The Hotel Investment + Development Event (HIDE), held at Pullman London St Pancras last week, brought together a highly engaged audience of hotel investors, operators, brands and advisors for a grounded discussion on where hospitality capital is moving and why. Smaller and often more focused than some international investment forums, HIDE continues to distinguish itself by the quality of its debate and the depth of its off-stage conversations.
Mara Cattaneo attended HIDE on behalf of Madison Mayfair and Hospitality People Group. Here, she shares insights from the sessions she attended and the conversations she had that day.
“There was a good balance of investor-backed platforms and operators in the room,” Mara noted. “Not so much private individuals, but companies actively investing in and operating hotels.” With around 400 delegates, largely London-based, the atmosphere was deliberately different from the larger global conferences. “People were engaged and actively listened to the panels,” she added, “and the conversations carried on seamlessly afterwards.”
The overarching tone was one of realism rather than pessimism. Transactions are happening, but they are taking longer and are being scrutinised far more closely. While headline performance can appear attractive, buyers are now interrogating what Mara described as “the hidden numbers of the P&L”. Mid-line costs, operational assumptions and margin sustainability are increasingly where deals slow down or unravel. This places renewed importance on strong financial leadership and commercial understanding, alongside financial discipline and operational transparency, which can directly influence asset value.
Artificial intelligence dominated much of the agenda, largely replacing ESG as the most talked-about topic of the day. AI was positioned as a powerful back-of-house enabler rather than a guest-facing replacement for hospitality. “There was a lot of conversation about how AI can replace number-driven roles,” Mara explained, “things like analysis and data crunching, rather than frontline service.” At the same time, panellists questioned how far technology should go, particularly when it begins to undermine the guest experience. One session highlighted the risk of over-engineered hotel rooms where basic functionality becomes frustrating, prompting a broader discussion about balance.
ESG, meanwhile, has become a baseline expectation rather than a differentiator. “Having been absorbed into standard operating procedures, it’s not the passionate discussion it used to be, but still an important topic” Mara reflected.
Off-stage conversations revealed a quieter tension. Several investment businesses acknowledged that while technology is increasingly used to replace analytical capacity, organisations still struggle to build sustainable people pipelines. Responsibility expands, and titles inflate, but true leadership depth does not always follow. This reinforces a growing reality: technology may improve efficiency, but a structured people strategy determines long-term performance.
Luxury emerged as the most resilient investment segment. While mid-market and budget hotels face greater pressure, capital continues to favour luxury assets with pricing power and clear brand positioning. Yet even here, the definition of luxury is evolving. Although this subject was covered in some other panels, a standout session for Mara featured Lily Wecker, CEO of Aethos, whose perspective resonated strongly with the room. Sitting on a panel otherwise dominated by asset-heavy operators, Mara observed, “She brought a completely different energy.” Wecker spoke about the importance of building brand-first, wellness-led luxury that appeals to younger consumers, shifting away from traditional markers of status towards health, self-care and longevity.
This change in consumer expectation has significant implications for owners and operators. Wellness-led luxury demands different leadership behaviours, different operational rhythms and a culture aligned to purpose rather than purely aesthetics. Investors may fund the concept, but it is people who deliver the experience.
Geographically, Southern Europe was consistently cited as the most active investment region, particularly Italy, Spain and Portugal. London remains liquid but is less of the growth engine it once was, while the UK more broadly was viewed as comparatively constrained.
For Hospitality People Group, HIDE reinforced that capital is becoming more selective, more operationally informed and more people-dependent. Financial literacy, leadership depth and workplace culture are now central to valuation, funding confidence and long-term resilience. With specialist expertise spanning senior hospitality leadership, financial capability and people strategy, Hospitality People Group is uniquely positioned to support owners, operators and investors navigating this more demanding landscape, so please get in touch if you would like to discuss further.
Guy Lean, Managing Director – Madison Mayfair
+44 7813 009787/ +44 20 8 600 1180 / guylean@madisonmayfair.com
Mara Cattaneo, Recruitment Consultant – Madison Mayfair
+44 20 8600 1180 / maracattaneo@madisonmayfair.com
