our clients range from boutique hotel ownership groups to multi-unit restaurant operators to investors holding hospitality assets within broader real estate portfolios.
Does Vellum Law handle management and franchise agreements?
Yes. Management agreement and franchise agreement negotiation is a core part of our hospitality practice. We negotiate hotel and resort management agreements, brand-affiliated franchise agreements, area development agreements, and the long-term operator and brand relationships that shape how a hospitality asset performs.
Can Vellum Law handle hospitality transactions outside of Florida and New York?
Yes. While Florida and New York are the heart of our hospitality practice, we regularly counsel clients on transactions in other states and on cross-border matters when their portfolios take them beyond our home markets. We coordinate with local counsel in the relevant jurisdiction and manage the multi-jurisdictional issues that surface in those deals.
Does Vellum Law represent restaurant operators?
Yes. We represent restaurant operators on site leasing, acquisitions, build-out negotiations, liquor licensing coordination, and the operational matters that intersect with their real estate footprint. Our restaurant clients include independent operators and multi-unit groups expanding across South Florida and Manhattan.
How does Vellum Law coordinate with hospitality-specific consultants and brokers?
Hospitality transactions almost always involve specialized consultants, including hospitality brokers, valuation consultants, and operational advisors. We are accustomed to working as part of a broader advisory team and coordinate closely with hospitality-specific vendors throughout every transaction.