DEEP DIVE
DEEP DIVE
We expertly curate transformative hospitality experiences that transcend the ordinary and become the destination.
Deep Dive is the hospitality investment arm of Erkiletian Development Company, a pillar of the Washington, DC real estate and business community, built on 50 years of proven performance.
Founded by a multidisciplinary team of in-house experts, Deep Dive brings together visionary thinking and execution expertise to create distinctive hotel and restaurant destinations.
In collaboration with best-in-class partners, Deep Dive unites exceptional design and strategic vision to deliver hospitality experiences that resonate with discerning travelers and create lasting value across premier destinations.
Deep Dive is the hospitality investment arm of Erkiletian Development Company, a pillar of the Washington, DC real estate and business community, built on 50 years of proven performance.
Founded by a multidisciplinary team of in-house experts, Deep Dive brings together visionary thinking and execution expertise to create distinctive hotel and restaurant destinations.
In collaboration with best-in-class partners, Deep Dive unites exceptional design and strategic vision to deliver hospitality experiences that resonate with discerning travelers and create lasting value across premier destinations.
Meet the People Behind Deep Dive
Meet the People Behind Deep Dive
Meet the People Behind Deep Dive
Praise For Our Projects
Praise For
Our Projects
Acclaimed by the world’s leading voices in travel, design, and hospitality.
Acclaimed by the world’s leading voices in travel, design, and hospitality.
Acclaimed by the world’s leading voices in travel, design, and hospitality.
"The hotel's rooms boast ultra-calming decor thanks to hand-crafted tiles, aged brass, antique and custom furniture, wide plank oak floors, and airy, neutral tones. The distinctly cool-yet-coastal, rustic-meets-modern details and wild marsh-inspired color palette define the guest rooms and common spaces."
Lydia Mansel
Travel + Leisure (2022)
"The hotel's rooms boast ultra-calming decor thanks to hand-crafted tiles, aged brass, antique and custom furniture, wide plank oak floors, and airy, neutral tones. The distinctly cool-yet-coastal, rustic-meets-modern details and wild marsh-inspired color palette define the guest rooms and common spaces."
Lydia Mansel
Travel + Leisure (2022)
"The hotel's rooms boast ultra-calming decor thanks to hand-crafted tiles, aged brass, antique and custom furniture, wide plank oak floors, and airy, neutral tones. The distinctly cool-yet-coastal, rustic-meets-modern details and wild marsh-inspired color palette define the guest rooms and common spaces."
Lydia Mansel
Travel + Leisure (2022)
"Two sisters bring the cool factor to the Eastern Shore. A food industry insider and a talented interior designer decide to join forces and transform a tired bed and breakfast. It’s not the plotline for a Hallmark movie—it’s the story behind sisters Allie Balin and K.C. Lager and The Wildset Hotel in St. Michaels, Maryland."
Nancy DePalma
Michelin Guide (2024)
"Two sisters bring the cool factor to the Eastern Shore. A food industry insider and a talented interior designer decide to join forces and transform a tired bed and breakfast. It’s not the plotline for a Hallmark movie—it’s the story behind sisters Allie Balin and K.C. Lager and The Wildset Hotel in St. Michaels, Maryland."
Nancy DePalma
Michelin Guide (2024)
"Two sisters bring the cool factor to the Eastern Shore. A food industry insider and a talented interior designer decide to join forces and transform a tired bed and breakfast. It’s not the plotline for a Hallmark movie—it’s the story behind sisters Allie Balin and K.C. Lager and The Wildset Hotel in St. Michaels, Maryland."
Nancy DePalma
Michelin Guide (2024)
"The guest rooms and suites are sublime examples of restrained elegance. Stripped down to the essentials, my second-floor Deluxe King room with a shared balcony came with a low-slung bed dressed in crisp Parachute linens, clean bathroom amenities from Grown Alchemist, and a black fireplace—I had everything I needed to just relax."
Katie Chang
Forbes (2023)
"The guest rooms and suites are sublime examples of restrained elegance. Stripped down to the essentials, my second-floor Deluxe King room with a shared balcony came with a low-slung bed dressed in crisp Parachute linens, clean bathroom amenities from Grown Alchemist, and a black fireplace—I had everything I needed to just relax."
Katie Chang
Forbes (2023)
"The guest rooms and suites are sublime examples of restrained elegance. Stripped down to the essentials, my second-floor Deluxe King room with a shared balcony came with a low-slung bed dressed in crisp Parachute linens, clean bathroom amenities from Grown Alchemist, and a black fireplace—I had everything I needed to just relax."
Katie Chang
Forbes (2023)
"The newcomer to town is the Scandinavian-chic Wildset, a boutique hotel stretched across four 19th-century buildings. Wildset offers an intimate, hipper alternative to the classic inn, and its minimalist guest rooms and firepits (as well as its excellent oyster and fresh catch restaurant, Ruse) have earned it a place on the town map."
Madeline Weinfield
Vogue (2024)
"The newcomer to town is the Scandinavian-chic Wildset, a boutique hotel stretched across four 19th-century buildings. Wildset offers an intimate, hipper alternative to the classic inn, and its minimalist guest rooms and firepits (as well as its excellent oyster and fresh catch restaurant, Ruse) have earned it a place on the town map."
Madeline Weinfield
Vogue (2024)
"The newcomer to town is the Scandinavian-chic Wildset, a boutique hotel stretched across four 19th-century buildings. Wildset offers an intimate, hipper alternative to the classic inn, and its minimalist guest rooms and firepits (as well as its excellent oyster and fresh catch restaurant, Ruse) have earned it a place on the town map."
Madeline Weinfield
Vogue (2024)
"The minimalist, airy design lets the area’s natural surroundings shine and provides a soothing environment for guests looking to unwind or enjoy roasting s’mores at sundown. Locals and visitors flock to the inn’s restaurant, Ruse, for its raw bar—featuring a smorgasbord of oysters, seafood-driven small plates (don’t skip the anchovy toast), and dishes that range from fresh fish to pastas made with locally sourced ingredients."
Julekha Dash
Conde Nast Traveler (2023)
"The minimalist, airy design lets the area’s natural surroundings shine and provides a soothing environment for guests looking to unwind or enjoy roasting s’mores at sundown. Locals and visitors flock to the inn’s restaurant, Ruse, for its raw bar—featuring a smorgasbord of oysters, seafood-driven small plates (don’t skip the anchovy toast), and dishes that range from fresh fish to pastas made with locally sourced ingredients."
Julekha Dash
Conde Nast Traveler (2023)
"The minimalist, airy design lets the area’s natural surroundings shine and provides a soothing environment for guests looking to unwind or enjoy roasting s’mores at sundown. Locals and visitors flock to the inn’s restaurant, Ruse, for its raw bar—featuring a smorgasbord of oysters, seafood-driven small plates (don’t skip the anchovy toast), and dishes that range from fresh fish to pastas made with locally sourced ingredients."
Julekha Dash
Conde Nast Traveler (2023)
"In a minimalist dining room of exposed wood, Edison bulbs, and soft, time-worn finishes, nothing feels overdone or ornate. The space, like the menu, is confident without being showy — a place to savor rather than spectacle. “Nothing too precious,” the creative director says, and indeed, Ruse feels like a quietly powerful statement in modern hospitality.”
Tom Sietsema
The Washington Post (2022)
"In a minimalist dining room of exposed wood, Edison bulbs, and soft, time-worn finishes, nothing feels overdone or ornate. The space, like the menu, is confident without being showy — a place to savor rather than spectacle. “Nothing too precious,” the creative director says, and indeed, Ruse feels like a quietly powerful statement in modern hospitality.”
Tom Sietsema
The Washington Post (2022)
"In a minimalist dining room of exposed wood, Edison bulbs, and soft, time-worn finishes, nothing feels overdone or ornate. The space, like the menu, is confident without being showy — a place to savor rather than spectacle. “Nothing too precious,” the creative director says, and indeed, Ruse feels like a quietly powerful statement in modern hospitality.”
Tom Sietsema
The Washington Post (2022)
"I set my sights on Ruse, a vibrant, fresh venue that opened in 2021, during the pandemic, and operates out of the town’s uncharacteristically modern Wildset Hotel. Rather than the classic Maryland crab cakes that are ubiquitous in the area, I indulged in blue crab rangoon, made with a light granular ricotta instead of cream cheese and subtle, sweet crab meat. For another twist on local fare, I tried Ruse’s bright and citrusy scallop ceviche, which came served on a tostada shell instead of the traditional half shell."
Zach Montague
The New York Times (2022)
"I set my sights on Ruse, a vibrant, fresh venue that opened in 2021, during the pandemic, and operates out of the town’s uncharacteristically modern Wildset Hotel. Rather than the classic Maryland crab cakes that are ubiquitous in the area, I indulged in blue crab rangoon, made with a light granular ricotta instead of cream cheese and subtle, sweet crab meat. For another twist on local fare, I tried Ruse’s bright and citrusy scallop ceviche, which came served on a tostada shell instead of the traditional half shell."
Zach Montague
The New York Times (2022)
"The heart of St. Michaels upped its laid-back luxury game in summer 2021 with the anticipated arrival of the Wildset — a stylish, 34-room boutique hotel where a check-in desk doubles as a hip cafe with Ceremony espresso drinks scribbled on a big brown paper roll next to a well-curated sundry shop. Settle into the nautical-chic sanctuary fit for Vogue by flicking on a matte fireplace and relaxing on a private balcony or porch with a read from the room."
Tierney Plumb
Eater (2025)
"The heart of St. Michaels upped its laid-back luxury game in summer 2021 with the anticipated arrival of the Wildset — a stylish, 34-room boutique hotel where a check-in desk doubles as a hip cafe with Ceremony espresso drinks scribbled on a big brown paper roll next to a well-curated sundry shop. Settle into the nautical-chic sanctuary fit for Vogue by flicking on a matte fireplace and relaxing on a private balcony or porch with a read from the room."
Tierney Plumb
Eater (2025)