Hunter Hotel Investment Conference 2026: Resilience, Discipline, and Opportunity in a Shifting Market

The 37th Annual Hunter Hotel Investment Conference took place earlier this week, bringing together hospitality leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the hotel investment market. Held at a new host hotel, Signia by Hilton Atlanta, the conference conversations focused on discipline, strategy, and long-term performance.

The mood throughout the conference struck a familiar balance of cautious optimism. Elevated interest rates, labor pressures, and rising costs remain real constraints, yet the industry continues to move forward with intention. Rather than pausing entirely, owners and investors are recalibrating by leaning into sharper underwriting, operational discipline, and selective growth.

A market defined by caution, opportunity, and recalibration

That balance was reflected in conversations with industry leaders. Krupa Shah, CEO, SK Hospitality, explained, “I would characterize the current market as all three: cautious, opportunistic, and recalibrating. The answer really depends on which segment you operate in, what deal structures you favor, and which markets you are looking at.”

Shah pointed to pressure in the mid- to upper-midscale select-service segment, but also clear upside for disciplined operators. “There is a meaningful advantage in running hotels with an owner-operator mindset: staying close to the P&L, being hands-on at the asset level, and managing expenses with discipline.”

From the lending side, that same discipline is shaping deal flow. Jaylyn Rowley, Associate, Business Development, Access Point Financial, added, “On the lending side, more specifically private credit, I would say we're viewing the market today cautiously. Deal flow is being compressed, leading to fewer viable opportunities, making it more difficult for us to find deals we want to pursue from a credit perspective. Our approach on the business development side is to do more digging up front, prior to underwriting, to further ensure no issues arise later in the process.”

Deals are still getting done, but with more precision

Deals are still getting done, but with more precision. Well-capitalized groups continue to transact, often stepping into opportunities created by a widening gap between buyer and seller expectations.

In this environment, relationships matter as much as capital. “The other piece that matters right now is capital relationships,” said Shah. “We have been intentional about building trust with local and regional lenders. Not just transactional relationships, but strategic partnerships where they understand our track record and operating model. In this environment, that trust is what allows you to move on opportunities when others are sitting on the sidelines.”

Extended stay and select-service continue to stand out

Extended stay and select-service assets continue to lead, while the broader market becomes more segmented. “As a bridge lender, we are seeing owners make more asset-specific decisions,” said Rowley. “Owners are reinvesting into the Luxury and Upper Upscale segments, as well as Extended Stay and Select Service, and continue to defer CapEX, pursue conversions, and exit assets in the lower-tier segments.”

Shah reinforced that opportunity still exists, but only where fundamentals align. “Deals are still happening across segments. It comes down to the economics of the individual deal and the risk appetite of the investor.”

She noted that while development remains challenging, opportunities are emerging as owners face capital constraints. “Our investment thesis has always been built around tightly operated, mid to upper midscale select-service hotels. We look for well-located, newer-vintage assets in markets with demand generators beyond tourism. And that pipeline is growing, because many current owners are facing capital obligations they can no longer afford to fund in this rate environment.”

Performance is increasingly won at the property level

On the operating side, performance is increasingly won at the property level. Teams, culture, and execution are now central to both guest experience and financial outcomes. Demand remains steady but more nuanced. Group continues to perform, leisure has normalized, and business travel recovery remains uneven.

“In terms of what I watch most closely: booking window compression is my single biggest early-warning indicator,” said Shah. “When the gap between reservation and arrival gets shorter, and you need deeper discounts to convert, that tells you consumer confidence is weakening before it shows up in any macro report.”

Rowley added, “I remind myself that certain regions and segments will be affected more than others. Moving forward, the signals to look out for are slowed YoY growth, sharper regional mix shifts, and shorter bookings.”

Networking, visibility, and the power of access

The conference also delivered on its signature networking moments through two Hunter Late Night events. Monday evening featured a high-energy event sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, with live entertainment from Simply Irresistible. The following night, Hilton hosted a late-night event featuring Ludacris, creating one of the most memorable moments of the conference and reinforcing the role of experience and connection across the industry.

As the conference coincided with Women’s History Month, conversations also turned toward leadership and access. Reflecting on her career, Shah shared that her success has been driven by “curiosity, work ethic, and the willingness to keep showing up in rooms where you do not see many people who look like you.”

She also pointed to a deeper industry challenge: “Access. I think the industry has made real progress on the language of empowerment and visibility. The deeper challenge is access to deal flow, capital, and the networks where opportunities circulate before they ever hit the open market.”

Her call to action was clear: “Move beyond empowerment toward access. Mentorship is valuable; however, sponsorship is what really moves careers forward.”

Rowley echoed the importance of early foundation and adaptability. “I believe the primary driver of my success so far has been the foundation I built early on in undergrad at Michigan State. There, I not only learned through my classes, but through networking and hands-on experiences, prior to joining the workforce.”

She added, “Being a woman in a male-dominated field is the obstacle, but knowing how to adapt in certain settings and add valuable insight to conversations has helped me navigate this. The industry has and needs to continue to promote women in the rooms we were once not allowed in.”

The big takeaway from Hunter Conference 2026

The takeaway from this year’s Hunter Conference is that the industry is not only resilient but also increasingly disciplined, selective, and intentional. In a market defined by complexity, those who combine access, execution, and strategy will not only navigate the cycle but also define what comes next.