Bridge, an AI-driven financial platform, announced on September 29, 2026, that it will reduce its hotel debt placement fee to 50 basis points, approximately half the 1% to 1.5% fee commonly charged on hotel financings. The new pricing takes effect October 1 and is initially available to franchisees affiliated with Bridge partners for acquisition or refinancing deals exceeding $10 million. For a hotel owner refinancing a $10 million property, the reduced fee translates to savings of $50,000 to $100,000, according to the company.
The move reflects a broader effort to pass efficiency gains from artificial intelligence directly to hotel owners. “The economics of almost every part of the hotel business have changed over time, but the way borrowers pay to arrange financing has changed remarkably little,” said Rohit Mathur, Chief Executive Officer and Cofounder of Bridge. “AI allows us to do work that historically took weeks or months in a fraction of the time. If technology lowers our cost to originate a loan, we believe those savings should make their way to the hotel owner.”
Traditional hotel debt placement is labor intensive, involving manual data collection, deal-by-deal underwriting, individual lender outreach, and lengthy timelines. Bridge has built technology to automate significant portions of that workflow, screening and underwriting hotel transactions in hours, organizing borrower and property data, evaluating financing alternatives, and identifying appropriate capital sources. The company can then execute through its direct lending channels or its broader network of lenders. The result is a lower-cost origination process, and Bridge is passing that efficiency directly to borrowers through lower fees.
“Everyone is talking about AI. But if AI doesn't eventually translate into dollars and cents for the customer, what is the point? A placement fee has historically compensated firms for the work required to get a loan closed. Technology is making that work faster and less expensive. We think the price should change with it,” Mathur added.
Beginning October 1, Bridge will publish its debt placement pricing so hotel owners can compare the cost of arranging financing before selecting an advisor or lender. The published table shows typical market fees of 1% to 1.5% for loans of $10 million and $15 million, and around 1% for loans over $20 million, compared to Bridge’s flat 0.5% fee. Potential owner savings range from $50,000 to $100,000 on a $10 million loan, $75,000 to $150,000 on a $15 million loan, and $100,000 or more on loans exceeding $20 million.
Bridge believes the broader opportunity goes beyond its own pricing. “If technology can reduce the cost of originating hotel debt, borrowers should expect that benefit to show up in what they pay,” Mathur said. “We hope others in the industry ultimately do the same.”
Founded in 2023 by Rohit Mathur and Harte Thompson following its spin-out from Citi, Bridge has deployed more than $900 million and financed hundreds of growing businesses. The company has established partnerships with leading corporations, including Hilton, AAHOA, Choice Hotels, Hyatt, Wyndham, Walmart, Best Buy, Dollar General and Chipotle, to support franchisees and suppliers nationwide. It is backed by TTV Capital, Citi Ventures, Uncorrelated Ventures, Gilgamesh Ventures, Thayer Partners and US Bank Ventures. For more information, visit bridge.co.
The announcement, originally issued via NEWMEDIAWIRE, signals a potential shift in how hotel financing is priced. If Bridge’s model proves successful, it could pressure competitors to lower their fees, ultimately benefiting hotel owners across the industry. The move also underscores the growing role of AI in financial services, where automation is beginning to deliver tangible cost savings to customers.
