Eastern Hospitality Advisors

Since 1984, the biggest names in hospitality have counted on Eastern Hospitality Advisors (EHA) of Buffalo, New York, for quality construction of hotels, motels and extended stay accommodations. Douglas Vanstrom founded the business more than 30 years ago as a commercial construction management operation. In 1985, the business picked up its first hotel project and has since grown, fostering a reputation for value and dependability.

For several years the business maintained a broad scope of work in the commercial sector before shifting focus to the hospitality market exclusively. EHA’s footprint has expanded to include projects across the U.S., though Vanstrom says work is still concentrated in the Northeast. With an additional office in Philadelphia, the company’s staff consists of 31 full-time employees.

“Because we specialize solely in hotels, we aren’t distracted by any other markets,” says Vanstrom. “We have become a household name in hospitality construction. We do our best to provide impeccable service and save money for our clients.”

A growing portfolio

The firm’s track record for quality construction has attracted major hospitality brands over the years. EHA has completed projects for Hilton, Howard Johnson, Best Western, LaQuinta, Holiday Inn, Marriott and other well-known chains of hotels and motels. With over 100 years of combined expertise and the resources to provide quality and value on a national scale, the company continues to expand its portfolio, reaching new markets and new brands on a regular basis.

EHA just finished the new Spring Hill Suites for Marriott in Bridgeport, West Virginia. This hotel project serves as a prototype for the chain. At four stories and 97 rooms, the 66,635-square-foot project was completed on a tight schedule – just under one year. Marriott, a repeat client of the firm, relied on EHA to turn around an efficient and successful project and saved $300,000 versus what the chain would have paid another contractor.

Another recent project for an important repeat client is the Hampton Inn in Niagara Falls, New York. The four-story, 79-room hotel was completed ahead of schedule and opened in June 2014. EHA was able to fast-track the project, reducing construction time by two months and saving the owner $394,000.The hotel received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2015.

EHA has a strong and growing backlog. Currently underway, the company is on-site at projects including a new Hampton Inn at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and another in Yonkers, New York. The firm is also launching an endeavor for Aloft, a growing airport hotel chain, and continues to serve its many repeat hospitality clients.

Steady, progressive growth

Vanstrom and his colleagues use traditional measures to gauge success – margins and sustainable growth are important indicators. “We also think about our success in terms of completed contracts and satisfied customers,” he says.  “We want to do what we set out to do, meet our projection and deliver a quality end product. Around 90 percent of our business comes from repeat customers, which is important in this market.”

The leadership team takes great pride in the company’s longevity. However, even after years of success and growth Vanstrom says his team faces different challenge every day. “There is so much to be done and so many engines to keep running,” he explains. “That’s what gets me excited to come to work every day.”

EHA has been able to grow and become a preferred builder for all the major flagship hotel chains. On regular basis, the business has excelled at addressing franchise changes and continuous updating and prototypes. Few contractors rival EHA in this kind of experience, which makes the company an ideal construction partner for major hotels.

Over the coming years, Vanstrom is looking forward to continued growth. “We are going to continue to raise the bar in what we are able to do and where we are able to go,” he explains. “Our company is one of the biggest in the country that is right on the cutting edge of all the changes that are going on in this industry. We don’t want to grow too quickly, but we are looking at steady, sustained growth over the next few years.”

By maintaining strong relationships with clients and keeping an up-to-date network of reliable, capable subcontractors, the company has a strong future. Eastern Hospitality Advisors will continue to provide leading service, quality construction and accountability to major hotel brands around the U.S.