Mitra Ghamsari is Founder & CEO of Persepolis Investments, a boutique investment management firm focused on luxury residential and hotel assets in urban and coastal locations in Spain. She shares her views on the major trends shaping investment in leisure hospitality and living — from experiences to destinations and more.
Ahead of the Resort & Residential Hospitality Forum (R&R) in Athens, Hospitality Investor caught up with her to discuss the market.
Hospitality Investor: What’s the greatest risk facing hospitality investment today?
Mitra Ghamsari: The greatest risk is hesitation. In periods of uncertainty, both clients and capital can stall. The way forward is radical clarity: delivering on time, offering full transparency, and building trust through design and service that stand out. In our experience, projects that combine world-class architecture, authentic community, and a differentiated lifestyle are the ones that continue to transact, even when markets pause.
Hospitality Investor: What do you see as the major evolution in hospitality and residential real estate investment in the next decade?
Mitra Ghamsari: The defining shift will be the move from selling space to curating experiences. Buyers today are looking for far more than square meters. They want culture, wellness, F&B, and sport seamlessly integrated into their daily lives. Branded residences with a consistent identity and global reach will set the standard. At Persepolis, we view this as the next stage of the asset class: not just homes, but cultural anchors in each city that compound value over time.
Hospitality Investor: Which destinations will be the most attractive to hospitality investors in the years ahead?
Mitra Ghamsari: Madrid and Lisbon are fast becoming Europe’s new lifestyle capitals. They bring together world-class gastronomy, cultural depth, and international connectivity, while still trading at a discount to London or Paris. Within Spain, Marbella, Ibiza, Mallorca, and the Basque Country will remain iconic, but the structural story is Madrid’s emergence as the cultural and financial heart of Southern Europe. That’s why our strategy is to anchor branded living in Madrid and export that model globally.
Hospitality Investor: How are investor expectations changing when it comes to ESG and long-term asset value?
Mitra Ghamsari: Sustainability has evolved from a compliance requirement into a driver of returns. Investors today expect buildings that are efficient, resilient, and aligned with wellness and community. ESG has become a financial language: if your project lowers costs, improves health outcomes, and builds trust, it compounds both cultural and financial value. At Persepolis, we believe the future of the sector is experiential and responsible, where extraordinary design and sustainable living go hand in hand.
Hear more from Mitra Ghamsari at the Resort & Residential Hospitality Forum (R&R) in Athens on 11–13 November, where she will be joining a panel on 'From value creation to exit: Ensuring returns in branded residences.'