Based Hospitality

Hospitality guidance and expertise—navigating projects from vision to reality.
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About

75 Years Of International Hospitality & Real Estate Development Experience

The most common and costly mistakes in hospitality projects are often preventable: underestimating development complexity and true costs, investing heavily in areas without strategic alignment, and overlooking the importance of building loyal, productive teams, to name a few. Expert guidance can help prevent expensive pitfalls and navigate challenges that do arise—from concept through operations.

This expertise is now available remotely and affordably, specifically geared toward projects that need expert guidance while keeping costs in line. The result is straightforward: projects get access to 75 years of hospitality expertise without the overhead of traditional consulting. You can tap into guidance for an hour, a phase, or an entire project—whatever your needs require.

Partners

John Burnett has spent over two decades working in hospitality across Germany, Czech Republic, Ireland, Costa Rica, and throughout the United States including California, New York, and Florida—primarily with boutique hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes, and authentic accommodation and F&B concepts. This experience spans hands-on development, operations, technology and systems implementation, and consulting across multiple markets and project types—not just as a consultant, but as an entrepreneur and owner who has invested personal capital and taken real risk in these ventures.

Adrian Poveda is a seasoned hotel development professional with over 25 years of experience. He has made a mark in iconic destinations, pioneering the first hostel in Costa Rica and the only Latin-owned hostel in Miami Beach. Currently, he represents a luxury brand specializing in high-end camping tents, taking his passion for hospitality to new heights. As an investor, he has built a diversified portfolio with over $20 million in properties in Costa Rica and Miami, including villas, Airbnb buildings, bars, and restaurants. His growth record in Northern Costa Rica is a testament to his strategic vision and leadership in the real estate and hospitality market.

Andrés Poveda is a hospitality entrepreneur and pioneer with over 25 years of experience in Costa Rica’s tourism and development sector. He is recognized for launching the country’s first hostel concept—sparking a nationwide network—and opening Costa Rica’s first mixology bar. His portfolio spans budget to high-end hospitality, with each project conceived, designed, and operated with a deep understanding of the experiential travel market. Holding a law degree completed with honors, he brings both strategic vision and legal insight to hospitality development. Today he offers guidance to entrepreneurs and companies seeking to develop, position, or scale hospitality projects in Costa Rica and beyond.

The best problems are the ones you never have to solve.

Early guidance steers projects away from costly delays and unforeseen complications.

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Concept Development

Advising you through market positioning, concept refinement, and feasibility analysis—leveraging 24 years of international hospitality and real estate development experience to help you develop a concept that stands out and succeeds, whether it’s a boutique hotel, luxury RV resort, or unique F&B venue.

  • Market analysis and competitive positioning guidance
  • Concept refinement and unique value proposition development
  • Service level and type matching to target market and location
  • Site selection and real estate development strategy consultation
  • Feasibility study review and financial viability assessment
  • Brand identity and guest experience design consultation
  • Interior designer, branding company, and vendor proposal review and selection guidance
  • Web development strategy and vendor proposal evaluation
  • Amenity planning and service model advisory

Business Structure & Document Review

Advising on business structure decisions and reviewing critical agreements from an owner’s perspective—helping you spot red flags, understand your risk profile, and negotiate terms that promote project harmony while avoiding unforeseen eventualities that could disrupt progress.

  • Business entity selection and structure advisory
  • Partnership and operating agreement review
  • Financial pro-forma development and review
  • Vendor and supplier contract analysis and negotiation guidance
  • Property lease and ground lease agreement review
  • Investor documentation and term sheet consultation
  • Risk assessment and mitigation strategy based on 24 years of experience

Pre-Construction Planning

Guiding coordination between architects, engineers, and consultants—ensuring your design serves both guest experience and operational efficiency. Taking the time to plan thoroughly before incurring development costs is critical for project success, allowing you to optimize operations and avoid costly plan revisions while keeping coordination between trades streamlined to prevent complications and delays.

  • Design-to-operations alignment advisory (room layout, kitchen flow, guest circulation, amenity placement)
  • Plan and drawing review to ensure accuracy to site conditions, equipment specifications, and MEP coordination
  • Budget development, review, and cost control strategy
  • Timeline planning and milestone guidance
  • Permitting and zoning strategy consultation
  • Architect, engineer, and specialist coordination advisory
  • FF&E (furniture, fixtures, equipment) and OS&E (operating supplies & equipment) planning and procurement guidance
  • Technology systems, back of house facilities, staff areas, storage, loading/unloading, and parking planning

Development Guidance

Strategic oversight and advisory throughout development—helping you coordinate professionals, spot issues early, and make informed decisions from groundbreaking to opening day while minimizing costs without compromising operational efficiency or project quality.

  • General contractor and sub-contractor selection criteria and vetting guidance
  • Construction budget and bid review from GC and sub-contractors
  • Construction progress review and quality control advisory
  • Change order analysis and cost management strategy
  • Professional coordination guidance (architects, engineers, permit expediters, inspectors)
  • Problem-solving consultation and decision-making support
  • Pre-opening preparation and operational readiness advisory

Operational Guidance

Advisory support for building healthy, efficient operations—helping you develop systems and processes that create a balanced, competitive hospitality business across all service areas, optimizing through technology and strategic investment to minimize workload and maximize focus on guest experience.

  • Standard operating procedure (SOP) development for accommodation and F&B
  • Guest service delivery and experience optimization advisory
  • Technology implementation and strategic investment to streamline operations
  • Revenue management and pricing strategy consultation
  • Cost control and profitability improvement strategies
  • Vendor management and supply chain consultation
  • Quality assurance and brand consistency protocols
  • Performance metrics and KPI guidance

Team Building & Staff Management

Consulting on team development and leadership strategies—helping you build loyal, motivated teams that stay committed through both prosperous and challenging times. True team loyalty is tested when business slows and hours are reduced, which is precisely when you need it most. Through proven management approaches developed over 24 years, this guidance helps you build the kind of dedication that weathers any storm.

  • Hiring strategy and recruitment guidance for all departments
  • Clear expectations and mutual commitments establishment from day one
  • Leadership development and management training advisory
  • Company culture and values consultation
  • Staff retention and loyalty-building strategies for all business cycles
  • Training program development guidance
  • Conflict resolution and team dynamics consultation

Systems & Technology

Technology selection and implementation guidance—helping you choose and deploy the right systems to streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance the guest experience across your property while ensuring compatibility and integration between all systems to achieve efficiency without bottlenecks. Utilizing free and open source technologies where possible for cost savings and enhanced privacy.

  • Property Management System (PMS) selection and integration consultation
  • Point of Sale (POS) and F&B technology guidance
  • Reservation, booking, and channel management advisory
  • Guest communication, CRM, and review management systems
  • Housekeeping and maintenance management technology
  • Inventory and procurement technology guidance
  • Networking, WiFi infrastructure, and security camera systems
  • Sound systems and entertainment technology
  • Bill pay software and payment processing (including Bitcoin integration)
  • Encrypted email, data storage, and secure internal communication solutions
  • Web development and web systems integration
  • Access control technology (key card systems and hardware)
  • Staff scheduling software and payroll system evaluation and integration
  • System compatibility assessment and integration strategy
  • Open source technology evaluation and implementation for cost and privacy benefits
  • Operational efficiency software and automation consultation

Crisis Management & Prevention

Providing objective perspective when projects face critical challenges—offering unbiased analysis and strategic guidance to navigate obstacles and get back on track. With experience guiding hospitality projects through the 2008 Financial Crisis, COVID shutdowns, and various economic downturns, this advisory helps projects adapt to changing conditions, preserve team loyalty, and emerge stronger than before.

  • Project assessment and turnaround strategy
  • Cash flow challenge consultation
  • Partnership dispute guidance, including incapacitation, death of partner, and heir relations—helping deescalate and navigate complex situations
  • Construction delay problem-solving advisory
  • Vendor and contractor conflict consultation
  • Landlord relationship management and lease renegotiation guidance
  • High inflation environment navigation and sound money treasury strategies
  • Regulatory and compliance issue navigation
  • Economic adaptation and resilience strategy
  • Rapid assessment and corrective action planning
  • Preventive strategy development