Kern Patel joined DSH Hotel Advisors in 2025 as an Investment Associate, bringing with him a strong foundation in hospitality operations and investment strategy. With hands-on experience spanning front desk operations through hotel management within his family-owned hotels and properties, he has developed a comprehensive understanding of hotel performance, operational challenges, and key value drivers. Passionate about client management and relationship building, he focuses on cultivating long-term partnerships while optimizing investment outcomes through operational efficiency and strategic advisory insights.
Kern holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of South Carolina- Columbia. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he supports clients with data-driven analysis, market insight, and a collaborative, hands-on approach to maximizing hotel asset value. Outside of work, Kern enjoys spending time on the golf course and maintaining an active lifestyle.
Guillermo Ortega is a hospitality executive with more than 26 years of experience leading hotel openings, transitions, and operations across South Florida and the CALA region. He has worked with top brands including Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Wyndham, La Quinta, and Extended Stay, and with management companies such as Highgate, Trust Hospitality, and Blackstone. His Miami portfolio includes The Elser Hotel & Residences, Circa, The Goodtime Hotel, and Hotel Continental, along with international projects in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Tulum, Trinidad, and Curaçao. With over three years of real estate experience specializing in land and mixed-use development, Guillermo serves as an Investment Associate at DSH Hotel Advisors, applying his operational and development expertise to support clients in achieving successful hotel transactions.
Based on the Gulf Coast, Alexis Hajjar joined DSH Hotel Advisors in 2025 as an Investment Associate. She brings a dynamic and results-driven approach, grounded in a diverse background in commercial real estate, land acquisitions, and entrepreneurship.
While earning her Business Administration degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, Alexis founded and scaled a commercial cleaning service catering to regional corporate clients. This early venture sharpened her leadership and operational skills, which continue to inform her work today.
Alexis launched her real estate career focusing on residential land acquisitions, collaborating with developers to identify, evaluate, and secure sites for single-family home developments. Her expertise spans zoning analysis, feasibility studies, and deal negotiations—consistently driving successful outcomes and long-term value.
Known for her strategic mindset, client-centered approach, and strong work ethic, Alexis consistently brings energy and focus to every engagement.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, taking hot yoga classes, and relaxing with her dog, Cotton.
Vandan A. Patel joined DSH Hotel Advisors in 2023 as an Associate Intern, quickly ascending to a full-time Senior Investment Associate. His tenure at the company is characterized by his diligent assessment and analysis of a wide array of hotel investment deals, demonstrating his financial expertise and deep industry knowledge. Raised in a family that owns and operates hotels, Vandan possesses an innate insight into the operational challenges and complexities of the hotel industry, giving him a competitive edge. His hands-on experience with leading hotel brands, including Choice, Best Western, Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham, provides him with a unique perspective on daily hotel operations.
Vandan holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Georgia, with a focus on pricing and valuation, and has further enriched his knowledge with a certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University. Along with being a lifetime member of AAHOA, Vandan is currently pursuing his Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) certificate, underscoring his commitment to excellence and continuous advancement within the industry. In his free time, Vandan likes to play golf and competitive volleyball, reflecting his diverse interests and commitment to a balanced lifestyle.
Sam Patel is a seasoned hotel broker with over 15 years of hands-on experience as a Marriott branded hotel owner, providing him with a profound understanding of the hospitality industry. Throughout his tenure, Sam has garnered numerous accolades, including ‘General Manager of the Year’ and ‘Hotel of the Year’ recognition, attesting to his commitment to excellence. Transitioning seamlessly from successful hotel ownership and operations in 2021 to Hotel Brokerage, Sam has dedicated himself to guiding clients through intricate transactions, while optimizing their investments in hospitality.
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, his home since 1988, Sam joined DSH Hotel Advisors, where his reputation for excellence and extensive network of hotel owners have solidified him as a respected and influential figure in the industry. With a relentless focus on delivering exceptional results, Sam is committed to leveraging extensive industry knowledge in facilitating successful transactions and maximizing value for clients in the hospitality sector.
Tyler A. Quijano has quickly become a valuable member of the DSH Hotel Advisors team, bringing with him a robust background in real estate with a history of working closely with private investors in the residential real estate sector. Tyler has skillfully adapted his expertise to align with the distinct requirements of the hospitality industry. His proficiency in addressing the multi-faceted needs of each client highlights his dedication to offering personalized, client-centric solutions, underscoring his commitment to excellence within the hospitality sector.
Recognized for his focus on relationship-building, Tyler is not only an engaging communicator, but also deeply committed to forging lasting connections that go beyond mere individual transactions. His dedication to understanding and meeting the unique needs of each client has established him as a trusted advisor within the hospitality industry. Tyler is driven by a passion for community engagement and sustainable business practices, reflecting DSH Hotel Advisors’ commitment to the marketplace. His approach to serving his clients embodies hospitality while creating meaningful experiences and enduring value for clients.
Mattthew J. Lawrence has dedicated over 25 years to hospitality asset management and transactional experience in Florida, showcasing both his multi-million-dollar production in real estate brokerages, to his operational expertise in various roles from General Manager to multi-property portfolio management. With a diverse background spanning every type of hotel property, from corporately run Extended Stay America hotels to franchised select service, and large full-service resorts, Matt brings a wealth of experience in the market.
In 2016, Matt’s leadership journey reached new heights as he became a managing partner and Vice President of Operations within an ownership group that acquired a 200-room Choice Hotels franchised property, just a mile from Walt Disney World. Under his guidance as an owner-operator, the property experienced significant growth, with top-line revenues increasing by over $1MM before its successful disposition in 2022.
Matt’s dedication to excellence has been recognized with over 20 industry awards for sales, service, and operational excellence throughout his career. Post-disposition of his hotel, Matt transitioned seamlessly into consulting for hospitality ownership groups, providing invaluable insights into revenue management, operations, and financial analysis.
Dylan N. Amin joined DSH Hotel Advisors in October 2020 and has since advised on and closed multiple substantial hotel transactions, propelling him to quickly rise to Vice President Investments at the firm. Coming from a derivatives trading background at JP Morgan, global equities trading at Rockefeller & Co., and having underwritten multiple types of businesses for his personal portfolio, Dylan brings a breadth of skills and knowledge to the firm, allowing him to provide value to clients on various levels. With his background in Finance, and his family’s first hotel acquisition in 2019, Dylan has quickly gained the knowledge and experience to be a well-rounded hotel specialist within the firm.
Dylan has earned a Finance degree from Penn State University, where he played NCAA Division III golf, and has developed a passion for investing in real estate.
Randy B. Taylor joined DSH Hotel Advisors in December 2018 as a hotel investment specialist and quickly rose to Senior Vice President of Investments. With experience across all hotel asset classes, Randy has built a reputation as one of the firm’s top hospitality investment advisors, representing owners, operators, developers, and institutional investors nationwide.
Over the course of his career, Randy has sold, advised on, or analyzed more than $1 billion in commercial real estate hotel transactions, giving him deep insight into valuation, deal structuring, and market dynamics across diverse ownership profiles. Today, his practice is increasingly focused on higher-quality, institutional-grade, and value-add hospitality assets, while continuing to leverage his broad transactional background across the sector. Randy brings over a decade of real estate experience and a well-rounded, operator-minded perspective to hospitality investment advisory. In 2022 and 2025, he was recognized with the Crexi Platinum Broker Award, placing him in the top 1% of brokers nationwide on the industry’s leading platform. He was also named a CoStar Power Broker in both 2023 and 2024.
Randy holds a B.A. in Marketing, Advertising, and Applied Communication from Barry University, where he competed as a Division II Men’s Soccer athlete and participated in NCAA National Championships from 2009–2012.
Dennis S. Hopper, CCIM serves as DSH Hotel Advisors Managing Principal and Founder. Mr. Hopper has analyzed and advised on over $3 Billion worth of hotel assets nationally and has approximately $650 Million in recent hotel sales across most major hotel brands, including: Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Best Western, Choice Hotels, Wyndham, Red Roof Inns, Radisson Hotel Group, and independently flagged properties. He has extensive experience in hotel dispositions resulting from and related to bankruptcy, foreclosure, short-sales, auctions, and traditional market sales. Mr. Hopper has been interviewed, quoted and published by multiple publications including, Hotel Business, Growth Spotter, Hotel News Now, Lodging Magazine and others.
He previously served as Senior Investment Agent for Marcus & Millichap – a national commercial real estate brokerage firm – and Associate Director of the firm’s National Hospitality Group. Mr. Hopper holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Capella University and previously served as a Non-Commissioned Officer and Paratrooper in the U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division, where he completed multiple tours overseas.
