The contract covers the Equinox Resort, a 183-room resort in Manchester Village, VT; Cheeca Lodge & Spa, a 203-room resort on Islamorada in the Florida Keys; La Posada Resort & Spa, a 159-unit resort in Santa Fe, NM; the Rosario Resort in Puget Sound, WA; and Casa Madrona, a 34-room, four-star property in Sausalito, CA.

Gemstone is tasked with maximizing asset value and return on capital in a top-to-bottom approach. It also will be advising in the brand's growth.

"We previously had a successful relationship with Gemstone during our ownership of the Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage," says Clark Hanrattie, partner with Olympus Real Estate Partners of New York City and Dallas. "They were able to add substantial value during their involvement in that property due in part to their unique understanding of complex resorts."

Mark van Hartesvelt, Gemstone principal, says this is the third major assignment secured in four months. That, he says, indicates a growing trend by institutional and private investors to search out experienced hospitality experts during the current "difficult operating environment. We expect to see this trend accelerate as the economic recovery begins to gain momentum, which is an opportune time to enhance investment returns.